California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program (California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids)

Transcription

1 California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program (California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids) Report to the Legislature, Governor, Legislative Analyst, Department of Finance and the State Department of Social Services California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office Jack Scott, Chancellor Prepared by the Student Services and Special Programs Division and the Office of Communications February 2010 Empowering Community Colleges through Leadership, Advocacy, and Support

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3 STATE OF CALIFORNIA JACK SCOTT, CHANCELLOR CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES CHANCELLOR S OFFICE 1102 Q STREET SACRAMENTO, CA (916) February 8, 2010 The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger Governor of California State Capitol Sacramento, California Dear Governor Schwarzenegger: I am pleased to present to you the California Community Colleges California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Program report to the Legislature for , and as required by the annual State Budget Act. This report has consolidated information from a three-year reporting period and provides a comparative analysis of statistical data. Also included in the report is a historical view of the funding for the California Community Colleges CalWORKs program as well as a review of the expenditures and local match provided. The California Community Colleges CalWORKs program provides a comprehensive array of services to eligible Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipient parents and their children, with the goal of helping families reach economic self-sufficiency and independence from welfare. The community colleges play a critical role as they partner with counties to create and manage services to meet federal and state mandates for work participation and move families off welfare to the working community. Thank you for your continued support of post secondary opportunities for California s CalWORKs participants. If you or your staff have questions, please feel free to contact Morgan Lynn, executive vice chancellor for programs, at or mlynn@cccco.edu. Sincerely, Jack Scott, Ph.D. Chancellor

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5 Executive Summary Table of Contents The California Community Colleges serve more than 2.9 million students and comprise the largest system of higher education in the nation. The state s 112 community colleges are charged with providing workforce training, basic skills education and preparing students for transfer to four-year institutions. As an integral partner in the state s welfare system, the CalWORKs programs are instrumental in providing critical education, training, support services, and job opportunities to assist families living in poverty to reach their educational and employment goals and achieve permanent economic self-sufficiency. In fiscal years , , and , the California Community Colleges served an average of 30,000 CalWORKs students, increasing from just over 27,500 the first two years to 34,690 in CalWORKs students are ethnically diverse, predominately women, and are students who, compared to the general student population, enter college later in life. The services and curriculum provided to CalWORKs students by the California Community Colleges for the program years included the following: Executive Summary Page 1 California Community College CalWORKs Program History Page 5 CalWORKs Program Statistics: Fiscal Years , , and Page 9 CalWORKs Budget and Expenditures: Fiscal Years , , and Page 35 California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program Key Initiatives Page 39 Conclusion Page 43 Acknowledgements Page 45 Appendix Academic, career, and personal counseling services to focus goals and develop student education plans; Case management services to track progress, support persistence, and make appropriate referrals to on-campus and offcampus services; Child care for CalWORKs students dependent children; Academic and vocational coursework resulting in 18,184 degrees and certificates; and Work study placements for 22,989 CalWORKs students (CalWORKs pays up to 75% of the students wages). California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program:

6 These conglomerations of figures covering three years are broken down, analyzed, and trends are examined in the report that follows. Of particular interest are the significant increases in the amount of work study placements and numbers of associate degrees awarded over this three-year period. Work study jobs not only contribute to family income while the student is in school; they also provide work readiness and technical skills necessary for the world of work. Looking at historical data, there was an astounding overall increase of 212% in work study placements from (the most difficult year due to prior funding loss) to Colleges have also exceeded their former annual highest count of 7,970 placements in by an increase of 1,772 placements in for a total of 9,742 placements. Additionally, the number of associate degrees awarded, an increase of 170% from 2006 to 2009, will greatly enhance the earning potential of these students, helping them to move from poverty to self-sufficiency. Overall, the last three years have seen a substantial increase in county-college collaboration; regional strength-building as a result of Regional Efforts funds; ad-hoc committee work to discuss and set policies on emerging issues; opportunities for participating in site visits to other community colleges CalWORKs programs; program accountability; and availability of web-based resources for college CalWORKs staff. There have also been significant federal and state legislative and budgetary decisions that have affected the CalWORKs programs: Changes to TANF Regulations: In February 2006, Congress enacted changes to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 that made significant changes to TANF, such as increasing the number of recipients who must participate in work activities for a specified number of hours each week. A group of key stakeholders was convened to review the federal changes and to identify strategies the state should consider in its response to the TANF reauthorization. As a result, many county welfare departments and community colleges have established stronger collaborations to serve the CalWORKs population. Work Study Funds: In fiscal year , the colleges received an augmentation in State Proposition 98 funding of $8 million to expand CalWORKs work study opportunities and $1 million for job development services. The projection for the $8 million in work study funding was to increase work study placements by 1,000, which was achieved. This funding restoration enabled the colleges to begin rebuilding their work study component. 2 California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office

