Santa Barbara City College
Continuing Education Division
The Importance of Maintaining Enhanced Funded
Certificate/Diploma Programs
During Challenging Fiscal Times
April 8, 2011
Background
Senate Bill 361 Noncredit Enhanced Funding
The current weak economy and global competition are forcing many workers to retool their job
skills through more education so they can work in the knowledge industry. When all these
factors are put together, there is much more interest in a public policy that recognizes the
strength of the community colleges for workforce development (SB 361 Enhanced Funding Final
Legislative Report).
A prime example is Senate Bill (SB) 361, authored by Scott, which became a law on September
29, 2006. The bill established in Education Code Section 84750.3 a uniform rate of funding
noncredit courses as well as an enhanced rate for noncredit courses in career development and
college preparation. Current rates of reimbursement by FTES are:
Credit
Enhanced non-credit
Non-enhanced non-credit
$4,564.83
$3,232.07
$2,744.96
Career development and career preparation courses eligible for enhanced funding are those
courses and classes for which no credit is given, and that a college may offer in a sequence of
courses leading to a certificate of completion. Only 14% of the courses offered in Continuing
Education (CE) lead to a vocational certificate with high employment potential.
The critical aspect of these courses or programs is that they must lead to improve employability
or job placement opportunities or a certificate of competency in a recognized career field. Only
courses in the following area are eligible:
a) Elementary and secondary basic skills,
b) Workforce preparation classes in the basic skills of speaking, listening, reading, writing,
mathematics, decision-making, and problem-solving skills that are necessary to
participate in job-specific technical training,
c) Short-term vocational program with high employment potential; and,
d) English as a Second Language (ESL), and Vocational English as Second Language (VESL)
It is important to stress that the goal of enhanced funding is not limited to students completing
a certificate. It should also lead to:
 A Certificate of Completion
 Improved employability or job placement opportunities
 A certificate of competency in a recognized career field
 Articulation with college-level coursework
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 Completion of an associate of arts degree
 Transfer to a four-year degree program
SBCC Continuing Education Division Approved Certificates
The CE Division basic skills courses lead to an Adult High School Diploma, General Education
Development (Diploma) or GED, Adult Basic Education Certification in reading, writing and
mathematics, and transition into the credit division.
Due to Title 5 changes that necessitated curriculum changes to the Adult High School Diploma,
the CE Division could not accept any new students to the program until Fall 2010; therefore, the
number of diplomas awarded decreased from the previous year. The Chancellor's Office
approved the new Adult High School Program that now includes 34 new enhanced funded
courses.
The Santa Barbara City College CE Division offers the only Adult High School program in our
service area. The CE Division also offers the state approved GED testing site for all of Santa
Barbara County. County of Santa Barbara data indicates that approximately 18% of the local
population has not completed a high school diploma or GED. In addition, many of the students
that do not complete their high school diploma attend Continuing Education lacking basic skills
in reading, writing and mathematics.
In addition to these two secondary education options, the CE Division also offers one
elementary basic skills course for students needing assistance with basic skills. Students taking
these courses work on improving their basic skills in order to succeed in secondary school
studies and complete their high school diploma or GED.
The CE Division provides student support services to these students to assist them with their
matriculation to a certificate program in CE, career technical education at the credit campus or
transfer to pursue a degree program. CE offers a strong bridge to higher education.
CE ESL courses lead students through six levels of English development as established by the
California Model Standards. After the appropriate English skill level, students have the option to
pursue a CE vocational skills certificate or matriculate to credit ESL classes with an increased
academic option. The ESL faculty is currently modifying its curriculum and will submit changes to
the Chancellor's Office for approval. Proposed curriculum changes will likely shorten the time
needed to complete the ESL sequence and emphasize student pathways to vocational and
academic success.
Following the approval of SB 361 Enhanced Funding for non-credit course and certificates, the
Continuing Education Division developed short-term vocational certificates beginning in June
2007.
Approved Certificates of Completion
ESL Certificate of Competence (Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced)
Secondary Education Certificate of Completion
Secondary Education/Bi-lingual/Bi-literate GED Preparation Certificate of Completion
Basic Computer Applications Certificate of Completion
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Approved English as a Second Language/Vocational English as a Second Language Certificate
of Completion
ESL Certificate of Completion
Approved Short-Term Vocational with High Employability Potential Certificates of Completion
Health Care Interpreter
Personal Care Attendant
Restorative Nurse Assistant
Medical Assistant
Green Gardener
ServSafe Food Handlers
2008-2011 College Plan
Student Learning, Achievement and Development
Goal 2: Increase the success of students in the Continuing Education Division through innovative
instruction and support programs that address the needs of a diverse college population.
Objective 2.1
Establish baseline data for course completion, persistence and certificate completion in the Adult
High School, GED, ESL and short=term vocational programs by the end of 2008-2009.
