Search

This document discusses the Florida Community College System's Long Range Program Plan (LRPP) for the fiscal years 2002-2003 through 2006-2007. The document begins by addressing the mission statement of the college, which strives for "high student achievement, seamless articulation and increased access, workforce skills and economic development, and quality efficient services." Specifically, the document discusses the governor's priorities and how much improvements have been made in each specific area. The goals of the governor for the Florida Community College system are the following: (1) improve student achievement; (2) reduce violent crime and illegal drug use; (3) create a smaller, more effective, more efficient government that fully harnesses the power of technology to achieve these goals; (4) create a business climate that is conducive to economic opportunity; (5) help the most vulnerable among us; and (6) enhance Florida's environment and quality of life. The document is divided into the following sub sections: Florida Community College system goals and objective, Florida Community College system linkage to governor's priorities, trends and conditions statement, Florida Community College system external and internal impacts chart, Florida Community College system services and activities, and long-range program plan fiscal years 2002-2003 through 2006-2007. (MZ)

The Florida Education Governance Reorganization Transition Task Force was established to recommend a structure as well as an accountability process for a seamless K-20 educational system for the state. In September 2000, the State Board of Community Colleges (SBCC) decided to survey its members, the presidents, and the local trustees of the 28 institutions within the Florida Community College System. The survey was an effort to determine what was working well in the current system, where problems existed, and where these individuals felt the various functions currently performed by the SBCC, the Division of Community Colleges, and local institutions should be housed. Seventy-eight useable responses were received. Some of the responses were the collective answers of the entire board of trustees at a given institution. No attempt was made to weight these responses differently than those of an individual. Findings of the survey include: (1) 95% felt it was very important or important to work collaboratively with colleges to prepare and coordinate implementation of the system's legislative goals; (2) 81% felt it was very important or important to plan, organize, and coordinate programs to enhance equal access and opportunity; and (3) 54% felt it was very important or important to administer the Florida Virtual Campus. (NB)

The One Florida Plan proposes that the State University System (SUS) admit any public high school graduate who: (1) is in the top 20 percent of his or her class; and (2) has completed the 19 credits required for admission. This report examines which 1997-98 high school graduates attending the Florida Community College System (FCCS) in 1998-99 would be eligible for SUS admission under the One Florida Plan. The purpose of the study was to examine who would be impacted by any admissions changes under the new plan. About 16 percent of the 1997-98 graduating class met the 2 admissions requirements. Ethnic differences were evident as 35 percent of Asian students met the criteria, compared to 20 percent of White and Indian students, 11 percent of Hispanic students, and 7 percent of Black students. Twenty percent of females met the requirements, compared to 12 percent of males. Of graduates attending the FCCS in 1998-99, 12 percent met the admissions criteria. Sixty-three percent of FCCS students had completed the required 19 credits, and these students were less likely to require remedial courses. Eighty-eight percent of students who took dual enrollment courses in high school completed the nineteen credits and 45 percent were in the top 20 percent of their high school classes. (RDG)

This report examined four accountability measures for the Florida Community College System based on data from 1993-1998: (1) access, retention, and success; (2) performance of Associate of Art (AA) degree holders in the State University System (SUS); (3) success rate of students entering college preparatory courses; and (4) success of students in meeting the requirements of the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST). During the 5-year period, the percentage of White students declined from 61.42 to 57.18 percent, Black students increased from 15.41 to 17.74 percent, and Hispanic students increased from 19.98 to 21.44 percent. Retention rates ranged from 54 to 77 percent, depending on degree sought and ethnicity. Success rate, defined as the sum of graduation rate, the enrolled in good standing rate, and the left in good standing rate, ranged from 59 to 86 percent. More than 72 percent of transfers to the SUS who earned an AA degree achieved a grade point average of 2.50 or greater. The passing rate on the CLAST for students not requiring remediation ranged from 88 percent for mathematics to 94 percent for the essay. Passing rates for college preparatory students ranged from 66 percent for math to 83 percent for the essay. Tables include: (1) access and equity measure; (2) retention and success measure; (3) transfers to the SUS; (4) college preparatory success rate; and (5) CLAST performance. (RDG)