7 Recent Budget Cuts: In early 2009, as the state Legislature was grappling with the budget in light of the downturn in the economy and lack of available funds, many college CalWORKs programs were faced with spending freezes. With severe budget reductions statewide in and into the future, the CalWORKs program will need to address a variety of issues including the reduction of mandates, the ability to maintain the 30% work study requirement, the potential loss of students as counties implement new exemption regulations due to budget reductions, policy changes and more. Collaboration, both on- and off-campus, has been a focus of CalWORKs programs during this period. The new work participation rate requirement has highlighted the necessity and advantages of the county welfare department and college partnerships. Workforce Investment Boards have provided much needed labor market information to colleges. Also, collaboration with on-campus services such as career and job placement centers, Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education, Disabled Students Program and Services. Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, financial aid and matriculation has proven to be of great benefit to CalWORKs students. California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program:

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9 California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program History Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) was established by the Social Security Act of 1935 to enable states to provide cash welfare payments for needy children deprived of parental support or care. California established the GAIN Program (Greater Avenues to Independence) in 1985 to provide case management and supportive services to a primarily volunteer group of AFDC parents who sought access to education and employment. From 1985 to 1996 GAIN funding was available to community colleges that could demonstrate they were over cap on full-time equivalent students due to high levels of attendance by GAIN students. The community college GAIN program, funded at $16 million, comprised of $8 million in State Proposition 98 Funds and $8 million in federal funds. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) replaced AFDC with a cash welfare block grant to states called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). PRWORA specifically named community colleges as excellent institutions for providing education and training to TANF recipients. In response to federal welfare reform, California designed a system of services for welfare recipients called California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) which replaced GAIN. Some key components of the CalWORKs system included the establishment of a lifetime time limit of 60 months that adults can receive TANF cash aid and required hours of participation in approved welfare-to-work activities. Education and training were included as allowable welfare-to-work activities. In fiscal year , the California Community Colleges received $65 million in new Proposition 98 funding to establish a CalWORKs program on every campus. This $65 million was also considered to be a part of the federal TANF maintenance of effort requirement that gave the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) the ability to draw down the federal TANF block grant funds. The former GAIN program had been funded at $16 million; combined with the $65 million in new Proposition 98 funds, the CalWORKs funding level was established at $81 million annually. The funding was designated for community colleges to implement CalWORKs programs at colleges throughout the state and to begin to build partnerships with local county welfare departments. Colleges were to utilize the funds to assist welfare recipient students in achieving long-term family self-sufficiency through education, the provision of work study and other supportive services. California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program:

10 In FY , budget act language was revised to allow for an expansion of services to include former CalWORKs recipients in transition off TANF cash assistance for a period of up to two years after leaving aid. This allowed colleges to use up to 15% of their Proposition 98 CalWORKs allocation to serve former CalWORKs recipients under the category of post-employment services. Community colleges CalWORKs program funding was significantly reduced in FY due to a deficit in the state s budget. The 46% reduction left a balance of $43 million to be appropriated to the CalWORKs program ($35 million in Proposition 98 funds and $8 million in federal TANF funds). Additionally, new budget control language was applied to $35 million of the appropriation, restricting its use and requiring a local district match. Of the total appropriation, $15 million was restricted to child care services and the availability of the remaining $20 million was contingent upon a $1 per $1 local district match. Although the new match requirements may have helped somewhat to mitigate the impact of the funding reduction, over time they have also limited the ability of some colleges to fully access and expend the funds. Many colleges were also unable to redirect funds from other uses to help minimize the impact of the reduction. Consequently, most colleges were forced to significantly reduce the levels of service during this period. In 2006 TANF was reauthorized, resulting in a mandate to states to increase work participation rates. California s investment in postsecondary education for its CalWORKs recipient population became even more critical as counties increased their efforts to engage mandated participants in qualifying work activities. In FY , the community colleges CalWORKs program received a partial restoration of Proposition 98 funds totaling $8 million for work study and an additional $1 million for job development. This additional funding was earmarked to assist CalWORKs recipients in meeting both state and federal minimum requirements for qualifying work-related activities, including work study placements on campuses and within local communities. The comprehensive student support services provided by the CalWORKs program were designed to assist welfare recipient student parents and those in transition off welfare in obtaining the education they need to achieve long-term self-sufficiency. The community colleges partner with the statewide welfare system by providing direct student support: Service coordination with local county welfare departments, local Workforce Investment Boards, community partners and employers Work study Subsidized child care 6 California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office

11 Job development and placement Case management and counseling Curriculum development and redesign Instruction Post-employment skills training Well established as a key contributor and partner in the statewide efforts to move families from welfare into family self-sufficiency, the CalWORKs program has over a dozen years of experience in administering education and training programs and specialized support services for CalWORKs students. The community colleges, working with their local county welfare department partners, can continue to build upon the best practices and successes achieved to engage participants in programs that will enable them to transition off welfare and achieve long-term economic self-sufficiency. Studies have continued to demonstrate the importance of post-secondary education in assisting welfare participants to increase their earning potential. California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program:

