Author : Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Publisher :
Page : 98 pages
File Size : 22,71 MB
Release : 2010
Category : Community colleges
ISBN :
Author : Lindsay Daugherty
Publisher :
Page : 18 pages
File Size : 37,1 MB
Release : 2014
Category : Community colleges
ISBN : 9780833089526
Many workforce-development needs, particularly those requiring baccalaureate degrees, remain unmet in some areas of Texas. Employers and students are calling for additional programs to develop workplace skills and to provide opportunities for career advancement. On May 22, 2013, the Texas Legislature approved a bill mandating a study on whether community college baccalaureate degree programs should be expanded in Texas. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board asked the RAND Corporation to partner with the Texas Higher Education Policy Initiative to conduct the study. This report summarizes a longer research report in which the authors assess unmet workforce-development needs in nursing and the applied sciences, assess the arguments for and against baccalaureate expansion, and recommend potential activities to support implementation of any new policies undertaken to expand community college baccalaureate programs. They find significant need for more baccalaureate nurses, although rapidly growing distance learning programs may be able to meet this need. The authors find varying needs for the four applied science occupations they examined: computer and information technology, management of fire sciences, management of production/operations technicians, and health information technology. While expanding community college baccalaureate degree programs could help meet unmet needs and increase degree attainment among students, there are concerns about costs, mission creep at community colleges, counterproductive competition between community colleges and universities, and a decline in the overall quality of a Texas baccalaureate. The authors discuss the inherent tradeoffs that policymakers face in this regard.
Author : Lindsay Daugherty
Publisher :
Page : 118 pages
File Size : 28,39 MB
Release : 2014
Category : Community colleges
ISBN : 9780833089557
Many workforce-development needs, particularly those requiring baccalaureate degrees, remain unmet in some areas of Texas. Employers and students are calling for additional programs to develop workplace skills and to provide opportunities for career advancement. On May 22, 2013, the Texas Legislature approved a bill mandating a study on whether community college baccalaureate degree programs should be expanded in Texas. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board asked the RAND Corporation to partner with the Texas Higher Education Policy Initiative to conduct the study. In this report, the authors assess unmet workforce-development needs in nursing and the applied sciences, assess the arguments for and against baccalaureate expansion, and recommend potential activities to support implementation of any new policies undertaken to expand community college baccalaureate programs. They find significant need for more baccalaureate nurses, although rapidly growing distance learning programs may be able to meet this need. The authors find varying needs for the four applied science occupations they examined: computer and information technology, management of fire sciences, management of production/operations technicians, and health information technology. While expanding community college baccalaureate degree programs could help meet unmet needs and increase degree attainment among students, there are concerns about costs, mission creep at community colleges, counterproductive competition between community colleges and universities, and a decline in the overall quality of a Texas baccalaureate. The authors discuss the inherent tradeoffs that policymakers face in this regard.