This report presents the results of a longitudinal study of 1993-94 graduates of Florida's public high schools who enrolled in the Florida Community College System (FCCS) between fall 1994 and spring 1999. The study focused on three questions: (1) how many members of the class of 1993-94 were enrolled in the FCCS from 1994 to 1999? (2) What did the students want to achieve? and (3) What was the relationship between student intent and awards earned? The total enrollment of 1993-94 graduates during the 5-year period was 46,773. Enrollment ranged from a high of 31,331 in 1994-95 to 14,277 in 1998-99. Of the total enrollment, 69.7 percent of students wanted to earn an Associate of Arts (AA) degree at some point, 18.5 percent wanted to earn an Associate of Science (AS) degree, 4.8 percent sought a vocational certificate, and 1.3 percent a credit certificate. Students earning an AA degree changed their intent less often than those earning an AS or certificate did. Four tables include: (1) public high school class of 1993-94 attendance in FCCS by program intent and award earned; (2) student intent by award received for AA, AS, credit certificate, and vocational certificate; and (3) award earned by award intent. (RDG)

This study was conducted to gather data about courses currently available to students through distance technologies, and to gather information from both faculty members and students concerning their perceptions of teaching and learning through remote processes in the Florida Community College System. This study focuses particularly on two-way interactive teleclasses and on-line courses with the overall goal of learning more about how many students participate, and how their instructors and they regard their learning experiences. The results of this study indicate that community college students appreciate the access and convenience of distance learning courses and are willing to adapt to and accommodate themselves to the technology. However, faculty who teach distance learning are ambivalent. They are struggling with the demands of teaching distance learning courses and are concerned about the challenges distance learning brings to the learning environment. Two ways in which the Florida Community College System has addressed quality concerns, as well as the Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools' criteria about offering appropriate support services for distance learners, have been through the development of the Florida Academic Counseling and Tracking System (FACTS) and through the Distance Library Learning Initiative. Appendices listing the available community college distance learning courses and the complete surveys used in the study constitute over half of the report. (VWC)

This report reviews the college preparatory programs offered to state university students in Florida through partnerships with local community colleges. Courses are offered either at the community college or by the community college on the university campus. The program review was conducted by the State Board of Community Colleges in cooperation with the Learning Systems Institute and Florida State University. Data were collected through a survey of the 10 state universities and 28 community colleges, interviews from site visits to selected college and university campuses, and a database of university students enrolled in college preparatory instruction. Florida mandates that students who are deficient in one or more areas of the College Placement Test enroll in college preparatory classes. Results of this study suggest that: (1) the administration of the college-university agreements are sound; (2) communication between sectors is adequate; (3) there are not problems with delivery of services to students; (4) community colleges are perceived to be best suited for delivery of remedial instruction; and (5) the majority of students successfully perform college-level coursework after completing college preparatory courses. (Contains four recommendations regarding inter-institutional agreements and college preparatory programs. Contains five tables and nine references. Appendices include Florida statute 240.117, the survey instrument, and data analysis methodology.) (RDG)

This report presents the results of a study that was conducted to determine the extent and types of international education programs offered in the Florida Community College System (FCCS). The study provides an overview of the structure and content of international education travel programs offered by each college. Institutional and business partnerships, international consortia memberships, and international development initiatives are also discussed. A survey on international education programs was distributed to all 28 community colleges. An in-depth case study of the Seville, Spain program offered by Broward Community College was conducted. Survey results indicated sixty-seven different international travel courses or programs in at least seventeen countries. Nine major sections are included in the report: (1) international education travel programs in Florida's community colleges; (2) program structure; (3) consortium membership; (4) international development initiatives; (5) Florida linkage institutes; (6) faculty development; (7) case study of Seville, Spain program; (8) issues for consideration; and (9) summary. Appendices include FCCS international education program offerings, linkage institute contact list, support organizations for global education, and study abroad program review survey. (Contains 14 references.) (RDG)