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13 CalWORKs Program Statistics: Fiscal Years , , and Overview of the CalWORKs Student Data and Changes in Methodology A variety of sources of data were utilized in creating this report: 1. California Department of Social Services CalWORKs Recipient Data Match The CDSS CalWORKs recipient population match was utilized to determine CalWORKs student numbers beginning at the program s inception. Fiscal year was the final year that the Chancellor s Office was able to obtain complete access to this data. Over the next two years only limited data were available. Data from past matches is included in historical information in this report. 2. Community Colleges CalWORKs Accountability Report The CalWORKs Accountability Report (Appendix C) was submitted by each community colleges CalWORKs program after each fiscal year to provide the Chancellor s Office with aggregate data on student outcomes and services provided. After a transition period of two years, the Chancellor s Office ceased collecting information through this report in Chancellor s Office Management Information Systems (MIS) Database The database is comprised of several databases that each represents a distinct, logical collection of data that are related together using common linking data elements and database software. The information system is designed to collect and organize information from three major areas of activities: students, faculty/staff and courses. Database information is collected to focus on issue identification, policy analysis, program evaluation, and planning. This is the source of the data elements listed below. Student Basic Record 27 The Student Basic Record (Appendix D) has historically been the one data element that CalWORKs programs had reported through the Chancellor s Office management information system (MIS). It documents the number of TANF students served at each college, and their eligibility designation. California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program:

14 Community Colleges CalWORKs Program Data Elements Developed to replace both the Accountability Report and the CDSS recipient match information with more accurate and timely data, CalWORKs MIS data elements (SC01-17) were implemented in summer Tied to individual student records, the new data elements create an authentic picture of CalWORKs students and services across the state. The new CalWORKs MIS data elements (Appendix E) have improved the integrity and quality of the data collected. Beginning in , these data elements became the primary source utilized by colleges to report CalWORKs student information. 4. CalWORKs Annual Year-End Fiscal Reports Colleges are required to report year-end expenditures by category and services. This information is compiled and verified by the Chancellor s Office and utilized to report statewide expenditures, and analyze program trends. Community Colleges CalWORKs Students Historically, fewer CalWORKs students were actually served by the CalWORKs program than the number of TANF recipients reported as enrolled at the colleges by the California Department of Social Services. This discrepancy has been attributed to a number of factors, including: (1) in the early days of the program more TANF students attended community colleges than those who directly accessed services through the CalWORKs programs, and (2) the Chancellor s Office and CDSS realized that the social security number tape match utilized in identifying TANF student numbers could not be validated as an accurate reflection of the number of potentially eligible students. Although there are no data to formally validate these assumptions, anecdotal information from the colleges notes that once the CalWORKs programs became more visible on campuses across the state and county welfare offices and colleges became more adept at partnering to ensure that students were referred directly to the college programs, the number of TANF students not accessing CalWORKs program services is assumed to have declined significantly. During the initial years of the CalWORKs programs, the CDSS social security number tape match data was utilized to track numbers of eligible students at the colleges. As access to this data decreased over the years, the Chancellor s Office focused on developing data collection systems that could most accurately reflect the students 10 California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office

15 served by the colleges. In the reporting definitions were refined to ensure consistency in reporting throughout the system. In , due to confidentiality concerns based on welfare code, CDSS no longer provided tape match data. In , new MIS data elements were implemented to collect data on service delivery within the CalWORKs programs. For the three-year period of this report, the Chancellor s Office Report SR0721C has been identified as the accurate indicator of unduplicated CalWORKs student enrollment at the colleges. Number of CalWORKs Students The numbers in Table 1 reflect a period of little change in the first two years. In , a significant increase of 25% over the prior two years is reflected by the total of 34,690 students served. This period was a time of growing unemployment in California and a corresponding increase in the number of applications for welfare. Table 1. CalWORKs Recipients Enrolled CalWORKs Recipients Served 27,663 27,552 34,690 CDSS tape match data were no longer available beginning in Table 2, below, shows that the highest number of students served was over 47,000 in FY As noted previously, a direct correlation cannot be made between the historical data and that provided in Table 1. Table 2. CalWORKs Recipients Enrolled at the Community Colleges vs. CalWORKs Recipients Served by the Community Colleges CalWORKs Programs CalWORKs Recipients Enrollment Data from CDSS , ,534 97,945 69,165 61,173 64,639 CalWORKs Recipients Served 47,118 45,799 43,109 40,822 39,257 34,028 CalWORKs Students Served by Eligibility Designation Community colleges CalWORKs programs are responsible for collecting and documenting eligibility information each term for all students reported in MIS. Student eligibility is categorized into the five areas listed below. Several categories have been combined for purposes of this report, as indicated in the table and chart below. California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program:

