Excerpts from Title 5: Distance Education

§55002. Standards and Criteria for Courses and Classes. (Source) (Div. 6, Ch. 6, Subch. 1, Art. 1)

• (a) Associate Degree Credit Course. An associate degree credit course is a course which has been designated as appropriate to the associate degree in accordance with the requirements of Section 55805.5, and which has been recommended by the college and/or district curriculum committee and approved by the district governing board as a collegiate course meeting the needs of the students eligible for admission.
  • (1) Curriculum Committee. The college and/or district curriculum committee recommending the course shall be established by the mutual agreement of the college and/or district administration and the academic senate. The committee shall be either a committee of the academic senate or a committee that includes faculty and is otherwise comprised in a way that is mutually agreeable to the college and/or district administration and the academic senate.
  • (2) Standards for Approval. The college and/or district curriculum committee shall recommend approval of the course for associate degree credit if it meets the following standards:
    • (A) Grading Policy. The course provides for measurement of student performance in terms of the stated course objectives and culminates in a formal, permanently recorded grade based upon uniform standards in accordance with section 55758 of this Division. The grade is based on demonstrated proficiency in subject matter and the ability to demonstrate that proficiency, at least in part, by means of essays, or, in courses where the curriculum committee deems them to be appropriate, by problem solving exercises or skills demonstrations by students.
    • (B) Units. The course grants units of credit based upon a relationship specified by the governing board between the number of units assigned to the course and the number of lecture and/or laboratory hours or performance criteria specified in the course outline. The course also requires a minimum of three hours of work per week, including class time for each unit of credit, prorated for short-term, laboratory and activity courses.
    • (C) Intensity. The course treats subject matter with a scope and intensity that requires students to study independently outside of class time.
    • (D) Prerequisites and Co-requisites. When the college and/or district curriculum committee determines, based on a review of the course outline of record, that a student would be highly unlikely to receive a satisfactory grade unless the student has knowledge or skills not taught in the course, then the course shall require prerequisites or co-requisites that are established, reviewed, and applied in accordance with the requirements of Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 55200) of this Subchapter.
    • (E) Basic Skills Requirements. If success in the course is dependent upon communication or computation skills, then the course shall require, consistent with the provisions of Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 55200) of this Subchapter, as prerequisites or co-requisites eligibility for enrollment in associate degree credit courses in English and/or mathematics, respectively.
    • (F) Difficulty. The course work calls for critical thinking and the understanding and application of concepts determined by the curriculum committee to be at college level.
    • (G) Level. The course requires learning skills and a vocabulary that the curriculum committee deems appropriate for a college course.
  • (3) Course Outline of Record. The course is described in a course outline of record that shall be maintained in the official college files and made available to each instructor. The course outline of record shall specify the unit value, scope, objectives, and content in terms of a specific body of knowledge. The course outline shall also specify types or provide examples of required reading and writing assignments, other outside-of-class assignments, instructional methodology, and methods of evaluation for determining whether the stated objectives have been met by students.
  • (4) Conduct of Course. Each section of the course is to be taught by a qualified instructor in accordance with a set of objectives and with other specifications defined in the course outline of record.
  • (5) Repetition. Repeated enrollment is allowed only in accordance with provisions of Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 51000), sections 55761-55763 and 58161 of this Division.
• (b) Non-degree Credit Course. A credit course designated by the governing board as not applicable to the associate degree is a course which, at a minimum, is recommended by the college and/or district curriculum committee (the committee described and established under Subdivision (a)(1) of this Section) and is approved by the district governing board and falls within one of the categories described in Subdivision (1) of this Subsection.
  • (1) Types of Courses. Non-degree applicable credit courses are:
    • (A) pre-collegiate basic skills courses as defined in Section 55502(d) of this Division;
    • (B) courses designed to enable students to succeed in college-level work (including, but not limited to, college orientation and guidance courses, and discipline-specific preparatory courses such as biology, history, or electronics) that integrate basic skills instruction throughout and assign grades partly upon the demonstrated mastery of those skills;
    • (C) pre-collegiate occupational preparation courses designed to provide foundation skills for students preparing for entry into college-level occupational courses or programs;