Author : Nancy Remington
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
Page : 174 pages
File Size : 38,27 MB
Release : 2023-07-03
Category : Education
ISBN : 1000976793
“This book does an excellent job of tracing the history of the movement and where it stands today. It discusses the political context when these discussions happen in states and the education implications when institutions take on this additional mission. This book may or may not convert those who are concerned about ‘mission creep’ of community colleges, but it sure will give them something to think about. Clearly we cannot continue to do business as we have always done and expect to meet the growing demand for college educated citizens. This book provides some thoughts on how to create a new model going forward and it deserves serious consideration.”—from the Foreword by Carol D’AmicoThe premise of this book is that, in a globalized economy dependent on innovation and knowledge, higher education must provide greater, more affordable access to the acquisition of higher-level skills and knowledge for a greater proportion of the population.The purpose of this book is to open up a debate about the status quo. Should four-year institutions remain the near-exclusive conferrers of the baccalaureate? Or is there a legitimate role for community colleges who already educate over half the undergraduate population of the United States, at lower cost with few barriers to access?The contributors examine the capacities of four-year colleges to deliver training for technical occupations; the ability of community colleges to deliver rigorous, high-quality courses; and issues of access, affordability, faculty development, and responsiveness to changing needs. A chapter devoted to student voices provides the critical perspective of this constituency.The book concludes by describing examples of implementation across the United States, reviewing different models of articulation as well as promising practices that include eliminating the need for transfer altogether.Alternative Pathways to the Baccalaureate provides vital information and new research for policymakers, community college leaders, and scholars of higher education to provoke much-needed debate.Published in association with the Community College Baccalaureate Association
Author : Deborah L. Floyd
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
Page : 184 pages
File Size : 21,22 MB
Release : 2023-07-03
Category : Education
ISBN : 1000981479
* Is the conferring of baccalaureate degrees by community colleges a solution to increasing access to and capacity in higher education?* Will the conferring of baccalaureate degrees restrict open access to, and imperil the existing mission of, community colleges?* What are the models and alternative methods of delivery? What are the implications?Breaking away from their traditional mission of conferring only associate degrees and occupational credentials, an increasing number of community colleges have begun seriously to explore and, indeed, in some U.S. states and Canadian provinces, to actually implement offering and conferring bachelor’s degrees. Some leaders see these changes as a natural extension of community colleges’ commitment to access, while others view their awarding of baccalaureate degrees as inappropriate and threatening the basic core values of this unique sector of higher education. This has become a "hot" and controversial topic, not only among community college and university leaders, but also among policy makers, business leaders and students concerned with issues of access, cost and the structure and purposes of post-secondary education. This book analyzes the emerging trend of the community college baccalaureate degree in the United States and Canada in order to contribute to the development of policy. The authors aim to describe, document, and explain this significant development in higher education. They present the background, examples of practice and different models of delivery, develop a common terminology to facilitate discussion, give voice to the views of proponents and critics alike, and include a comprehensive bibliography and set of resources. This book is intended as a catalyst for dialog, action and further research on this critical and emerging trend. It is essential reading for leaders of community colleges, for administrators and planners in higher education concerned with issues of access and articulation, and anyone in public policy grappling with demographic trends and society’s need for educated citizens able to meet the challenges of the future.
Author : Laura W. Perna
Publisher : JHU Press
Page : 324 pages
File Size : 35,72 MB
Release : 2014-05-01
Category : Education
ISBN : 1421414074
How state leadership determines effective higher education attainment. Although the federal government invests substantial resources into student financial aid, states have the primary responsibility for policies that raise overall higher educational attainment and improve equity across groups. The importance of understanding how states may accomplish these goals has never been greater, as educational attainment is increasingly required for economic and social well-being of individuals and society. Drawing on data collected from case studies of the relationship between public policy and higher education performance in five states—Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Texas, and Washington—The Attainment Agenda offers a framework for understanding how state public policy can effectively promote educational attainment. Laura W. Perna and Joni E. Finney argue that there is no silver bullet to improve higher education attainment. Instead, achieving the required levels of attainment demands a comprehensive approach. State leaders must consider how performance in one area (such as degree completion) is connected to performance in other areas (such as preparation or affordability), how particular policies interact to produce expected and unexpected outcomes, and how policy approaches must be adapted to reflect their particular context. The authors call for greater attention to the state role in providing policy leadership to advance a cohesive public agenda for higher education and adopting public policies that not only increase the demand for and supply of higher education but also level the playing field for higher educational opportunity. The insights offered in The Attainment Agenda have important implications for public policymakers, college and university leaders, and educational researchers interested in ensuring sustained higher education attainment.
Author : Florida. Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Publisher :
Page : 16 pages
File Size : 18,40 MB
Release : 2005
Category : Bachelor of Arts degree
ISBN :
Author : Smith, Dimitra J.