16 Self-Referred students applied for assistance before enrolling at the community college and are in the process of obtaining an approved welfare-to-work plan through their county welfare office. Self-Initiated Participant students must be eligible for program services and must have received at least intake, eligibility and needs assessment services from the college. Students must have been enrolled in a community college prior to county appraisal. County-Referred students were referred to the community college by the county welfare office with an approved Welfare to Work plan. Exempt Program Participant students are TANF recipients who are exempted from participation in all or part of the required welfare to work activities. Post-Employment students have left TANF cash assistance within the past two years due to unsubsidized employment and are in compliance with their county welfare office requirements. The annual state budget act prioritizes the use of funds for current TANF recipients while also allowing colleges to use up to $5 million in funds statewide to provide postemployment services to former TANF recipients under specific circumstances. As shown in Table 3, during the three-year reporting period, colleges served a limited number of post-employment students, reflecting the intent of the state budget act language and utilizing far less than the $5 million authorized annually. Table 3. Community Colleges CalWORKs Students by Eligibility Designation County-Referred 19,900 17,624 15,723 19,248 15,137 13,056 16,190 22,326 Self-Referred & Self- Initiated Program Participant 24,143 23,945 24,027 19,283 18,294 14,267 10,697 11,817 Exempt Program Participant* NA NA NA NA NA NA Post-Employment 1,756 1,540 1, Total 45,799 43,109 40,822 39,257 34,028 27,663 27,522 34,690 *In , the exempt eligibility designation was added as a new data element; this will be tracked into future years to determine trends in this category of student participation. 12 California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office

17 As indicated in Chart 1 that follows, 64% of the CalWORKs students served in through the CalWORKs program are county-referred participants. These recipients were referred for education and training as part of each participant s Welfare to Work plan. The historical data indicates a steady increase in the county-referred category over the eight years represented. This is a strong indicator of the strengthening partnership between the counties and the community colleges and a key indicator of success. Chart 1. Community College CalWORKs Students Served by Eligibility Designation *Exempt program participant collected starting FY California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program:

18 Ethnicity Overall, data from FY , and demonstrate that the CalWORKs students served through the community colleges CalWORKs program are ethnically diverse as indicated below in Table 4. Table 4. Ethnicity of CalWORKs and Non-CalWORKs Students, Ethnicity CalWORKs Students Non- Non- CalWORKs CalWORKs CalWORKs CalWORKs Students Students Students Students Non- CalWORKs Students Latino 8, ,073 9, ,722 11, ,339 White Non- Latino 8, ,244 8, ,075 9, ,206 African- American 6, ,217 6, ,883 7, ,922 Asian 1, ,071 1, ,687 1, ,292 Unknown 1, ,073 1, ,986 2, ,956 Other Non- White , , ,221 Native American , , ,079 Filipino , , ,974 Pacific Islander , , ,178 Total 27,663 2,593,822 27,522 2,748,862 34,690 2,861, California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office

19 Chart 2, below, shows there is higher percentage of Latino, African-American, and Native American students among the CalWORKs population as compared to the general student population. Chart 2: Ethnicity of CalWORKs and Non-CalWORKs Students, Gender Data for show that CalWORKs students are predominately women. Table 5a Gender Data for CalWORKs and Non-CalWORKs Students Gender CalWORKs Students Non-CalWORKs Students Female 23,998 1,413,212 Male 3,527 1,151,764 Unknown ,846 Total 27,663 2,593,822 Table 5b Gender Data for CalWORKs and Non-CalWORKs Students Gender CalWORKs Students Non-CalWORKs Students Female 23,803 1,489,447 Male 3,571 1,229,991 Unknown ,424 Total 27,522 2,748,862 Table 5c Gender Data for CalWORKs and Non-CalWORKs Students Gender CalWORKs Students Non-CalWORKs Students Female 29,174 1,531,952 Male 5,286 1,287,273 Unknown ,942 Total 34,690 2,861,167 California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program:

20 CW Non-CW CW Non-CW CW Non-CW Chart 3. Gender Data for CalWORKs and Non-CalWORKs Students % 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Unknown Male Female Age Tables 6 a,b,c below indicate that as a whole, CalWORKs students tend to be slightly older than the general student population. For example, data from Table 6c from demonstrate that while more than half of the general student population is less than 25 years old (52.4%), only 32.8% of CalWORKs students fall within this age range. Table 6a Age Data for CalWORKs and Non-CalWORKs Students Age Group CalWORKs Students Non-CalWORKs Students 19 or less 1, , to 24 6, , to 29 6, , to 34 4, , to 39 3, , to 49 4, , ,184 Unknown 25 8,367 Total 27,663 2,593,822 Table 6b Age Data for CalWORKs and Non-CalWORKs Students Age Group CalWORKs Students Non-CalWORKs Students 19 or less 1, , to 24 7, , to 29 6, , to 34 4, , to 39 3, , to 49 3, , ,353 Unknown ,500 Total 27,522 2,748, California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office