    • (D) essential occupational instruction for which meeting the standards of Section 55002(a) is neither necessary nor required.
  • (2) Standards for Approval. The college and/or district curriculum committee shall recommend approval of the course on the basis of the standards which follow. In order to be eligible for state apportionment, such courses must be approved (as courses not part of programs) by the Chancellor's Office as provided by Section 55100 of this Division.
    • (A) Grading Policy. The course provides for measurement of student performance in terms of the stated course objectives and culminates in a formal, permanently recorded grade based upon uniform standards in accordance with section 55758 of this Division. The grade is based on demonstrated proficiency in the subject matter and the ability to demonstrate that proficiency, at least in part, by means of written expression that may include essays, or, in courses where the curriculum committee deems them to be appropriate, by problem solving exercises or skills demonstrations by students.
    • (B) Units. The course grants units of credit based upon a relationship specified by the governing board between the number of units assigned to the course and the number of lecture and/or laboratory hours or performance criteria specified in the course outline. The course requires a minimum of three hours of student work per week, per unit, including class time and/or demonstrated competency, for each unit of credit, prorated for short-term, laboratory, and activity courses.
    • (C) Intensity. The course provides instruction in critical thinking and generally treats subject matter with a scope and intensity that prepares students to study independently outside of class time and includes reading and writing assignments and homework. In particular, the assignments will be sufficiently rigorous that students completing each such course successfully will have acquired the skills necessary to successfully complete college-level work upon completion of the required sequence of such courses.
    • (D) Prerequisites and co-requisites. When the college and/or district curriculum committee deems appropriate, the course may require prerequisites or co-requisites for the course that are established, reviewed, and applied in accordance with Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 55200) of this Subchapter.
  • (3) Course Outline of Record. The course is described in a course outline of record that shall be maintained in the official college files and made available to each instructor. The course outline of record shall specify the unit value, scope, objectives, and content in terms of a specific body of knowledge. The course outline shall also specify types or provide examples of required reading and writing assignments, other outside-of-class assignments, instructional methodology, and methods of evaluation for determining whether the stated objectives have been met by students. Taken together, these course specifications shall be such as to typically enable any student who successfully completes all of the assigned work prescribed in the outline of record to successfully meet the course objectives.
  • (4) Conduct of Course. All sections of the course are to be taught by a qualified instructor in accordance with a set of objectives and with other specifications defined in the course outline of record.
  • (5) Repetition. Repeated enrollment is allowed only in accordance with provisions of Division 2 (commencing with Section 51000), Sections 55761-55763 and 58161 of this Division.
• (c) Noncredit Course. A noncredit course is a course which, at a minimum, is recommended by the college and/or district curriculum committee (the committee described and established under Subdivision (a)(1) of this Section) and approved by the district governing board as a course meeting the needs of enrolled students.
  • (1) Standards for Approval. The college and/or district curriculum committee shall recommend approval of the course if the course treats subject matter and uses resource materials, teaching methods, and standards of attendance and achievement that the committee deems appropriate for the enrolled students. In order to be eligible for state apportionment, such courses are limited to the categories of instruction listed in Education Code Section 84711 and must be approved by the Chancellor's Office as noted in Title 5, Section 55150.
  • (2) Course Outline of Record. The course is described in a course outline of record that shall be maintained in the official college files and made available to each instructor. The course outline of record shall specify the scope, objectives, contents, instructional methodology, and methods of evaluation for determining whether the stated objectives have been met.
  • (3) Conduct of Course. All sections of the course are to be taught by a qualified instructor in accordance with the set of objectives and other specifications defined in the course outline of record.
• (d) Community Services Class. A community services class is a class that meets the following minimum requirements:
  • (1) is approved by the local district governing board;
  • (2) is designed for the physical, mental, moral, economic, or civic development of persons enrolled therein;
  • (3) provides subject matter content, resource materials, and teaching methods which the district governing board deems appropriate for the enrolled students;
  • (4) is conducted in accordance with a predetermined strategy or plan;
  • (5) is open to all members of the community; and
  • (6) may not be claimed for apportionment purposes.

