The primary goal of AB 705 is to ensure that all students can access transfer-level English and math and receive supports necessary to help them succeed. The AB 705 support program matches high expectations with high support to propel students to complete transfer-level Math and English within one year.
The AB 705 support program is designed to address the AB 705 Bill that requires community college districts or colleges to maximize the probability that a student will enter and complete transfer-level coursework in English and math within a one year timeframe. The AB 705 Hub was created to ensure a Butte College cross functional approach to the successful implementation of AB 705, matching high supports to high expectations. The Hub has thoroughly reviewed campus priorities and current practices to ensure a comprehensive program design of student supports. The Hub is aware of student challenges that make transfer-level English and math completion difficult. The initiative works to address three challenges outlined in the California Community Colleges Vision For Success: 1. CCC students who do reach a defined educational goal such as a degree or transfer take a long time to do so, often accumulating many excess course credits along the way. 2. Older and working CCC students are often left behind in the system, lacking services and financial aid that suit their needs. 3. Serious and stubborn achievement gaps persist across the CCCs and high-need regions of the state are not served equitably. The strategies detailed in the program include non-curricular support, embedded supports, professional development, technology, and AB 705 coordination.
AB 705 Coordinator
This funding was used through December 2019 to support the ongoing efforts of AB 705 implementation. This position scheduled and facilitated the AB 705 Hub meetings, coordinated student messaging campaigns and communications to the SEAPAC committee.
AB 705 embedded support
These funds were partically used in 2019-2020 (along with District one-time dollars) to fund a Retention Specialist and Student Success Specialist to provide embedded support in ENGL 3. These positions support 15 sections and had a "case load" of about 250 students each for ENGL 3 to provide targeted support to help students succeed.
Overall AB 705 Supports
These funds were used to increase tutoring in CAS (writing coaches, interns, stats tutors) to support students' success in transfer-level English and math. Additionally, funds were used to support professional development for English and math faculty and CAS SI conference participation, and student messaging.
The AB 705 Hub group does not complete an SLO cycle.
AB 705 supports are intended to improve both "overall course success rates" and "basic skills success rates" as part of the Student Achievement Standards. This leads directly to the an increase in degree and transfer outcomes.
- The AB 705 Hub group supports the college in meeting the following Strategic Priorities:
- Implementing AB 705
- Implementing Guided Pathways
- Closing Equity Gaps
- Meeting student achievement goals
The AB 705 Hub group does not complete a Program Review process.
The AB 705 Hub group has the following goals for 2020-2021:
- Develop data driven discussion in support of improving student success in transfer-level English and math.
- Review and improve placement and student messaging
- Review and improve curricular and non-curricular student supports
- AB 705 and ESL implementation
- Identify and provide Professional Development needs
Strategy 1 - Provide Evidence based support services in CAS
Support services in CAS provide students with Statistics tutoring in the Stats Lounge, tutoring for transfer-level English and math courses, writing coaches, Instructional Aids (IA's) and workshops to strengthen students' study skills. Information about these supports are provided to students during new student orientation and by faculty at the beginning of the semester. Student usage is tracked and used to improve support services.
Based on the new placement process there will be a significant increase in students who enroll in transfer level math and English courses. Math 4, 5, 11, and 18, as well as English 2 and 3, will have an increase of students who previously placed one to four levels below transfer. With the new placement process, the AB 705 Hub is anticipating the need to continue providing opportunities for students to strengthen basic skills. The increase in these services in CAS provide students with the necessary supports to be successful in transfer-level English and math.
Strategy 2 - Main Campus & Chico Center Stats Lounge and Math lab
The Chico Center STATS Lounge is an extension of the Main Campus STATS Lounge. Offering evening tutoring on Monday and Tuesday. The Chico Stats Lounge will incorporate Stats tutors. This support is specifically targeted for the working and older student, ensuring supports at a convenient time and location. The STATS lounge is a one-stop for student support, ensuring support from Math Faculty, tutors/SI’s, and student success supports through a Retention Specialist and/or Student Success Specialist. The Stats Lounge and Math lab on the Main Campus are both walk-in tutoring centers to support success in Stats and other transfer-level math courses.
The AB 705 Hub has prioritized supports that are offered at convenient times and locations for students. In addition, there is void at Butte College of student supports targeted at older and working students.