21 Table 6c Age Data for CalWORKs and Non-CalWORKs Students Age Group CalWORKs Students Non-CalWORKs Students 19 or less 1, , to 24 9, , to 29 8, , to 34 5, , to 39 3, , to 49 4, , ,245 Unknown ,624 Total 34,690 2,861,167 Chart 4. Age Data for CalWORKs and Non-CalWORKs Students, % 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% CalWORKs Non-CalWORKs 0% Chart 4 shows that nearly half (49%) of all CalWORKs students are in their twenties, with most of them in the age group. Following this, the next largest age group is 30-34, then 40-49, 35-39, under 19, and 50-and-over. The majority (51.4%) of non-calworks students range from under age 19 to age 24. California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program:

22 Limited English Proficiency As required by legislation, colleges must address the English language needs of the CalWORKs student population when developing new vocational curricula. The Chancellor s Office has identified the development of Vocational English as a Second Language (VESL) courses for CalWORKs students as one of its funding priorities when awarding reallocated dollars to the colleges. In addition, at training conferences throughout the year, best practices are shared to support college efforts to expand VESL programs for CalWORKs students statewide. Compared to Non-CalWORKs students, the number of CalWORKs students designated as limited English proficiency is higher, 17% versus 10% over the three-year period The percentage of CalWORKs students who are designated limited English proficiency has dropped slightly each of the three years. Table 7a LEP Status of California Community College Students LEP Status CalWORKs Students Non- CalWORKs Students Is an LEP Student 18% 10% Is Not an LEP Student 82% 90% Table 7b LEP Status of California Community College Students LEP Status CalWORKs Students Non- CalWORKs Students Is an LEP Student 17% 10% Is Not an LEP Student 83% 90% Table 7c LEP Status of California Community College Students LEP Status CalWORKs Students Non- CalWORKs Students Is an LEP Student 16% 9% Is Not an LEP Student 84% 91% Financial Aid Recipients Of the total CalWORKs students served through the colleges CalWORKs programs in and , approximately 85% received financial aid compared with less than 25% of non-calworks students. The tables below show the percentage of CalWORKs students and non-calworks students by type of financial aid received for these two 18 California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office

23 years. The most common type of financial aid assistance provided is the Board of Governors Fee Waiver, followed by federal and state grants. Approximately 8% of CalWORKs students are enrolled in non-credit only courses (see Tables 15 a,b,c). Students enrolled only in non-credit classes are not eligible for financial aid, so are not represented in these tables. As of the date of this report, financial aid data for are not available. This information will be included in the next report. Table 8a Financial Aid Data for CalWORKs Students vs. Non- CalWORKs Students Table 8b Financial Aid Data for CalWORKs Students vs. Non- CalWORKs Students Type of Financial Aid Received CalWORKs Students Non- CalWORKs Students Type of Financial Aid Received CalWORKs Students Non- CalWORKs Students BOG Fee BOG Fee Waivers Waivers 83% 24% 86% 24% Grants 58% 9% Grants 61% 10% Loans 9% 1% Loans 9% 1% Scholarships 2% 1% Scholarships 2% 1% Federal Work Study 9% 0% Federal Work Study 9% 0% Chart Financial Aid Data for CalWORKs Students vs. Non-CalWORKs Students California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program:

24 Services Provided The community colleges CalWORKs programs provide a comprehensive array of services to support CalWORKs students as they pursue their educational and employment goals. Designed locally to meet the needs of the students within the community, the services include paid work study opportunities that help students learn valuable on-the-job skills, child care, counseling, and job development and placement services. This section summarizes data pertaining to case management and counseling, child care and work study. Case Management Services The Chancellor s Office requires colleges to provide comprehensive case management services to CalWORKs students participating in their programs. Colleges maintain individual student case files that contain documentation of eligibility for each term, a record of the services and referrals to college and community resources, educational plans and student progress. As noted before, colleges began reporting new service delivery areas, including case management, in as a part of the SC01-17 MIS data elements (Appendix E). From these data, information is available regarding the numbers of students who receive these valuable services. As noted in Table 9 below, all CalWORKs students were provided with an assessment and/or some other case management service(s). Additionally, approximately 40% of the students received vocational, educational, career or personal counseling funded with CalWORKs or TANF dollars over both years reported. Only a small percentage of the students did not receive counseling. Table 9. CalWORKs Case Management and Counseling Services Received Assessment and/or Case Management Services 100% 100% Received CalWORKs/TANF Funded Counseling 43% 39% Received Counseling through Other College Funds 12% 12% Received Counseling from both CalWORKs/TANF and Other College Funds 33% 35% Did Not Receive Counseling 12% 14% 20 California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office

