Choosing a School

As City College of San Francisco fights to remain open after the current school year, others are beginning to question the validity of an accrediting agency threatening the very existence of vital California community colleges. Scrutiny and even lawsuits leave the accrediting agency vulnerable while other California schools struggle to realize their accreditation may be the next on the line. How will this growing problem eventually be resolved?

More California Schools Heading to the Chopping Block?

The chancellor of the California Community College System, Bryce Harris, recently stated in the San Francisco Business Times that the possible de-accreditation of City College of San Francisco might be just the tip of the iceberg. Harris told the Business Times that as many as 20 California schools could face accreditation challenges in the future. While Harris did not name specific school names in his warning, he admitted that City College's problems could plague many other schools in the state.

In July, the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) announced it would pull City College’s accreditation at the end of the current academic year 2014. The commission cited several reasons for the decision, including a confusing governance structure and lack of financial accountability. Other factors that led to the action by the commission included support services, facilities, and teaching standards that were not compliant with the commission’s requirements in these areas.

As one solution to the problem, Harris has asked the state government for more

The rankings are out from Washington Monthly, giving prospective students and their parents a snapshot of some of the top-performing community colleges in the country for 2013. This publication is one of the few that includes community colleges in their overall rankings of postsecondary institutions. In addition, the publication uses slightly different criteria for ranking schools, which may make this list noteworthy to those trying to gain a complete picture of a community college before shelling out that first tuition payment.

Unique Metrics Set New Rankings Apart

According to the Christian Science Monitor, one of the factors that sets the Washington Monthly rankings apart from the rest is the somewhat unique metrics used to rate colleges. Instead of focusing merely on admission difficulty and reputation, this ranking system uses criteria like commitment to research and service, and social mobility. The publication also includes a “best bang for your buck” category for four-year schools that ranks them according to the price paid for a degree vs. what graduates can expect to get back in return.

The fact that Washington Monthly provides a ranking of community colleges also sets this annual list apart from the rest. Although two out of every five college students opt for community college after high school, few ranking systems provide this type of information for these schools. However, as community colleges continue to increase in popularity among high school graduates and working adults alike, the need for this type of information grows

The rankings are in for this year’s analysis of the top degree-producing community colleges by Community College Week. In addition to listing the top 100 schools, researchers also discovered that the overall number of associate degrees earned made a jump this year to the top one million for the first time in history. Some schools that contributed significantly to this total are now celebrating their accomplishments with recognition in the rankings.

How States Fared

The latest analysis also looked at the number of associate degrees by state. That total number was weighed against the total population in the state to get a more accurate idea of the percentage of state residents earning degrees or certifications from community colleges. While states with larger populations also tended to issue more associate degrees, some states turned out more community college graduates as a percentage of their total population than others.

California had the most associate degrees during the 2011-2012 academic year, with 114,612 degrees awarded. California also boasts one of the country's largest overall populations and the largest community college system in the U.S. However, the second biggest degree-producing state was Florida, even though that state ranked fourth in overall population.

Other states that ranked in the top 10 in terms of degree productions included:

• New York (69,654)
• Texas (69,654)
• Arizona (62,990)
• Illinois (41,618)
• Ohio (35,871)
• Michigan (33,322)
• Pennsylvania (29,794)
• Washington (28,977)

The smallest number of associate degrees was earned in Vermont, where just 1,196 two-year degrees were

The largest community college in California is destined to meet a dire fate one year from now if heroic efforts to save the school are not successful. City College of San Francisco was recently notified by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges that it will lose accreditation by July 31, 2014. Although the school has few options left, extreme moves are in the works that could be the last hope for saving the failing school.

11 of 14 Changes Go Unaddressed

Problems for City College date far beyond the recent announcement of accreditation loss. San Francisco Gate reported that the commission evaluated the school in 2012, and made 14 recommendations for improvements that would save the school's accreditation status. Those 14 recommendations included:

• A revised mission statement for the school
• Use of the mission statement to allocate resources, with an increase in reserves
• An assessment of the college’s effectiveness
• Evaluations of all staff members responsible for student success
• Determination of whether there is sufficient staff to ensure student success
• Identification of priorities in-class curriculum and effectiveness of current courses and programs
• Assessment of whether student support services are hitting the mark
• Development of an effective planning process
• Leadership training for all staff and faculty members
• Reporting of financial information through a timely, accurate process
• Inclusion of building operating costs in long-term financial planning
• Development of a plan for maintaining and updating information systems
• Improvement of a governance structure for more efficient decision-making
• Adherence to bylaws and policies by college trustees

In this video, California

Disturbingly low standards at community colleges nationwide translate to lower chances of success in the job market after college, a new study finds. Researchers discovered that although community college instructors appear to be lowering the bar for first-year students, many were unable to even meet the lower academic standards in math and literacy. This dismal picture suggests multiple layers of reform may be necessary to ensure students are ready for the professional workforce at graduation time.

Report Gauges College and Career Readiness

The new report, titled, “What does it Really Mean to be College and Work Ready?” was compiled by the National Center on Education and the Economy. The non-profit groups studies academic standards, instructional systems and assessment. Researchers looked at seven community colleges in seven states, looking at tests, textbooks and assignments given to first-year college students. Colleges were chosen at random and school size ranged from 3,000 to 30,000 students, according to Inside Higher Ed.

The study focused on popular career training programs offered by community colleges across the country, including accounting and business, automotive technology, criminal justice, early childhood education and information technology. Researchers focused on first-year students in these programs, and focus was placed on reading, writing and mathematics skills necessary to master these early college courses.

Lower Standards Still Not Met by Many Students

Researchers discovered that the bar set by college instructors in first-year courses was fairly low in terms of both reading and writing expectations. However,