This document is a compilation of substantive legislative issues papers concerning the Florida Community College System in 2001. It examines the following six legislative issues, considered to be of high visibility and importance: (1) issues included in the budget, which consist of funding formulas, dual enrollment, and matching grants; (2) issues with funding implications, which include the Associate of Science degree and workforce formula, adult education funding, accelerated workforce education, rates for electronically delivered instruction, in-state tuition for military, information technology training, student fees, in-state tuition and fees, and the diversity inclusion model; (3) education governance reorganization issues; (4) access issues involving financial aid; (5) regulatory licensing issues, which are comprised of nursing ratio, opticianry, and the Florida building code; and (6) other issues that include workforce tax credits, federal workforce funds, the Administrative Procedures Act rulemaking, retirement plans, and reports reduction. The document also examines the two legislative watch issues of contiguous county tuition and apprenticeships. (KP)

This study presents the results of a five-year longitudinal study of students in the Florida Community College System (FCCS). First-time entering students in fall 1993 were tracked through spring 1998. The study examined the numbers of students who earned awards, transferred to the state university system, remained enrolled in FCCS, and were employed in 1998. The 49,005 entering 1993 students were classified into five groups: degree seeking (77.1%), certificate seeking (7.7%), adult high school diploma (0.1%), no formal award (10.0%), and other (5.2%). By the end of the tracking period, the overall rate of earned degrees was 20.6 percent. The degree rates within categories were 21.8 percent for Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree-seeking students, 16.3 percent for Associate of Science (A.S.) degree-seeking students, 34.2 percent for certificate-seeking students, and 43.9 percent for high school diploma-seeking students. The overall transfer rate to state universities was 12.7 percent, mostly comprised of A.A.- and A.S.-seeking students. Approximately one-fourth of the 1993 cohort was still enrolled in FCCS in 1998, and the rate of employment for the cohort groups ranged from 56.1 percent to 65.9 percent. The outcomes of remedial students were related to number and type of subject area deficiencies in reading, writing, or math. (RDG)

The document comprises the data element dictionary for the Annual Personnel Report (APR) Data Base (Version 8.0), 1999-2000, for the Florida Community College System (FCCS). The Annual Personnel Reports System was created to meet federal and state requirements for reporting personnel information. The key fields are listed at the top of the table of data elements. Data elements tracked in this system include: annual salary, citizenship, date of birth, degree, ethnic origin, gender, personnel identification number, position title, reporting institution, soft money, tenure status, and terms employed. (JA)

This report describes the 1998-2003 strategic plan of the Florida Community College System (FCCS). The plan's goals include: (1) enrolling 45% of high school graduates in community colleges by expanding partnerships with K-12 schools and improving child-care and transportation alternatives; (2) meeting the challenge of the Florida Chamber of Commerce to supply business and industry with well-educated and trained employees by aligning new program startups with identified business sector needs; (3) making credentialed learning more accessible by applying various modes of instructional delivery in collaboration with university and public school partners; (4) making colleges technologically competitive in support of instructional goals by spurring economic development partnerships around technological advancement; and (5) establishing predictable state budgeting for stability in college planning by developing a comprehensive cost-to-continue budget formula that will promote increased productivity and competitive faculty and staff salaries. Other highlights include: (1) in the past four years, FCCS has assimilated eight major funding and program changes; (2) FCCS degree and certificate productivity is up 22% since 1994; and (3) in 1997-98, the college awarded 37,707 associate degrees and 11,547 certificates. Appended are authorizing statutes, Postsecondary Education Planning Commission goals and recommendations, an academic ethics statement, the design team report; the State Board of Community Colleges strategic plan task force member list, objectives, and acronyms and abbreviations. (Contains 22 references.) (JA)

