Definition of Basic Skills

Fall
2014
Resolution Number
07.05
 
Assigned to
5C
Category
Consultation with the Chancellor's Office
Status
In Progress
Status Report

Basic Skills Workgroup has been created and tasked with creating definition. Move this to BSAC? Workgroup for 5C is working with specific issues around this; BSAC reps are also on workgroup. 2017 -18: The co-chair will provide an update to the field regarding the progress of this resolution.

Whereas, Data regarding basic skills are critically important for making decisions for funding allocations, as well as for assessing student success;

Whereas, The Basic Skills Initiative identifies basic skills courses as those courses necessary for students to succeed in college-level work and that are identified as such on the Basic Skills Cohort Tracking Tool;

Whereas, Title 5 §55502 indicates specifically that basic skills courses cannot be degree applicable, yet some courses below transfer can be degree applicable (for example, Intermediate Algebra is the degree applicable course for math for the California community colleges, and at some colleges ESL is not basic skills and can be transferable and degree applicable); and

Whereas, The Board of Governors Scorecard identifies remedial courses as those below transfer;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges urge the Chancellor’s Office to work with the Academic Senate to develop and use one standard definition for basic skills courses that can be applied to math, reading, and English and a separate definition for ESL courses that acknowledges that ESL can be non-degree applicable, degree applicable, or transferable. 

MSC