Strategy 3 - Math and English RS/SSS Embedded Support Program
The Embedded Support Program places a Retention Specialist or a Student Success Specialist in English and/or a math courses. The program highlights a cultural shift in removing institutional barriers and addressing student challenges that contribute to disproportionate impact. This shift includes opening access to services by providing them at a convenient time and place versus a come find us culture.
The RS/SSS Embedded Support Program Model includes the following interventions:
• an individualized coaching plan
• technology used to "nudge” or message students
• embedded support: academic progress reports, workshops, in-class meetings
• assertive wrap-around service
English Embedded Support Courses
English 3: 12 Courses
English 2 Online: Two Courses
English 2 (Spring 2020) Pilot
The Embedded Support program was originally funded by the Basic Skills and Student Transformation Grant. The funding for these services end in June of 2019. The program has suppported on one-time basis by Instruction for 2020-2021. The program has been identified by both faculty and students as an effective way to provide retention and success.
Strategy 4 - Professional Development - Math and English
Professional Development includes onsite consultants as well as conference attendance. As AB 705 is implemented it will require ongoing training for faculty. The professional development includes conference attendance for faculty, Retention Specialist, and Student Success Specialist. In addition to the conference attendance, the faculty identified hosting onsite consultants at Butte College as the most cost-effective approaches with the broadest faculty reach.
Strategy 5 - Instructional Technology � Increase Digital Literacy
To provide instruction to the "now" student, the AB 705 Hub and English faculty have determined access to computers in the course as a priority. The course design includes the opportunity to model the use of technology in class before the students are expected to do this on thier own. The AB 705 Hub has identified the need for two additional laptop carts for English. One cart located at the Chico Center and one located at the Main Campus.
Students lack access to technology to participate in English 2/3 courses. Increasing the number of laptops available during the course increasing access and literacy.
Strategy 6 - AB 705 Coordination
In response to the unique systems change AB 705 requires, the Hub is requesting continued coordination across campus. As Butte College implements changes new information and data will reveal curriculum innovations and modifications to student supports.
Examples of collaboration include:
1. High touch and coordination with chairs, deans, and faculty of AB 705 related work.
2. Provide oversight to a data driven design, coordinating data reviews, tracking emerging research to strengthen AB705 implementation.
3. Managing embedded support programs, coordination with Math and English Departments, Counseling, CAS, and Student Support Office.
4. Represent AB 705 at SEAPAC, Guided Pathways, and the Career and Academic Assessment Center.
5. Continued coordination of the refinement of placement practices.
The AB 705 has identified project management and coordination as a key factor in the success of AB 705. This role does not currently exist on campus.
Strategy 7 - Targeted Student Messaging
The AB 705 Hub group started a series of messaging campaigns in Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 to increase the number of students completing English and math courses in one year. These two messaging campaigns included:
One of the primary goals of AB 705 implementation is to ensure that students whose goal is to transfer, complete their transfer-level English and math courses within one year. The District's funding partially comes from student success in transfer-level English and math courses.
AB 705 relies on the following non-financial resources to support student success:
$100,000 SEAPAC - this was a one-time augmentation for 2019-2020
| Original Priority | Program, Unit, Area | Resource Type | Account Number | Object Code | One Time Augment | Ongoing Augment |
| Description | Supporting Rationale | Potential Alternative Funding Sources | Prioritization Criteria | |||
| 1 | AB 705 Supports/CAS | Personnel | 11.000.750.1.611000 | 52468 | $0.00 | $60,000.00 |
| CAS Supports - Student employment funds to maintain supports | This augmentation is also listed in the CAS Unit Plan. With the increase in minimum wage, the ongoing development of services at CHC and GCC, and the reduction of funding from pay-for-print services used by students, the CAS student employment budget needs additional funds. Student employees are key to our support of students in drop-in computer labs to support Supplemental Instruction, subject-specific tutoring, and tracking student hours in CAS. CAS received $50,000 from SEAPAC (through the AB 705 Hub prioritization) in the 19-20 year. |
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| 2 | AB 705 Supports/Math | Personnel | 11.000.615.1.170100 | 52468 | $0.00 | $18,320.00 |
| Student assistant money for Computer Lab monitors | This augmentation is also listed in the Math Department's Unit Plan. Student assistants are necessary to monitor math students in the Math Computer Lab. The amount requested reflects 40 student-hours per week,k, 16.5 weeks per semester, at $13 per hour for teh fall, and $14 per hour for the spring, as well as $500 for necessary training. |
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| 3 | AB 705 Supports | Personnel | $0.00 | $180,000.00 | ||
