MiscellaneousHigher Education Accountability Program

Section § 99180

Explanation

The law aims for improvements in students' skills and knowledge from when they start to when they graduate to be clear and publicly shared. This should be done efficiently using time, effort, and money wisely. The law also wants colleges and universities to clearly communicate what they expect from students. Additionally, it seeks to improve existing accountability measures by cutting unnecessary reporting, saving money, and focusing on important reports.

(a)CA Education Code § 99180(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that demonstrable improvements in student knowledge, capacities, and skills between entrance and graduation be publicly announced and available, and that these improvements be achieved efficiently through the effective use of student and institutional resources of time, effort, and money.
(b)CA Education Code § 99180(b) It is further the intent of the Legislature that public and private institutions of higher education express expectations of student performance in a manner that is clear to students.
(c)CA Education Code § 99180(c) It is further the intent of the Legislature that existing accountability requirements be strengthened through the elimination of unnecessary and redundant reports submitted by the educational institutions to various state agencies. The elimination of these unnecessary reports will save money and allow the institutions to focus their efforts on only the most important reporting requirements.
student knowledge improvement graduation outcomes efficient resource use ...

Section § 99181

Explanation

This law mandates that the University of California, California State University, and California Community Colleges make a list of reports they regularly need to submit to the Legislature and state agencies. They must also specify the purpose and costs of these reports. This information was to be provided to the Senate and Assembly's education and fiscal committees, the Department of Finance, and the California Postsecondary Education Commission by March 1, 1992. The Commission is then responsible for reviewing these reports to evaluate their usefulness and to recommend ways to reduce reporting costs and improve efficiency, possibly by consolidating or eliminating some reports.

The University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges shall each prepare a list of reports required to be submitted on a regular basis to the Legislature and to state agencies. The purpose of each report shall be identified, as well as the costs associated with production of the report. Prior to March 1, 1992, this information shall be submitted to the education policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature, the Department of Finance, and the California Postsecondary Education Commission. The California Postsecondary Education Commission shall review and comment on the utility of the required reports identified by the educational institutions, and offer recommendations for consolidating or eliminating existing reporting requirements in order to reduce operating expenses and streamline reporting provisions.
University of California reports California State University reporting California Community Colleges reporting ...

Section § 99182

Explanation

Every year by November 15, the California Postsecondary Education Commission must deliver a report to the state Legislature and Governor, detailing the performance of public colleges and universities. This report should be clear and understandable for the general public and must be shared with these educational institutions for feedback before being published.

For universities, the report looks at things like student retention rates, faculty involvement in teaching and advising, student participation in research, job placement for graduates, and diversity in participation and graduation rates. It also considers where graduate students got their undergraduate degrees, the number of community college transfers, improvements in student skills, and student feedback through surveys.

For community colleges, the report includes similar information, focusing on student retention, the role of full-time faculty in developmental courses, faculty advising time, graduate placement data, diversity in student success, transfer rates to four-year institutions, and evidence of student skill development over time, along with student surveys.

(a)CA Education Code § 99182(a) On or before November 15, 1994, and each November 15 thereafter, the California Postsecondary Education Commission shall submit a higher education report to the Legislature and the Governor which provides information to the citizens of the state on the significant indicators of performance of the public colleges and universities. This annual report shall be presented in a readable format. Prior to publication, the commission shall distribute a draft of the report to all public colleges and universities for comment.
(b)CA Education Code § 99182(b) The commission, in cooperation with the public colleges and universities, shall develop and adopt a format for the higher education report specified in subdivision (a) and the information to be included. The following types of information shall be considered for inclusion in the report with respect to public universities:
(1)CA Education Code § 99182(b)(1) The retention rate of students.
(2)CA Education Code § 99182(b)(2) The proportion of lower division instructional courses taught by tenured and tenure-track faculty.
(3)CA Education Code § 99182(b)(3) The minimum number of hours per semester required to be spent by faculty in student advisement.
(4)CA Education Code § 99182(b)(4) The proportion of graduate and undergraduate students participating in sponsored research programs.
(5)CA Education Code § 99182(b)(5) Placement data on graduates.
(6)CA Education Code § 99182(b)(6) The proportional changes in the participation and graduation rates of students from groups historically underrepresented in higher education.
(7)CA Education Code § 99182(b)(7) The proportion of graduate students who received undergraduate degrees (A) at the institution, (B) within the state, (C) within the United States, and (D) from other nations.
(8)CA Education Code § 99182(b)(8) The number of full-time students who have transferred from a California community college.
(9)CA Education Code § 99182(b)(9) Demonstrable evidence of improvements in student knowledge, capacities, and skills between entrance and graduation, where this evidence exists.
(10)CA Education Code § 99182(b)(10) Results of surveys of students regarding student attitudes and experiences, where these surveys exist.
(c)CA Education Code § 99182(c) The following types of information shall be considered for inclusion in the report with respect to public community colleges:
(1)CA Education Code § 99182(c)(1) The retention rate of students.
(2)CA Education Code § 99182(c)(2) The proportion of remedial or developmental education courses taught by full-time faculty.
(3)CA Education Code § 99182(c)(3) The number of hours per student per semester spent by faculty in student advisement.
(4)CA Education Code § 99182(c)(4) Placement data on graduates.
(5)CA Education Code § 99182(c)(5) The proportional change in the participation and graduation rate of students from groups historically underrepresented in higher education.
(6)CA Education Code § 99182(c)(6) The number of students who have transferred into a four-year, postsecondary institution, by ethnicity and gender.
(7)CA Education Code § 99182(c)(7) Demonstrable evidence of improvements in student knowledge, capacities, and skills between entrance and graduation, where this evidence exists.
(8)CA Education Code § 99182(c)(8) Results of surveys of students regarding student attitudes and experiences, where these surveys exist.
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