Each fall, the 28 individual Florida Community College System (CCS) colleges submit a preliminary fall Student Data Base file containing information on students enrolled at the beginning of the semester. This file is used to create a federally required report known as the EF-2. The report looks at the ethnicity and gender of students by enrollment and degree status and level of academic progression. This paper compares the fall 1996 and fall 1998 EF-2 reports. The number of full-time students increased by 2,605 or 2.6% between fall 1996 and fall 1998. However, the number of part-time students declined by 7,402 for a net decline of 4,797 students or 1.5%. All of the gain in full-time students was in the degree-seeking area. Losses occurred in non-degree full-time, part-time seeking and part-time non-degree seeking students. Across the system, the changes in females were more dramatic than those in males. Overall, female enrollment declined 2.0% while male enrollment declined 0.7%. Enrollment changes were not consistent among the standard ethnic groups. The preliminary fall files for 1996 and 1998 indicated the CCS enrolled fewer credit students in 1998 than in 1996. The entire decline occurred in part-time students, with females declining faster than males, and whites faster than any other ethnic group. (VWC)

Designed to convey timely, accurate, and comparative information about Florida's 28 community colleges, this fact book provides descriptive and statistical data on enrollment trends, college personnel, educational finances, and governance for academic years 1996-97 and 1997-98. The report opens with a brief historical overview of the state system, from its beginnings in 1933 to the present, including (1) fall headcount enrollment by full/part-time status, ethnicity and gender; (2) annual headcount enrollment by college and for disabled students; (3) full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment by program area, college and discipline; (4) program enrollment headcount by program area, vocational program area, award type and college by ethnicity and special populations; and (5) degrees and certificates awarded by type, college, and ethnicity and gender. Data on system employees is then provided, including employees by occupational activity, fall 1997 full- and part-time status, and fall 1997 average salaries. Finally, data are presented on system finances, including revenues and expenditures for 1996-97, fall 1997 student fees, annual cost analysis expenditures and percentages by college and function, a full cost summary per FTE for 1996-97, and a facilities inventory and value estimate for 1997-98. A glossary of terms, a roster of the Division of Community Colleges, and a list of 1998 community college presidents are attached. (AS)

This report provides articulation information for Florida public schools, community colleges, and state universities. Among the items contained in the paper are text and accompanying charts regarding (1) Florida public high school graduates receiving standard and GED diplomas; (2) high school graduates' postsecondary education intent versus actual enrollment; (3) readiness for college; (4) college preparatory retention and success; (5) community college associate degree completers and follow-up studies; (6) community college transfers; (7) independent colleges and state university system retention and graduation rates; and (8) articulation progression. Statistics gathered from the study include figures such as in 1996-97, 92,430 students graduated from Florida high schools and 47,059 from Florida community colleges. (EMH)

In response to the increasing use of state-based performance indicators for postsecondary education, a study was undertaken to review the reliability and validity of state-level indicators in the Florida Community College System (FCCS). Data were collected from literature reviews and the 1996 FCCS Accountability Report, detailing outcomes for 17 accountability measures for the 1993-94, 1994-95, and 1995-96 academic years. Information was also gathered on institution size, program mix, and expenditures for the 28 colleges in the System. In the first phase of the study, the progress made by the colleges on the 17 accountability measures was determined, indicating that progress was shown on only 8 of the measures, including 6 related to retention and success and 2 related to academic performance. In the second phase, the relationship between the measures and institutional characteristics was explored. This analysis revealed that, for associate in arts (AA) programs, higher faculty salaries, a higher percentage of total expenditures spent on instruction, and a higher full-time equivalency (FTE) count were related to higher retention and success. For associate in science (AS) programs, only higher overall FTE and a higher percent of postsecondary vocational FTE students were related to higher retention and success. Thirty-eight sets of tables showing FCCS outcomes for AA and AS programs and a list of variables used in the study are attached. (BCY)