25 Child Care Services When the budget cuts occurred in , funds designated for child care remained protected to ensure the continuity of child care services for CalWORKs recipients. With increased coordination with the local county welfare departments and other child care agencies such as Alternative Payment Programs and State Department of Educationfunded centers, colleges have reported a decline in community college CalWORKsfunded child care services. Because counties or other resources met much of the demand for child care services, community college expenditures in this area have decreased. The legislative changes made during supported flexibility by allowing funds designated for child care purposes to be shifted to other high-priority CalWORKs program services such as the provision of work study, if colleges were able to demonstrate that students child care needs were met through other resources. The child care data below reflect a decrease in the number of hours of child care paid for by the colleges. Colleges reported that they provided CalWORKs students with both on-campus and off-campus child care, with the majority of care provided by off-campus providers, due in part to the limited availability of on-campus child care slots that can serve the varied age groups of children and the non-traditional hourly needs of the CalWORKs families. Child care services are provided during the time students attend class, study, participate in work study jobs or in other approved work activities as outlined in the Welfare to Work plan. Table 10. Child Care Services Percent Change Duplicated Number of Children Provided Child Care NA 13,608 12,950-5% Average Number of Children Provided Child Care Each Month NA 1,134 1,079-5% Duplicated Number of Students Who Selected On-Campus Child Care NA % Duplicated Number of Students Who Selected Off-Campus Child Care NA 6,695 7,750 15% Detailed child care data were first collected through MIS in California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program:

26 CalWORKs Work Study CalWORKs Work Study Placements CalWORKs work study, a subsidized employment program, provides CalWORKs students with an opportunity to gain valuable paid on-the-job experience that enhances their employability and helps to increase the overall income of their families. Work study placements also enable students to meet their work participation requirements; this has proven to be essential in helping counties to meet the 20 hour per week core work hours requirement established by the federal TANF guidelines. The CalWORKs work study component was dramatically reduced as a result of the budget cuts. Costly to implement due to the significant funding dedicated to direct wage subsidies, colleges struggled between 2003 and 2006 to maintain viable work study programs. With less funding available to pay a portion of students work study wages and the loss of job development staff to develop and track on- and off-campus work study placements, most colleges had to severely reduce their work study programs during this period. In FY , CalWORKs received a partial funding restoration of $8 million to expand work study and $1 million to expand job development and placement services. This State Proposition 98 funding included the requirement that 30% of the CalWORKs program dollars be spent on work study statewide. During the year colleges worked to rebuild their work study programs and re-establish relationships with the employer community. Evidence of this is clearly shown by the increase in the number of work study placements over the three-year period of this report. Looking at historical data, there was an astounding increase of 212% overall from (the most difficult year due to funding loss) to Colleges have also exceeded their former annual highest count of 7,970 placements in by an increase of 1,772 placements in for a total of 9,742 placements. Table 11. CalWORKs Work Study Placements On-Campus and Off-Campus No. of Work Study Placements On- Campus Off- Campus Percent Change from ,618 5,073 2,728 2,469 2,524 2,642 3,339 6,484 6, % 2,352 2,014 1, ,446 3, % Total 7,970 7,090 3,769 3,222 3,064 3,120 4,317 8,930 9, % 22 California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office

27 Chart 6. CalWORKs Work Study Placements Figures shown in Table 11 and Chart 6 above reflect a duplicated count. Some students may have had more than one work study placement within the year. In , colleges reported placing CalWORKs students in 9,742 work study jobs both on- and off-campus, firmly establishing a significant trend of growth in this service component. As stated earlier, the much needed funding restoration provided in allowed colleges to expand work study opportunities for CalWORKs students. Since then, the colleges have increased overall work study placements with a targeted focus on the development of off-campus placements within the private sector and with public and non-profit employers. These efforts have resulted in a very significant increase of 610% in off-campus placements from to In addition to gaining skills in the students areas of study, work study opportunities are a valuable way for students to gain basic workplace skills, such as appropriate communication and problem-solving techniques, punctuality, workplace etiquette and how to balance school, work and family. For some CalWORKs students, a work study placement may be their first paid job. California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program:

28 Work Study Hours During the three-year reporting period, the majority of CalWORKs students placed in work study assignments worked between 20 and hours per week. Table 12 demonstrates this continuing trend as colleges strive to assist counties in meeting state and federal work participation goals and support students in meeting the weekly 20 hour core work requirement. Students may continue in their work study positions during winter, summer, and spring breaks if they meet specific eligibility requirements as documented in the Welfare to Work plan. Table 12. Number of CalWORKs Weekly Work Study Hours Number of Work Study Hours Less than 10 hours per week 6% 6% 6% hours per week 40% 31% 29% hours per week 49% 58% 61% 30 hours or more per week 5% 5% 4% Types of CalWORKs Work Study Placements Tables 13a and 13b outline the types of work study jobs that CalWORKs students hold. Because of a change in data collection methodology, the data from have been reported in a more condensed, abbreviated manner. The Chancellor s Office implemented the use of TOP (Taxonomy of Programs) Codes, a system of classification, as a part of the new MIS data elements and for the past few years colleges have been reporting in this way. Table 13b shows that the single most reported category in and is office technology and computer applications, with over 25% of the students in both years working in jobs in this category. It is possible to draw a correlation that the number of clerical positions reported in the condensed report for includes these job types also, once again indicating that the highest number of CalWORKs students select office, clerical, and technology positions while they are in school. It is important to also note the breadth of job types that students are seeking; for example, students are working in culinary arts, business, human services, management, child development and automotive fields, an indication that job placements are being made in support of students educational goals. 24 California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office

