

Not every student can succeed in this self-paced format. Shasta College, like the other colleges in the pilot, is still trying to figure out how much to pay faculty in the new system. In-state students in the new program who do not qualify for financial aid will pay the same total tuition, just shy of $2,800 for an associate degree, not including the cost of books, classroom supplies, or other miscellaneous fees.

Students in the new program will be able to take an exam up to three times and can move as quickly or as slowly as they want, Tanner said. “We’ve created an inequitable system because it’s so time bound.” Charla Long, the president of the Competency-Based Education NetworkĬurrently, a student is required to take 20 semester-long classes for that same degree. Students in the program will have materials to teach themselves, teachers will be available to answer questions and counselors will be able to provide wraparound support. In the new system, students seeking an associate degree in early childhood education at Shasta College in Redding will take 60 different exams, each one testing a specific skill, said Buffy Tanner, the college’s director of innovation and special projects. “We’ve created an inequitable system because it’s so time bound,” she said. Students who may have less time for school because of work or family obligations lose out too, said Charla Long, the president of the Competency-Based Education Network, a consultant for California’s pilot program. In this current system, students may be required to sit through classes to get college credit even if they can demonstrate they already have some of the requisite skills. Because of the high number of part-time students, the state funds colleges and universities based largely on the number of hours that a student spends in class, not the number of students themselves. Teachers get paid in part based on the number of hours they teach. That’s why some refer to it as a “two-year degree.” An associate degree, which California’s community colleges offer, requires roughly 3,000 hours spent in a classroom or on homework in a traditional academic year. The new model restructures the requirements of a degree to reflect what students have learned, rather than the amount of time they spend in class.Ĭurrently, all college degrees require a certain number of hours spent in a classroom, either in-person or virtually. The pilot is geared toward working adults, many of whom left community colleges at record rates during the COVID-19 pandemic.Īs the state’s population of K-12 students continues to shrink, leaving colleges with fewer students right out of high school, the pilot aims to attract adults who are already in the workforce by “valuing their lived and work experience,” said Madera Community College President Ángel Reyna.īy Adam Echelman SeptemSeptemA new way to measure learning In theory, this model, known as “competency-based education,” could provide students with more flexibility and the potential to attain degrees faster in key job sectors. Students who can prove that they have the relevant skills can earn that degree. In a pilot program taking shape across eight of the state’s community colleges, the only requirement for some associate degrees will be “competency.” But changing the traditional education system isn’t easy.Ī revolution is in the making at California’s community colleges: No more grades, no more sitting through lectures or seminars, no more deadlines. The following contact options are available: Pricing Information, Support, General Help, and Press Information/New Coverage (to guage reputation).Eight community colleges in California are testing out a new education model, one that defines success by the skills a student learns, not the time they spend in a classroom. Discover which options are the fastest to get your customer service issues resolved. You can try any of the methods below to contact The Modesto Bee News. We make eduacted guesses on the direct pages on their website to visit to get help with issues/problems like using their site/app, billings, pricing, usage, integrations and other issues.
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