In spite of the impressive gains in the total number of awards earned by minority students, a comparison of the percentage distribution of the major ethnic groups at different points in an academic career shows that not all groups are progressing consistently. This report on the academic outcomes of students in the Florida Community College System focuses on a comparison of White, Black, and Hispanic student outcomes. Dual enrollment has the largest percentage concentration of white students of any benchmark considered. The distribution of First Time in College (FTIC) students closely mirrors both previous year high school graduates and the state as a whole. The non-degree seeking and non-credit groups of students are predominantly white. The high percentage of blacks in non-credit courses is consistent with the high percentage of blacks receiving vocational credit certificates (VCC). The black percentage for VCC is higher than for any other type of award. The percentage of white students receiving credit-based awards is consistently higher than the percentage of white FTIC students, freshmen or sophomore. Only for College Credit Certificates (CCC) is the percent less than the percentage in the credit enrollment categories. The percentage of awards earned by black students consistently increases as one moves from the Associate of Art to the Associate of Science to the CCC to the VCC. This trend is exactly the opposite for Hispanic students. Overall, Whites and Asians tend to increase or maintain their percentages in the degree process, while Blacks and Hispanics lose ground. (VWC)

Based on data submitted by Florida's 28 community colleges for the fall 1993, 1994, and 1995 terms, this report describes the characteristics of the state's community college students by program area. Following an introductory narrative, six tables are presented providing data on students in adult education, college preparatory, advanced and professional, postsecondary vocational, postsecondary adult vocational, and supplemental vocational programs, respectively. For each program area, data are included on student gender, race, age, full-/part-time status, year in school, dual enrollment and transfer status, educational goal, disabilities, and financial aid status. Highlighted findings include the following: (1) students taking adult education classes were 55% female, 80% part-time, and primarily seeking an adult high school diploma; (2) over 60% of college preparatory students were female, while Black and Hispanic students represented a higher proportion than in the student body in general; (3) advanced and professional students were 59% female and two-thirds White, while another two-thirds aspired to an associate degree; (4) postsecondary vocational students closely resembled the advanced and professional group; (5) Black students were over-represented compared to the student body in general in postsecondary adult vocational courses; and (6) supplemental vocational students had the highest average age, smallest percentage of full-time students, and the smallest percentage of Hispanic students of any category. (BCY)

In December 1993, the University of Florida issued a report that found that the vast majority of students who had taken chemistry courses in dual enrollment programs at a community college and who did not meet standard admissions requirements were required to retake their courses at the University. In response to the report, the state's Community College Board undertook a study to determine the effectiveness of the dual enrollment program. Findings were examined from studies completed by Pensacola Junior College (PJC) and Tallahassee Community College (TCC) of former dual enrollment students from 1991 and 1992 who did meet standard admissions requirements and who took English and history dual enrollment courses. In addition, systemwide data were collected on former dual enrollment students' performance at their university, as well as the frequency with which courses were repeated. The study found that former dual enrollment students from PJC had the same average grade point average (GPA) at the University of West Florida as all transfers to that university, while former TCC dual enrollment students at the UF had a slightly higher GPA than TCC transfers to the UF in general. Systemwide, of 51,382 dual enrollments for 1991-92, only 140 classes had to be retaken by students between 1992 and 1995, indicating that the program is providing a viable acceleration mechanism for students. Data tables are included. (BCY)

Researchers have claimed both that female students are discouraged from taking higher level math and science courses and that they actually take more of these courses than males do. On the surface, data from the Florida community colleges would appear to confirm that females take more science and math courses than males, with 63% of the fall 1995 biological science enrollments, 55% of the mathematics, and 52% of the physical science enrollments being female. However, this unit of analysis is too broad to provide a good indicator of gender course patterns since the biological science discipline contains courses that are geared toward nursing and dental hygiene students and mathematics contains courses that are required by anyone seeking an associate degree. An analysis of Florida community college enrollment patterns at the course level reveals that as math and science content level increases, the percentage of women enrolled decreases. Although women clearly dominate enrollments in biological science, there is a higher concentration of women in courses that lead to the more traditional associate degrees of nursing and dental hygiene. Finally, in the physical sciences, as well, women were more likely than men to be enrolled in courses related to associate degrees in allied health rather than those required of chemistry majors. (BCY)

