Copyright© 2005 by School Services of California, Inc.
Volume 18 For Publication Date: December 2, 2005 No. 24
Should
Questions are being raised about
the legal authority of the California Community Colleges to award high school
diplomas. These questions are being asked at this time because many
A legal opinion obtained by the
Chancellor’s Office says that community colleges need not abide by the high
school exit examination requirements. “Community colleges are authorized to
operate their own adult education programs, including high school diploma
programs, independent of those offered by K-12 school districts,” the opinion
reads.
Potentially, community colleges
could create second chance diploma opportunities for thousands of teenagers.
Realistically, however, even if the political will exists to create a widespread
safety net, the prospects would be tempered by facilities, staffing, and other
limitations.
The Chancellor’s Office
indicates that it is aware of only seven community college districts that are
currently awarding high school diplomas. Nonetheless, talks are occurring behind
the scenes between officials of the California Department of Education and the
community college system about academic standards and the potential expansion of
such programs. A consulting firm for the California Department of Education
recently cited community colleges’ high school diploma programs as one of
several possibilities for serving the estimated 50,000 students who will finish
the 12th grade in 2006 without passing the high school exit exam.
Community colleges could launch
new high school diploma programs without legislative approval, thus sidestepping
potential political issues (Education Code Section 78401 authorizes community
colleges to award diplomas). Money could be an obstacle, though, because basic
skill courses are funded by the state at a rate much lower than traditional
college classes.
State Superintendent of Public
Instruction, Jack O’Connell, is concerned about standards, raising the
possibility that academic expectations could be too low, now or later. He was
quoted as saying, “Any entity that would award a student a diploma without the
knowledge and skills to back it up does a great disservice to that student.”
Chancellor Drummond said he is gathering information on academic requirements
from each campus that awards high school diplomas. He said he is “fairly well
convinced” that their standards are solid.
Legislators who have weighed in
on the issue believe that community college high school diploma programs are a
“huge loophole” that contradicts legislators’ intent to require passage of
the exit exam before any source grants a diploma.
Stay tuned—this issue will not likely go away and we could see legislation in 2006 that addresses the concerns of the Legislature regarding high school exit exams and what role, if any, community colleges should play.
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