Tracking Student Progress Through Basic Skills: A Discipline Framework

Janet Fulks, Bakersfield College

Marcy Alancraig, Cabrillo College

ASCCC Basic Skills Webinar Series

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Tracking Student Progress Through Basic Skills: A Discipline Framework

Janet Fulks, Bakersfield College

Marcy Alancraig, Cabrillo College

ASCCC Basic Skills Webinar Series

Outcomes for this Session

• Relate the story of CB 21 coding for basic skills

Demonstrate what this project might mean for your college

How do you define basic skills? Type the answer in the chat box.

Title 5

• math

• reading

• writing

• ESL

Basic Skills improvement was only 50%

ESL improvement only 47.4%

There was no movement for a decade.

THE MYSTERY

Why did the AARC report reveal that less than half the students in basic skills and ESL were progressing?

To find the clues

First we need some basics

Every course is described or defined by course basic codes (CB coding) that assign data elements to allow reporting and analysis according to specific curriculum functions.

Uses of Course Coding

The following represent a few reports created purely on the MIS * coding without ever referencing the Course Outline of Record:

• Allocation of funding to the colleges• Census data• FTES counts for apportionment• FTEF counts for staffing reports• Equity reporting• Reporting to the federal database IPEDS• Report to the California database CPEC

• Report to the state legislature ARCC – Accountability report for California Community Colleges

• * MIS = Management Information Systems

Enrollments(SX)

StudentDemographics

(SB)Sections

CoursesFin.Aid

Assess.

PBS

VTEA

Matric.

Pgm.Awds.

Emp.Demo.

Sessions

Calendar Assignments

EOPSDSPS

Emp.Assign.

Cal-WORKs

CCC MIS Database

How is the data used?

The data, based upon the coding, can be used to

Justify funding increases or decreases

Provide a rationale for policies

Provide accountability for expenditures such as Perkins and Basic Skills Initiative Dollars

Program review

Educational improvement

ARCC Report

• Basic Skills Success

Basic Skills Progress – progress up the levels CB

A to B to C to college level

Basic Skills Supplemental Report

Basic Skills Success and Basic Skills progress by discipline

Math (4 levels creditReading (4 levels)Writing/English (4 levels)ESL (writing, reading, speaking/listening, 6 levels; integrated)

Plus number of sections & assessment levels & noncredit

The Problem Discovered!

The Coding was Not Consistent with the Curriculum

CB 21 had no consistent definition

Used to mean “courses prior to college/transfer” but …

What is transfer level?

What is college level? Prior to Fall 2009 – meant graduation requirements

Currently

graduation requirements = intermediate algebra

(college level but not transferable)

Currently Title 5 allows Algebra as degree applicable which then dictates that this is equivalent to college level .

Student Success Conference 2009

Sample Coding – Credit Courses only College #1 CB04 Degree applicability or not CB08 Basic Skills or not CB 21 -

levels Elementary Geometry CB04= D Degree Applicable CB08=N Not basic Skills A Intermediate Algebra CB04= D Degree Applicable CB08=N Not basic Skills A Elementary Algebra CB04= D Degree Applicable CB08=N Not basic Skills B Pre-algebra CB04= N NOT Degree Applicable CB08=B Basic Skills C College #2 Elementary Algebra CB04= D Degree Applicable CB08=N Not basic Skills A Arithmetic CB04= N NOT Degree Applicable CB08=B Basic Skills B College #3 Elementary Algebra CB04= D Degree Applicable CB08=N Not basic Skills A Elementary Algebra- 1st half CB04= D Degree Applicable CB08=N Not basic Skills A Elementary Algebra -2nd half CB04= D Degree Applicable CB08=N Not basic Skills A Intermediate Algebra CB04= D Degree Applicable CB08=N Not basic Skills A College #4 Intermediate Algebra CB04= D Degree Applicable CB08=N Not basic Skills A Basic Mathematics CB04= N NOT Degree Applicable CB08=B Basic Skills C Beginning Algebra CB04= N NOT Degree Applicable CB08=B Basic Skills Y

Coding ProblemsSome CB coding was incorrect

All coded at the same CB 21 level

CB 21 coded backwards or inconsistently

Some courses are incorrectly identified as transfer (CB 05)

Some courses are incorrectly identified as degree applicable – contrary to Title 5 (CB 08)

Some courses are NOT identified as Basic Skills when they were basic skills

Some courses were placed in the wrong TOP codes

The solution to the Problem!