Publisher : IGI Global
Page : 190 pages
File Size : 22,48 MB
Release : 2021-04-02
Category : Education
ISBN : 1799841243
Community colleges are essential in preparing the 21st century workforce. Research has indicated that there is a shortage of individuals prepared for skilled workforce opportunities, such as plumbers, electricians, and many others. In fact, while college is essential in workforce development, it is not the only route that can lead to a successful livelihood. Developing a skill that transfers into an essential trade is a route less taken. Community colleges are ideally situated to respond to the shortage of a prepared workforce by providing an array of programs that reach a wide range of individuals with talents that may not include a college degree. Community Colleges and Workforce Preparation in the 21st Century: Emerging Research and Opportunities is a comprehensive reference source that covers the essential role of community colleges in developing a skilled workforce via varying educational opportunities that include degree completion, workforce development, and skill enhancement. Readers will benefit from the book’s ability to advocate for the need for individuals with skillful trade options, provide different areas to consider as trade options, discuss the role of community colleges in preparing a workforce, examine the challenges that can arise for individuals with a trade, and present a global outlook on the workforce of the 21st century. Covering topics that include career pathways and STEM programs, the book is especially valuable for academic institutions that are looking to provide options for talent expansion. Leadership and education scholars, leadership practitioners within community college and university settings, leaders within workforce development sectors, researchers, and students will also find this reference useful for developing a skilled and competent workforce.
Author : Thomas R. Bailey
Publisher : Harvard University Press
Page : 301 pages
File Size : 30,95 MB
Release : 2015-04-09
Category : Education
ISBN : 0674425952
In the United States, 1,200 community colleges enroll over ten million students each year—nearly half of the nation’s undergraduates. Yet fewer than 40 percent of entrants complete an undergraduate degree within six years. This fact has put pressure on community colleges to improve academic outcomes for their students. Redesigning America’s Community Colleges is a concise, evidence-based guide for educational leaders whose institutions typically receive short shrift in academic and policy discussions. It makes a compelling case that two-year colleges can substantially increase their rates of student success, if they are willing to rethink the ways in which they organize programs of study, support services, and instruction. Community colleges were originally designed to expand college enrollments at low cost, not to maximize completion of high-quality programs of study. The result was a cafeteria-style model in which students pick courses from a bewildering array of choices, with little guidance. The authors urge administrators and faculty to reject this traditional model in favor of “guided pathways”—clearer, more educationally coherent programs of study that simplify students’ choices without limiting their options and that enable them to complete credentials and advance to further education and the labor market more quickly and at less cost. Distilling a wealth of data amassed from the Community College Research Center (Teachers College, Columbia University), Redesigning America’s Community Colleges offers a fundamental redesign of the way two-year colleges operate, stressing the integration of services and instruction into more clearly structured programs of study that support every student’s goals.
Author : Jonathon V. McKee
Publisher :
Page : 250 pages
File Size : 34,10 MB
Release : 2001
Category : Community colleges
ISBN :
The purpose of this study is to describe the factors and issues surrounding development of one community college baccalaureate degree program, the three-year Bachelor of Manufacturing Technology at Westark College in Arkansas. This study probes three primary movements at play in the Westark baccalaureate program, which was developed to respond to industry demands. First, and most obvious, this new program proposes that the community college expand its mission to include baccalaureate programs. Second, the Westark program is based on the demonstration of student mastered competencies. Finally, the Westark baccalaureate attempts to integrate the general education requirement into the competency-based curriculum. Individually, these threads are relatively untested. Combining these components into one degree program is a relatively new concept. The intent of this inquiry was not an evaluation of the Westark Bachelor of Manufacturing Technology degree program. What the researcher hoped to accomplish was to uncover the salient factors and issues related to the development of this new program. What was gained through this process is an understanding of how one community college baccalaureate was established, including identifying important themes. Several issues have been described from the interviews and ongoing document search that should be useful for future studies of the community college baccalaureate. Furthermore, the study clearly implies that curricula supporting student master competencies is an entirely different direction of inquiry that is perhaps even more essential than the study of the community college baccalaureate. Whether or not the Westark baccalaureate will be unique to Fort Smith, Arkansas remains to be seen. Other community colleges may attempt to adopt the Westark College model. Lining up the social, economic, political, and pedagogical forces to expand the community college degree offerings to include a baccalaureate that includes integrated student master competencies could be difficult. However, Westark College has provided a model for other community colleges that may currently, or in the future, be considering a bachelor degree program.