§55002.5. Credit Hour; Allowance for Shorter Term. (Source) (Div. 6, Ch. 6, Subch. 1, Art. 1)

One credit hour of community college work is approximately three hours of recitation, study, or laboratory work per week throughout a term of 16 weeks. Where a term is more or less than 16 weeks, more or less than one credit hour shall be allowed in the same ratio that the length of the term is to 16 weeks.

§55205. Definition and Application. (Source) (Div. 6, Ch. 6, Subch. 1, Art. 3)

Distance education means instruction in which the instructor and student are separated by distance and interact through the assistance of communication technology. All distance education is subject to the general requirements of this chapter as well as the specific requirements of this article. In addition, instruction provided as distance education is subject to the requirements that may be imposed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12100 et seq.) and section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, (29 U.S.C. § 794d).

§55207. Course Quality Standards. (Source) (Div. 6, Ch. 6, Subch. 1, Art. 3)

The same standards of course quality shall be applied to distance education as are applied to traditional classroom courses, in regard to the course quality judgments made pursuant to the requirements of Section 55002 of this part, and in regard to any local course quality determination or review process.

§55209. Course Quality Determinations. (Source) (Div. 6, Ch. 6, Subch. 1, Art. 3)

Determinations and judgments about the quality of distance education under the course quality standards referred to in Section 55207, shall be made with the full involvement of faculty in accordance with the provisions of subchapter 2 (commencing with section 53200) of chapter 2 of division 4 of this part.

§55211. Instructor Contact. (Source) (Div. 6, Ch. 6, Subch. 1, Art. 3)

In addition to the requirements of section 55002 and any locally established requirements applicable to all courses, district governing boards shall ensure that:

• (a) All approved courses offered as distance education include regular effective contact between instructor and students, through group or individual meetings, orientation and review sessions, supplemental seminar or study sessions, field trips, library workshops, telephone contact, correspondence, voice mail, e-mail, or other activities.
• (b) All distance education courses are delivered consistent with guidelines issued by the Chancellor pursuant to section 409 of the Procedures and Standing Orders of the Board of Governors. Regular effective contact is an academic and professional matter pursuant to title 5, section 53200.

§55213. Separate Course Approval. (Source) (Div. 6, Ch. 6, Subch. 1, Art. 3)

Each proposed or existing course, if delivered by distance education, shall be separately reviewed and approved according to the district's certified course approval procedures.

§55215. Faculty Selection. (Source) (Div. 6, Ch. 6, Subch. 1, Art. 3)

Instructors of sections delivered via distance education technology shall be selected by the same procedures used to determine all instructional assignments. Instructors shall possess the minimum qualifications for the discipline into which the course's subject matter most appropriately falls, in accordance with article 2 of chapter 4 of division 4 of this part (commencing with Section 53410), and with the list of disciplinary definitions and requirements adopted by the Board of Governors to implement that article, as such list may be amended from time to time.

§55217. Number of Students. (Source) (Div. 6, Ch. 6, Subch. 1, Art. 3)

The number of students assigned to any one course section offered by distance education shall be determined by and be consistent with other district procedures related to faculty assignment. Procedures for determining the number of students assigned to a course section offered by distance education may include a review by the curriculum committee established pursuant to Section (a)(1).

Nothing in this section shall be construed to impinge upon or detract from any negotiations or negotiated agreements between exclusive representatives and district governing boards.