29 Table 13a shows that a majority of CalWORKs student work study placements were made in clerical-related positions (53.66%), followed by child care (12.41%), instruction (7.64), and other (4.97%). Table 13a. Types of CalWORKs Work Study Placements through Type of Work Study Placements Percent of Placement Types Clerical 3,476 1,889 1,722 1,652 1,834 2, % Child Care 1, % Instructional % Other % Culinary Food Service % Services % Health % Retail/Hospitality/Sales % Maintenance/Grounds Keeping % Mechanical/Equipment % Construction/Manufacturing % Agriculture % California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program:

30 Table 13b shows little variation between and with the exception of a 10% growth in human services. Table 13b. Types of CalWORKs Work Study Placements Types of Work Study Placements Office Technology/Office Computer Applications 27.52% 25.27% Human Services 1.95% 12.55% Business and Commerce, General 12.36% 12.06% General Work Experience 9.40% 8.56% Child Development/Early Care and Education 7.32% 5.88% Customer Service 3.35% 3.12% Educational Aide (Teacher Assistant) 3.93% 3.09% Culinary Arts 1.78% 1.96% Supervised Tutoring 1.70% 1.65% Preshool Age Children 1.49% 1.44% Education, General 1.62% 1.41% Custodial Services 0.69% 1.10% Management Development and Supervision 1.25% 1.08% Library Technician (Aide) 1.14% 1.08% Information Technology, General 0.97% 0.84% Logistics and Materials Transportation 0.94% 0.84% Office Management 0.96% 0.74% Automotive Technology 0.34% 0.72% Landscape Design and Maintenance 0.90% 0.71% Accounting 0.97% 0.70% Hospitality 0.60% 0.66% Home Health Aide 0.82% 0.64% Medical Office Technology 1.06% 0.61% Restaurant and Food Services and Management 0.75% 0.60% Other 16.16% 12.71% 26 California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office

31 Work Study Salary Rates The CalWORKs program guidelines allow colleges to utilize work study funds to subsidize a position for up to 75% of the wages earned by the CalWORKs student. The percentage of wage reimbursement provided to the employer varies from college to college; some colleges reimburse employers a fixed percent of the student s wage, while others may use a graduated wage reimbursement scale, reimbursing employers an established percent for the first term, followed by a declining reimbursement rate in the subsequent terms that the student remains employed. As the table below indicates, the majority of CalWORKs students are placed in work study positions that pay between $8.01 per hour and $10.00 per hour. A short but positive trend over the past two years is a reduction in lower wage jobs and a movement towards jobs that pay $10.00 or more per hour. This may correlate with the earlier finding that more students are being placed in off-campus positions which often pay more than on-campus student employee jobs. Table 14. CalWORKs Work Study Hourly Wages Earned Work Study Hourly Wages Earned $ $8.00 <1% 43% 34% $ $ % 46% 45% $10.01 or more 25% 11% 21% Minimum wage was increased to $8/hour in Course Information and Degrees/Certificates Awarded CalWORKs Student Courseload Data To determine how many CalWORKs students were taking credit versus non-credit classes, this report used student enrollment data for the fall semesters of 2006, 2007 and In 2008, 35% took greater than 12 credit units of coursework, while 31% were enrolled in fewer than 12 units of credit-only classes. Twenty-seven percent of CalWORKs students took a combination of credit and non-credit classes, and 7% were enrolled only in non-credit classes. Tables 15a, 15b and 15c and Chart 7 display the details. Courseload patterns have remained fairly consistent across the three years. California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program:

32 Table 15a. Fall 2006 CalWORKs Student Courseload Table 15b. Fall 2007 CalWORKs Student Courseload CalWORKs Student Courseload Fall 2006 Percent of Total CalWORKs Student Courseload Fall 2007 Percent of Total Non-Credit Only 1,218 7% Non-Credit Only 1,455 9% Non-Credit & <12 Credit Units 1,617 9% Non-Credit & 12+ Credit Units 2,913 16% Non-Credit & <12 Credit Units 1,666 10% Non-Credit & 12+ Credit Units 2,806 17% Credit Only <12 Units 6,385 34% Credit Only <12 Units 4,954 29% Credit Only 12+ Units 6,541 35% Credit Only 12+ Units 5,832 35% Total 18, % Total 16, % Table 15c. Fall 2008 CalWORKs Student Courseload CalWORKs Student Courseload Fall 2008 Percent of Total Non-Credit Only 1,405 7% Non-Credit & <12 Credit Units 2,074 10% Non-Credit & 12+ Credit Units 3,487 17% Credit Only <12 Units 6,578 31% Credit Only 12+ Units 7,438 35% Total 20, % 28 California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office