| Embedded Support RS/SSS | The Embedded Support Program places a Retention Specialist or a Student Success Specialist in English and/or a math courses. The program highlights a cultural shift in removing institutional barriers and addressing student challenges that contribute to disproportionate impact. This shift includes opening access to services by providing them at a convenient time and place versus a come find us culture. The RS/SSS Embedded Support Program Model includes the following interventions: � an individualized coaching plan � technology used to "nudge� or message students � embedded support: academic progress reports, workshops, in-class meetings � assertive wrap-around service English 3: 12 Courses English 2 Online: Two Courses English 2 (Pilot) in Spring 2020 This request includes supporting the existing Retention Specialist and Student Success and provides them with resources to be successful: Salary & Benefits = $162,000 Computers and desk supplies are also requested = $15,000 Mileage/Travel = $3,000 |
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| 4 | AB 705 Supports/English and CAS | Personnel | 11.000.750.1.611000 | 52140 | $0.00 | $71,045.00 |
| 2 9-month, 20-hour per week Instructional Aids with benefits | This augmentation is also listed in both the English and CAS Unit Plans. The English Department and CAS are requesting Instructional Aids to support the requirements of AB 705. These IAs serve as embedded support in English classes and provide just-in-time drop-in support at all CAS locations. We are piloting online support for two English 2 sections this semester to broaden available support. Two of these positions were previously funded by SE but the funding was pulled when the positions were vacated. |
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| 5 | AB 705 Supports/English | Equipment | $80,000.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Two Computer labtop carts & IT support | This augmentation is also listed in the English Department's Unit Plan. While English currently has two carts on the main campus, these laptops were not operational until the fourth week of the fall 19 semester due to an unsustainable workload of our IT department. In fall 2019 English had 53 sections of English 2 and 14 sections of English 3. Based on student demand, we anticipate an increase in English 3 sections. Instructor use logs for for fall 19 and spring 19 document consistent reservation and use of carts, including overlapping requests that could not be met. As such, we need one cart at the Chico Center and an additional cart on the main campus. To comply with the AB 705 law, English created a co-requisite model of transfer-level composition. This model includes access to technology to support the digital literacy and onboarding needs of students that may be underprepared for transfer-level work. In addition, the pedagogical foundation of this model is just-in-time remediation (tutoring), a teaching and learning strategy designed to promote the use of class time for more active learning. This approach relies on a feedback loop between web-based learning materials and face-to-face interaction. In order to maximize the probability that a student will enter and complete transfer-level coursework within a one-year time frame, current success data reveals an increasing need for access to technology and just-in-time remediation in English 2. |
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| 6 | AB 705 Supports/English | Operating Expenses | $0.00 | $20,000.00 | ||
| Professional Development & Operating Expenses | Because AB 705 impacts face-to-face and online sections of transfer-level composition, English is requesting support for a variety of in-house professional development, including ongoing monthly AB 705 implementation meetings, online community of practice, in-house training in culturally responsive teaching and accelerated pedagogy for full-time and associate faculty, and instructor inquiry projects. While the English department has a documented history of consistent and ongoing professional development, the external mandate of AB 705 has abruptly transformed the department and course offerings. Instructors have had to quickly adapt to significant changes in the learning environment. We anticipated, prepared for and promoted a transition into a more equitable structure for students but initial data reveals a disturbing equity gap in student success in our pilot English 3. Our goal as a department is to decrease this gap. In addition, there is a growing concern about how to best serve the needs of neuroatypical students who are now onboarding into transfer-level composition. If we intend to maximize the probability that a student will enter and complete transfer-level coursework in English within a one-year timeframe, we need to prepare and support our instructors. |
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| 7 | AB 705 Supports | Personnel | $0.00 | $100,000.00 | ||
| AB 705 Coordination | In response to the unique systems change AB 705 requires, the Hub is requesting continued coordination across campus. As Butte College implements changes new information and data will reveal curriculum innovations and modifications to student supports. Examples of collaboration include: 1. High touch and coordination with chairs, deans, and faculty of AB 705 related work. 2. Provide oversight to a data driven design, coordinating data reviews, tracking emerging research to strengthen AB705 implementation. 3. Managing embedded support programs, coordination with Math and English Departments, Counseling, CAS, and Student Support Office. 4. Represent AB 705 at SEAPAC, Guided Pathways, and the Career and Academic Assessment Center. 5. Continued coordination of the refinement of placement practices. |
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