So why learn about best Practices?  How is best practices helping our community colleges change new pathways to successful avenues. 

Well!  Best Practices that Promote Equity in Basic Skills in California Community Colleges.  It provides an overview of proven practices that can be used to promote success for our varied and diverse student population. The paper describes the anatomy of concentrated efforts where the macro meets the micro on college campuses across the state. Three important strategies are described: Equity-Mindedness, Cultural Competence, and Universal Design for Learning. Equity-mindedness is an evidence-based practice that identifies and removes barriers to student success. Cultural Competence is an effort to understand the role of culture in equitable outcomes. And finally, Universal Design for Learning critically examines the everyday practices in student services and classrooms that not only create access but also identifies ways to make student success a priority.

California is predicted to experience the largest demographic shifts and greatest diversity in the nation; we must become adept at educating and training our future workforce lest we allow educational and workforce gaps to widen. The student population of the California community colleges (CCCs) already mirrors statewide population projections for 2050.

In essence, the almost three million students within the CCCs are a proportional preview of the state’s future population. With California in such a critical place and with the CCCs poised to address the needs of today and tomorrow, what better time than now to adopt practices that promote equitable outcomes and success for all? There are many successful, concrete practices that have promoted equitable outcomes for students within the CCC system. We must expand these efforts to every
college. 

Please learn what California and how Palo Verde College is doing to change the challenges of the 21st century into successful pathways for a prosperous community.....

California Community Colleges Basic Skills Initiative efforts....

How much does college matter for getting ahead in America? Having a postsecondary education—broadly defined as a credential beyond a high school diploma—continues to be one of the most important factors in getting a good job and advancing in the workforce. By one estimate, 64 percent of jobs in 2018 will require more than a high school diploma, although not necessarily a four-year degree. 

For each year of postsecondary education, an adult is more likely to be employed, earn family-sustaining wages, lead a healthier life, and have children who are better prepared to succeed in school.  The country, too, benefits from a more educated workforce. Studies of the return on government investments in education (at all levels, not just K-12) show that it is a sound use of public funds. Critical federal programs, such as funding for student aid and job training, can help lower-skilled adults and youth access postsecondary education, but important policy choices that support their success and completion can be made at the state and local levels. State-level innovations can include: instructional strategies that provide a strong foundation in occupational skills required for jobs in the local economy; acceleration strategies that help students progress further and more quickly in education and training programs in a shorter period of time than traditional approaches, and funding formulas, assessment policies, and other administrative policies that support a statewide
vision to provide adults and youth with pathways to better jobs through postsecondary education.  What do you think?  We would like to hear from you.....

Effective Practices

BSI Handbook
Literature ReviewBasic Skills Effective Practices Database

Literature Review and Overview of Institutional Examples

The approach to conducting the study combined the intense work of a group of associates of the Center for Student Success with iterative reviews of each of the three work products by a panel of faculty with extensive expertise in basic skills. In addition, drafts of each work product were reviewed by Dr. Carole Bogue-Feinour, Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, California Community Colleges System Office, and Dr. John Nixon, Vice President of Instruction, Mt. San Antonio College.
For the purposes of this study, the following working definition of basic skills was established:

Basic skills are those foundation skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and English as a Second Language, as well as learning skills and study skills, which are necessary for students to succeed in college-level work.

In order to establish criteria for “effective” practices, this document adopted a variation of Hunter Boylan’s definition of best practice, modified as follows:

“Effective practices” refer to organizational, administrative, instructional, or support activities engaged in by highly successful programs, as validated by research and literature sources relating to developmental education.

Over 250 references, spanning more than 30 years, were reviewed, making this the most comprehensive review of literature in the area of basic skills conducted in California community colleges to date. Study after study by a multitude of researchers confirms a consistent set of elements that commonly characterize effective developmental education programs. These elements can be organized under the broad categories of organizational and administrative practices, program components, staff development, and instructional practices. A total of 26 effective practices emerged under these four major categories and are listed below.
See more on
Basic Skills Initiative for California Community Colleges

Basic skills are those foundation skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and English as a Second Language, as well as learning skills and study skills, which are necessary for students to succeed in college-level work?  Share your thoughts, we like to hear from you...

Lessons Learned from the Basic Skills Initiative (2006 to 2009)

While we have learned a great deal from the Basic Skills Initiative (BSI) and basic skills data (which indicate room for improvement, sometimes overwhelming need for improvement within specific student populations), one thing is clear: the California Community College System has not failed in addressing student needs. Rather the overwhelming demographic shifts, the enormous diversity within those demographics, the major academic gaps in new students and the increasing needs for a skilled workforce have simply outstripped our resource capacity. READ MORE....... http://www.cccbsi.org/ 
POST SEPTEMBER 2012

This is a suggest for the Palo Verde College basic skills program. As a senior student, I would like to suggest that we need a better system for teaching the older student about computer knowledge. This era is moving faster than the older student can adapt. I also hate the Hawks Learning System, as a student with learning disabilities, it is hard for me to succeeded with my math requirements. the teacher and counselor do what they can but they need more help, more face-to-face teaching.

Terry Milburn #101325

BSI: A Collaborative Project Driven by the System’s Strategic Plan

The Basic Skills Initiative (BSI) was a grant funded initiative from the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office (CCCCO) which began in 2006 as part of the strategic planning process. The goal of the BSI was to improving student access and success. The Strategic Plan guides California Community Colleges as they serve over 2.9 million students annually at 110 colleges. The BSI was a part of Strategic Plan Goal Area 2- Student Success and Readiness (http://strategicplan.cccco.edu/).  The project addressed credit and noncredit basic skills as well as adult education and programs designed to help underprepared students. 

A two-pronged approach by BSI created an environment for unprecedented accomplishments in Basic Skills. One prong of this plan allocated colleges supplemental funding to specifically address basic skills needs. This funding was guided by locally developed action plans documenting usage of the funding. The outcomes of the BSI are tracked using the Accountability Report for Community Colleges (ARCC), specifically the ARCC Basic Skills report.

The other prong took the shape of a Professional Development Grant which was designed to address training needs for faculty and staff in basic skills, and English as a Second Language (ESL). A brief review of the timeline and accomplishments are included in the graphic attached.

The Basic Skills Professional Development Grant provided statewide training and support to address the professional development needs of community college administrators, faculty, and staff in the areas of basic skills and ESL instruction in both credit and noncredit instruction.

For more information, please log on to the following website and learn all about the initiative....at

http://www.cccbsi.org/about