33 Chart 7. CalWORKs Student Courseload Data, Degrees and Certificates Awarded to CalWORKs Students Table 16 below shows the number of degrees and certificates awarded to CalWORKs students who participated in the community college CalWORKs program in the threeyear period These include duplicated counts, as some students may receive more than one certificate or may receive a certificate and an associate degree. The number of degrees and certificates increased dramatically over the three-year period. Although the number of CalWORKs participants increased by 25% from , the number of associate degrees, which correlates significantly with higher earnings potential, increased by 225%. Table 16. Number of Degrees/Certificates Awarded to CalWORKs Students, Type of Degree/Certificate Associate of Arts Degree 1,015 2,346 3,674 Associate of Science Degree 545 1,111 1,402 Certificate 60+ units Certificate 30-<60 units Certificate 18-<30 units Certificate 6-<18 units 594 1,463 1,224 Certificate <6 units Non-credit awards Total 3,051 6,885 8,248 California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program:

34 Chart 8. Number of Degrees/Certificates Awarded to CalWORKs Students, It is also interesting to look at the fields of study in which the degrees and certificates were issued to CalWORKs students in this three-year period. Tables 17a, 17b and 17c below show the numbers of awards in each category. Chart 9 shows a comparison of numbers of awards. Table 17a Awards to CalWORKs Students by TOP Code Title TOP Code Title Awards % of Total Awards Liberal Arts and Sciences, General % Child Development/Early Care and Education % Office Technology/Office Computer Applications % Registered Nursing % Transfer Studies % Administration of Justice % Accounting % Human Services % Alcohol and Controlled Substances % Cosmetology and Barbering % Social Sciences, General % Licensed Vocational Nursing % Culinary Arts % Other Interdisciplinary Studies % Biological and Physical Sciences (and Mathematics) % Business and Commerce, General % Automotive Technology % Business Administration % Certified Nurse Assistant % Medical Assisting % Other % Total 3, % 30 California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office

35 Table 17b Awards to CalWORKs Students by TOP Code Title TOP Code Title Awards % of Total Awards Liberal Arts and Sciences, General 1, % Child Development/Early Care and Education 1, % Office Technology/Office Computer Applications % Registered Nursing % Transfer Studies % Administration of Justice % Accounting % Human Services % Alcohol and Controlled Substances % Cosmetology and Barbering % Social Sciences, General % Licensed Vocational Nursing % Culinary Arts % Other Interdisciplinary Studies % Biological and Physical Sciences (and Mathematics) % Business and Commerce, General % Automotive Technology % Business Administration % Certified Nurse Assistant % Medical Assisting % Other 1, % Total 6, % Table 17c Awards to CalWORKs Students by TOP Code Title TOP Code Title Awards % of Total Awards Liberal Arts and Sciences, General 1, % Child Development/Early Care and Education % Office Technology/Office Computer Applications 1, % Registered Nursing % Transfer Studies % Administration of Justice % Accounting % Human Services % Alcohol and Controlled Substances % Cosmetology and Barbering % Social Sciences, General % Licensed Vocational Nursing % Culinary Arts % Other Interdisciplinary Studies % Biological and Physical Sciences (and Mathematics) % Business and Commerce, General % Automotive Technology % Business Administration % Certified Nurse Assistant % Medical Assisting % Other 1, % Total 8, % California Community Colleges CalWORKs Program:

36 Chart 9. Comparison of Number of Degrees/Certificates Awarded to CalWORKs Students, Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Office Technology/Office Computer Applications Transfer Studies Child Development/Early Care and Education Social Sciences, General Registered Nursing Human Services In terms of sheer numbers, every category except two showed an increase from to and again from to Only accounting and administration of justice increased in , then decreased in However, the fields where both the number and the percentage of degrees and certificates awarded went up consistently were seven: liberal arts, office technology, transfer studies, social sciences, licensed vocational nursing, other interdisciplinary studies and medical assisting. The percentage of accounting awards decreased both years, while human services percentage decreased in , then went up in Child development and administration of justice both showed a percentage increase in then decreased in , showing a dramatic rise and fall. The Taxonomy of Programs (TOP Codes) categorizes degree and certificate occupational and non-occupational programs in a common numbering system format which is used by all community colleges. The taxonomy is used to codify the courses offered by the community college. 32 California Community Colleges Chancellor s Office