§55219. Ongoing Responsibility of Districts. (Source) (Div. 6, Ch. 6, Subch. 1, Art. 3)

Any district conducting courses under section 55316.5 shall:

• (a) Maintain records and report data through the Chancellor's Office Management Information System on the number of students and faculty participating in new courses or sections of established courses,
• (b) Provide to the local governing board, no later than August 31st of each year, a report on all distance education activity,
• (c) Provide other information consistent with reporting guidelines developed by the Chancellor pursuant to Section 409 of the Procedures and Standing Orders of the Board of Governors.

§55316.5. Additional Courses. (Source) (Div. 6, Ch. 6, Subch. 4, Art. 1)

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, after June 1, 1994, the following additional types of courses may be offered as independent study if conducted by distance education consistent with the requirements of article 3 of subchapter 1 (commencing with section 55205) of this chapter and the guidelines developed by the Chancellor:

• (a) Nontransferable courses designed to meet the requirements of Sections 55805.5, 55806, and 55002(a) or (b);
• (b) Noncredit courses.

§55317. Ongoing Responsibilities of Districts. (Source)

[This section has been repealed; however, much of the original language now appears in section 55219. Repealer filed 20 May 2002; operative 19 June 2002.]

§55352. Number of Students. (Source)

[This section has been repealed; however, much of the original language now appears in section 55217. Repealer filed 20 May 2002; operative 19 June 2002.]

§55370. Definition and Application. (Source)

[This section has been repealed; however, much of the original language now appears in section 55205. Repealer filed 20 May 2002; operative 19 June 2002.]

§55372. Course Quality Standards. (Source)

[This section has been repealed; however, much of the original language now appears in section 55207. Repealer filed 20 May 2002; operative 19 June 2002.]

§55374. Course Quality Determinations. (Source)

[This section has been repealed; however, much of the original language now appears in section 55209. Repealer filed 20 May 2002; operative 19 June 2002.]

§55376. Instructor Contact. (Source)

[This section has been repealed; however, much of the original language now appears in section 55211. Repealer filed 20 May 2002; operative 19 June 2002.]

§55378. Separate Course Approval. (Source)

[This section has been repealed; however, much of the original language now appears in section 55213. Repealer filed 20 May 2002; operative 19 June 2002.]

§55380. Faculty Selection. (Source)

[This section has been repealed; however, much of the original language now appears in section 55215. Repealer filed 20 May 2002; operative 19 June 2002.]

§58003.1. Full-time Equivalent Student; Computation. (Source) (Div. 6, Ch. 9, Subch. 1, Art. 2)