Gather Faculty to create rubrics to define what each level below transfer means

Student Success Conference 2009

ASCCC Organized Meetings

English

Reading

Mathematics

ESL

Non-Credit

CB 21 RubricsDeveloped by over 350 faculty

Work included national literature research

Created CB 21 rubrics for statewide levels of all courses within common guidelines

Vetted by over 300 faculty

Shared with professional groups (CATESOL, ECCTYC, CMC3,

CRLA)

Officially adopted by all 110 colleges April 2009

RESULTS……..

• Corrected existing coding inconsistencies

Involved collaboration of faculty, selected curriculum committee members, discipline faculty, CIOs and researchers

Student Success Conference 2009

Discipline Credit Noncredit Likely bridge noncredit to credit

Math Four levels CB 21 A, B, C, D Six levels CB 21 A, B, C, D, E, F

Levels C & D

English Four levels CB 21 A, B, C, D Seven levels CB 21 A, B, C, D, E, F, G

Level B or C

Reading Four levels CB 21A, B, C, D

Five levels CB 21A, B, C, D, E

Level A or B

ESL 6 levels ESL Reading CB 21A, B, C, D, E, F

8 levels ESL Integrated CB 21A,B,C,D,E, F, G, H

Includes vocational and Cultural skills

Most noncredit end 2 levels prior to English 1 A at Level B

6 levels ESL Writing CB 21A, B, C, D, E, F

6 levels ESL Speaking & Listening CB 21A, B, C, D, E, F

Where are the Rubrics and Guidelines?

They can be found at http://www.cccbsi.org

And the CCCCO website

Student Success Conference 2009

How can you use the rubrics?

Let’s answer a few key questions

Type in your answer to the questions below

? This CB21 recoding process

A. required new TOP codes for all ESL, basic skills math, English and reading

B. corrected existing inaccuracies in CB 21 coding

C. aligned statewide levels of basic skills courses

D. helped correct other CB data elements

E. did all of the above

? Which of the basic skills courses are coded with CB 21

?A. Reading, math, ESL and writing (English)

courses in a sequence

B. All reading, math, ESL and writing (English) basic skills courses

C. Study Skills courses

D. Transfer courses

E. None – all of the above are basic skills

A.Yes

B.No

C.Under some specific conditions

? Can you have more than one course on a specific

CB21 level ?

A. Yes, it is allowable

B. No, it is not allowable

C. Yes, it is allowable but you should examine why

Deleted T.O.P. codes New T.O.P. Code or Existing Codes

4930.21 – Writing4930.70 – Reading Skills Development 4930.71 – Reading Skills, College Level

1501.00 – English (writing)1520.00 – Reading

4930.40 – Career Technical Computational Skills4930.41 – Pre-Algebra (Basic Math/Arithmetic)4930.42 – Elementary Algebra

1701.00 – Mathematics, General1702.00 – Mathematics Skills

4930.20 – Communication Skills 1506.00 – Speech Communication or 4930.33 – Learning Skills, Speech Impairedor Other appropriate T.O.P. codes

4930.80 – ESL–Intermediate4930.81 – ESL–Advanced4930.82 – ESL–Elementary4930.83 – ESL–Degree-applicable

4930.84 – ESL Writing4930.85 – ESL Reading4930.86 – ESL Speaking/Listening4930.87 – ESL Integrated

4930.91 – ESL Civics 4930.87 – ESL Integrated or 4930.90 – Citizenship

? When courses are coded, are you allowed to have gaps?

For instance CB 21 D,C,A ?

A. Yes gaps are allowable

B. No gaps are not allowable

C. You may have gaps but this should result in discussions about your curriculum

Things to ConsiderStudent success:

Should you have more levels or fewer levels?

The longer the ladder the fewer students complete

Research indicates too many steps are a barrier to progress

There are TIPPING POINTS

Dialogue:

Stimulate discussions about basic skills and degree- applicable courses appropriate to your college vision, mission and culture

ARCC DATA Statewide RatesIndicator 2008 2009 2010 2011

Student Progress & Achievement 51.2% 51.8% 52.3% 53.6%

Completed 30 or more units 70.4% 71.2% 72.4% 72.8%

Fall to Fall Persistence 68.3% 69.2% 68.7% 67.6%

Voc Ed Course Completion 78.2% 77.7% 77.6% 77.0%

Basic Skills Course Completion 60.5% 60.5% 61.5% 61.4%

Basic Skills Course Improvement 50.0% 51.2% 53.8% 54.6%

ESL Course Improvement 44.7% 50.1% 50.2% 58.6%

Student Success Conference 2009

Coding Makes a BIG Difference in Outcomes

Reports!What will you do at your

college?How will you define basic

skills?

Thanks