College of the Redwoods
Narrative for New or Substantial Change to Noncredit Certificate
Certificate or Diploma: Certificate of Competency
Program Title: Academic Readiness in Mathematics
Item 1. Program Goals and Objectives
This certificate will provide basic skills instruction to prepare students for success in credit-bearing mathematics
courses and other programs that require competency in basic mathematics.
Students will be assessed on their ability to:
1. Demonstrate mathematical skills at an appropriate level for future progression in basic skills mathematics
courses.
Item 2. Catalog Description
A noncredit Certificate of Competency in mathematics. This sequence of noncredit basic mathematics courses
serves as a pathway to credit-bearing mathematics courses by providing students with a foundation in arithmetic
and pre-algebra. Completion of this certificate also benefits students in other programs or careers where
knowledge of fundamental mathematical concepts is essential for success.
Item 3. Program Requirements
Requirements
Dept #
Name
Hours
Required Core
Math 272
Arithmetic for
College Preparation
72
Math 276
Pre-Algebra for
College Preparation
72
Proposed Sequence*:
Fall Start:
Year 1, Fall: Math 272 (0 units / 72 hours)
Year 1, Spring: Math 276 (0 units / 72 hours)
Spring Start:
Year 1, Spring: Math 272 (0 units / 72 hours)
Year 1, Fall: Math 276 (0 units / 72 hours)
*Note: Students with demonstrated competence in Math 272 material may complete the certificate requirements
by successful completion of Math 276 only.
Item 4. Master Planning
This certificate will meet goals and objectives of College of the Redwood's Education Master Plan by ensuring
student success and meeting a need in our community. The certificate will provide a structured pathway for entry
into credit math courses for students who are assessed at a mathematics level below that of elementary algebra.
In the past, College of the Redwoods regularly offered credit mathematics courses to meet the needs of these
students, but with the change in federal financial aid, more students now need these noncredit courses. With the
current situation, students will benefit by earning this certificate of competency.
Noncredit courses such as the ones in this program can be repeated, if necessary, for students to gain the needed
knowledge and skills. Students will need to demonstrate proficiency at the level of C or better in both required
Narrative for New or Substantial Change to New Noncredit Certificate
College of the Redwoods
core courses to earn the certificate. Students will then be prepared to continue on in credit-bearing mathematics
courses and other credit courses that require this level of mathematics. All students who complete the
coursework successfully will be able to mark their success by earning this certificate. Combining these noncredit
courses into a certificate will improve the effectiveness of basic skills education at College of the Redwoods by
allowing students to have clear stepping stones toward their educational goals.
By offering this certificate, the college will also improve retention and persistence rates. Currently, about 75% of
students in the district come unprepared to take a college-level math class. During 2012-13, after tracking a cohort
of students for six years, College of the Redwoods institutional data shows that only 36% of students who came
unprepared completed a college-level course. Furthermore, of those who came unprepared, only 26% of male and
32% of female students completed a college-level mathematics course within the six-year time period. The
students most vulnerable to non-completion of a college-level mathematics course are those in noncredit courses
three levels or more below transfer. This certificate will address this problem and improve retention by allowing
students to earn official documentation of their accomplishment as they build college-ready skills. It will also help
those in our community who may need basic mathematics skills at work or want to improve their chances at
gaining entry-level jobs where mathematics skills are required. By completing this certificate, students will be able
to show documented proof of having improved their skills in mathematics by taking courses without the expense
of college course fees.
Narrative for New or Substantial Change to New Noncredit Certificate