• (a) Pursuant to the provisions of section 58051 the units of full-time equivalent student for apportionment purposes shall be computed for courses, including those delivered by distance education under article 3 (commencing with section 55205) of subchapter 1 of chapter 6, based on the type of course, the way the course is scheduled, and the length of the course.
• (b) The governing board of each community college district shall, for each of its colleges or its district, select and establish a single primary term length for credit courses that are scheduled regularly with respect to the number of days of the week and the number of hours the course meets each week, inclusive of holidays. The units of full-time equivalent student of credit courses scheduled conterminously with the term, exclusive of independent study and work-experience education courses, shall be computed by multiplying the student contact hours of active enrollment as of Monday of the weeks nearest to one-fifth of the length of the term, unless other weeks are specified by the Chancellor to incorporate past practice, by the term length multiplier, and divided by 525. The term length multiplier for attendance accounting purposes shall be determined in accordance with regulations of the Board of Governors, provided that the maximum multiplier for semester length terms shall be 17.5 and the maximum multiplier for quarter length terms shall be 11.67.
• (c) For credit courses scheduled to meet for five or more days and scheduled regularly with respect to the number of hours during each scheduled day, but not scheduled conterminously with the college's primary term established pursuant to subsection (b), or scheduled during the summer or other intersession, the units of full-time equivalent student, exclusive of independent study and work-experience education courses, shall be computed by multiplying the daily student contact hours of active enrollment as of the census days nearest to one fifth of the length of the course by the number of days the course is scheduled to meet, and divided by 525.
• (d) For credit courses scheduled to meet for fewer than five days, and all credit courses scheduled irregularly with respect to the number of days of the week and the number of hours the course meets on the scheduled days, the units of full-time equivalent student, exclusive of independent study and work-experience education courses, shall be computed by dividing actual student contact hours of attendance by 525.
• (e) For all open entry-open exit credit courses and for all noncredit courses otherwise eligible for state aid, the units of full-time equivalent student shall be computed by dividing actual student contact hours of attendance by 525.
• (f) For independent study and work-experience education courses:
  • (1) For credit courses, for purposes of computing full-time equivalent student only, one weekly student contact hour shall be counted for each unit of credit for which a student is enrolled in one of those courses. The full-time equivalent student of those courses shall be computed by multiplying the units of credit for which students are enrolled as of the census day prescribed in subsection (b) or (c), as appropriate for the primary term or intersession and duration for which the course is scheduled, by the term length multiplier as provided for in subsection (b), and dividing by 525.
  • (2) For noncredit course sections conducted as distance education pursuant to section 55316.5, for purposes of computing full-time equivalent student only, weekly student contact hours shall be derived by counting the hours of instruction or programming received by the students, plus instructor contact as defined in programming received by the students, plus instructor contact as defined in section 55211, plus outside-of-class work expected as noted in the course outline of record and approved by the curriculum committee, and dividing the total number of hours thus derived by 54. Hours of instruction or programming received shall be independently verified by the instructor using a method or procedure approved by the district according to policies adopted by the local governing board as required by section 58030. Full-time equivalent student for such noncredit distance instruction course sections shall be computed by multiplying: (A) the average of the number of students actively enrolled in the section as of each census date (those dates nearest to one-fifth and three-fifths of the length of the course section) by, (B) the weekly student contact hours as derived above in this section, by (C) the primary term length multiplier of 17.5, and (D) dividing by 525.
• (g) Notwithstanding Subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the units of full-time equivalent student for any credit course other than independent study and work-experience education courses may, at the option of the district, be computed by dividing the actual student contact hours of attendance by 525. When a district chooses to exercise the option of computing attendance for any course section by the actual student contact hours method, such method must be used consistently for all attendance accounting for that section.

§58007. Noncredit Classes. (Source) (Div. 6, Ch. 9, Subch. 1, Art. 2)

Contact hours of enrollment in noncredit courses shall be based upon the count of students present at each course meeting. Full-time equivalent students in noncredit courses shall be computed by dividing the sum of contact hours of enrollment by 525.

Noncredit distance education courses may be conducted as independent study pursuant to section 55316.5, and the computation of full-time equivalent students for such courses is prescribed in section 58003.1(f)(2).

Nonresidents may be claimed for purposes of calculating full-time equivalent students only if they are living in California during the period of attendance and are otherwise eligible for such purposes as provided in this chapter.

§58009. Application of Independent Study or Work-Experience Attendance Procedure. (Source) (Div. 6, Ch. 9, Subch. 1, Art. 2)

• (a) One weekly student contact hour shall be counted for each unit of credit for which the student is enrolled as of the census day prescribed in Section 58003.1(b) or (c).
• (b) For credit courses full-time equivalent students in independent study or work-experience education courses in primary terms is computed by multiplying the weekly student contact hours authorized pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, generated as of the census date prescribed in section 58003.1(b) by the term length multiplier as provided for in Section 58003.1, and dividing by 525.
• (c) For noncredit courses conducted as distance education, full-time equivalent students is computed on a census basis as prescribed in section 58003.1(f)(2).
• (d) Full-time equivalent student in independent study or work-experience education courses conducted during a summer or other intersession is computed by multiplying the weekly student contact hours, authorized pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, generated in each course, by a course length multiplier that produces the same total weekly student contact hours for the same student effort as would be generated in such courses conducted in the primary terms, and dividing by 525.