This document presents the college preparatory success rate report for Florida community colleges on first-time-in-college students who took an entry-level placement test (ELT) in reading, writing, and math in fall 1992. It divides the cohort into groups based on gender and age. The entire cohort had a failure rate of 59.44% on at least one section of the ELT. There was an almost direct relationship between failure rate and age. Those students at 16 and under had the lowest failure rate. The highest failure rate was for those students 40 and over. The overall rate of passing the highest level course for the three sections varied considerably. Among groups, there was more variation for reading than for the other two sections. The overall failure rate of females was 61% while that of males was 57%. However, females were more successful in completing college preparatory classes. Students who were successful in their college preparatory courses were tracked an additional two years: 21% of the total cohort had graduated; 63% were retained; and 80% were successful. The highest graduation rate was for those 40 and over. The graduation rate of females was three points higher than that of males. Retention and success rates were also higher. (Includes four tables of these results.) (VWC)

In 1996, the Florida State Board of Community Colleges conducted a review of English as a Second Language (ESL) programs in the state's community colleges to determine the status of instruction for degree-seeking Limited English Proficient (LEP) students and make recommendations for institutional and state-level policies. The process included a literature review; a survey of 28 Florida community colleges regarding the assessment and placement of students, curricula, articulation, and faculty perceptions; and input from a consortium of state ESL practitioners. The survey found that although the majority of respondents were satisfied with identification procedures for LEP and other ESL students, 14 colleges experienced problems with these procedures. The study also found that assessment methods varied widely among the colleges and that only 13 colleges reported ESL articulation efforts with area schools or universities. Funding needs were identified for obtaining more full- or part-time faculty, laboratories, space, and equipment. Based on the review process, recommendations were developed related to forming a task force to investigate appropriate assessment instruments and curriculum and performance standards; allowing high school students whose first language is not English to take assessment tests by the 10th grade; forming a committee to develop articulation efforts between high school and college curricula; and obtaining funding for training ESL personnel and related projects. Contains 28 references. The survey instrument and data tables are appended. (HAA)

This report presents results from the Florida State Board of Community Colleges' review of Criminal Justice programs. A preface indicates that concerns related to crime in the state provided the impetus for the review and that it focused on issues related to curricula, funding and costs, labor demand and employment requirements, and labor supply. The next section offers the following four recommendations developed in the review: (1) statewide articulation agreements for law enforcement and correctional officer programs should be developed; (2) basic skills entry level examinations should be required; (3) grade level requirements should be adjusted to reflect job performance and state certification standards; and (4) program budget requests and subsequent funding should reflect the high costs associated with these programs. The next sections review the historical background and current context of public law enforcement in the state, describing the functions of the Division of Criminal Justice Standards and Training, the Department of Corrections, and private and public correctional agencies. The following sections describe the Criminal Justice curriculum; steps in developing job competency; and issues related to basic skills testing, indicating that employers continue to be dissatisfied with graduates' basic skills, but that steps have been taken to address the issue. Finally, a discussion of labor demand and supply, funding for community college programs, and conclusions is presented. Contains 19 references. Appendixes include tables showing the length of law enforcement and correction officer programs. (TGI)

Designed to convey timely, accurate, and comparative information about Florida's 28 community colleges, this fact book provides descriptive and statistical data on enrollment trends, college personnel, educational finances, and governance for 1994-95. The report opens with a brief historical overview of the state system from its beginnings in 1933 to the present, including a list of the 28 colleges and their years of establishment. Next, the report presents statistical tables on the state's community college students, including: (1) fall 1994 headcount enrollment by ethnicity and gender; (2) annual headcount enrollment by vocational program; (3) annual full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment by college and discipline; and (4) degrees and other formal awards by college, ethnicity, and gender for 1993-94 and 1994-95. The next series of tables provide information on gender and ethnic breakdowns of full- and part-time employees and data on salaries of full-time faculty and full-time instructional personnel. Finally, financial information is presented on the system's revenues, expenditures, fees per college, operating budgets, and costs of instruction and support programs. A glossary of terms and a list of members of the state Division of Community Colleges are included. (KP)