2008-2009 (Baseline)
Health Care Interpreter Certificate = 26
Green Gardener Certificate = 35
Personal Care Attendant Certificate = 27
GED = 124
Adult High School Diploma = 84
(ESL certificates not issued)
Total issued = 296
2009-2010
Adult High School Diploma= 51*
GED = 135
Adult Basic Education = 2
ESL Beginning Certificate = 249
ESL Intermediate Certificate = 121
ESL Advanced Certificate= 71
Personal Care Attendant Certificate = 17
ServSafe Food Handlers Certificate = 23
Restorative Nurse Assistant Certificate = 17
Green Gardener Certificate = 45
Total issued = 686
2010-2011
Medical Assistant Certificate = 30
Personal Care Attendant Certificate = 13
Health Care Interpreter Certificate = 16
Green Gardener Certificate = 23
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GED = TBD
Adult High School Diploma = TBD
Objective 2.4
Establish baseline data for number of students in enhanced funded courses who transition to
credit and increase this number by 2% by the end of academic year 2010-2011Plan
Accomplishments to Date
2008-2009 Baseline
The CE Division hired two part-time counselors utilizing Basic Skills and Non-Credit Matriculation
resources. As a result, it achieved a 34% increase in the number of students transitioning from
non-credit to credit (156 in 2007- 2008 to 208 in 2008-2009).
2009-2010
The number of students who transitioned from non-credit to credit decreased from 208 to 171
reflecting an eight (8) percent decrease. (STEP tracks these numbers as best possible since no
formalized tracking exists to date). During the last two years, 379 students have transitioned
from non-credit to credit.
While the CE Division did not achieve the two (2) percent increase, this number may not reflect
the total numbers of students who transitioned from non-credit to credit. Currently, there is no
mechanism in place to track non-credit students. The CE Division is exploring options to design
a better tracking system in consultation with the Office of Institutional Assessment, Research
and Planning.
The advisory committees for each vocational certificate play a vital role in ensuring that we
prepare our graduates for fields with high employment demand.
a) The Personal Care Attendant Certificate is competency based and developed in conjunction
with an advisory committee consisting of local employers, and in consultation with the SBCC
credit Allied Health Department.
b) The Health Care Interpreter Certificate program faculty and staff meet regularly to discuss
ongoing changes in state and national interpreter policy issues.
c) The Green Gardener Certificate program has a five member advisory committee that provides
additional job training and job placement for graduates.
d) The Medical Assistant Certificate program has a 10 member advisory committee that meets
on a regular basis. Many recent graduates of the Medical Assistant program found placements
at various Santa Barbara County health care facilities.
The CE Division is also near completion of new Vocational ESL Certificates in the areas of
landscape, childcare and medical care. These new certificates will greatly enhance the success
rates of ESL students entering vocational programs in both CE and credit. The CE Division
selected these three certificate topic areas after an extensive environmental scan to meet the
growing training needs of the Spanish-speaking population in Santa Barbara County.
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Rationale to Continue Offering Enhanced Funded Programs and Courses
Decisions to maintain enhanced courses and programs during the summer 2010 specifically
related to the following four key critical factors:
1) State funding priorities,
2) Goals and objectives of SB 361 legislation,
3) Federal funding priorities for providing workforce development training, and
4) Goals and objectives established in the 2008-2011 College Plan.
Although the Chancellor's Office recently approved several older adult course modifications,
Chancellor’s Office staff members continue to remind the CE Division of state funding priorities:
“Even though this course has been approved by our office, please note that the legislature in 2009-2010
wrote into the State Budget Act that community colleges should focus our mission on transfer, workforce
training, and basic skills. In his speech at the California Community College League Conference on
November 18, 2010, Chancellor Scott has repeated his message that “the legislature made it clear… that it
was their intent that we not cut transfer, career technical, and basic skills courses. The truth is that if we
don't prioritize, the legislators will do it for us. And I am convinced that we know our community better
than the Legislature and can make reductions that are more appropriate.” As you begin to offer this
course, please keep in mind the overall guidance from the legislature and the Chancellor.
Sincerely,
Joanne Vorhies”
We cannot underscore the importance of basic skills and non-credit certificate programs. We
also need to provide academic support for under-prepared and unprepared students to
undertake college level learning. Data demonstrates that individuals without a high school
diploma or equivalent are not as likely to find high paying employment. They typically find work
for fewer hours and lower pay.
During this difficult fiscal time in our economy, we need basic skills education and certificate
programs for those struggling to find employment and attend school at the same time. Some of
students that attend our diploma or certificate programs (enhanced) are the students that need
the most support in our community to break educational divide barriers.
In conclusion, on behalf of CE students, the CE Division does not support the reduction of
enhanced FTES since it will decimate our certificate and diploma programs.
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