§58051. Method for Computing Full-Time Equivalent Student (FTES). (Source) (Div. 6, Ch. 9, Subch. 1, Art. 5)

• (a)
  • (1) Except as otherwise provided, in computing the full-time equivalent student of a community college district, there shall be included only the attendance of students while they are engaged in educational activities required of students and while they are under the immediate supervision and control of an academic employee of the district authorized to render service in the capacity and during the period in which he or she served.
  • (2) A community college district may also include the attendance of students enrolled in approved courses or programs of independent study, including courses or programs formerly conducted as coordinated instruction systems, who are under the supervision, control, and evaluation, but not necessarily in the immediate presence, of an academic employee of the district who is authorized to render such service. Such attendance may only be included for college level credit courses and programs which are accepted for completion of an appropriate educational sequence leading to an associate degree, and which generally are recognized upon transfer by institutions of the University of California or the California State University.
    
    The community college district shall determine the nature, manner, and place of conducting any independent study courses or program in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to implement the purposes of this subsection. The rules and regulations shall require community college districts to ensure that the components of each individual study course or program for each student shall be set out in a written record or program, including the number of units and hours of study required, the arrangements for consultation with the instructor, the work product to be evaluated, and the college facility required. The rules and regulations shall also provide for input from, and participation by, faculty, who are selected by academic senates or faculty councils, and students, in the development and evaluation of approved educational courses and programs.
  • (3) A community college district may also include the attendance of students enrolled in approved distance education in accordance with the provisions of article 3 (commencing with section 55205) of subchapter 1 of chapter 6.
• (b) For the purpose of work-experience education programs in the community colleges meeting the standards of the California State Plan for Vocational Education, "immediate supervision" of off-campus work training stations means student participation in on-the-job training as outlined under a training agreement, coordinated by the community college district under a state-approved plan, wherein the employer and academic school personnel share the responsibility for on-the-job supervision. The student/instructor ratio in the work-experience program shall not exceed 125 students per full-time equivalent academic coordinator.
• (c) For purposes of computing the full-time equivalent student of a community college district, attendance shall also include student attendance and participation in in-service training courses in the areas of police, fire, corrections, and other criminal justice system occupations that conform to all apportionment attendance and course of study requirements otherwise imposed by law, if the courses are fully open to the enrollment and participation of the public. However, prerequisites for the courses shall not be established or construed so as to prevent academically qualified persons who are not employed by agencies in the criminal justice system from enrolling in and attending the courses.
• (d) Notwithstanding Subsection (c) and any regulations related thereto, a community college may give preference in enrollment to persons who are employed by, or serving in a voluntary capacity with, a fire protection or fire prevention agency in any course of in-service fire training at the community college in cooperation with any fire protection or fire prevention agency or association. Preference shall only be given when such persons could not otherwise complete the course within a reasonable time and when no other training program is reasonably available. At least 15 percent of the enrollment in in-service fire training courses shall consist of persons who are neither volunteers of, nor employed by, a fire protection or fire prevention agency or association, if the persons are available to attend a course. Full-time equivalent student for the courses shall be reported for state aid.
• (e) Subsection (d) shall apply only to the following:
  • (1) Community colleges which, in cooperation with any fire protection or fire prevention agency or association, have been, as of January 1, 1980, the primary source of in-service fire training for any fire protection or fire prevention agency or association.
  • (2) Community colleges which, in cooperation with any fire protection or fire prevention agency or association, establish in-service fire training for any fire protection or fire prevention agency or association which did not have in-service fire training, prior to January 1, 1980.
• (f) In the event that in-service training courses are restricted to employees of police, fire, corrections, and other criminal justice agencies, attendance for the restricted courses shall not be reported for purposes of state apportionments. A community college district which restricts enrollment in in-service training courses may contract with any public agency to provide compensation for the cost of conducting such courses.
• (g) Positive records of student admissions and full-time equivalent student in all in-service training courses in the areas of police, fire, corrections, and other criminal justice system occupations, as described in Subsection (c), shall be maintained by each district and shall be separately reported annually to the Chancellor's Office.