Non-credit courses are available to members of the community, free of charge, and do not count toward the completion of a certificate or Associate degree. This section of the handbook contains:
Non-credit courses can refer to several categories per the Education Code, Section 84757:
(a) For purposes of this chapter, the following noncredit courses and classes shall be eligible for funding:
(1) Parenting, including parent cooperative preschools, classes in child growth and development and parent-child relationships.
(2) Elementary and secondary basic skills and other courses and classes such as remedial academic courses or classes in reading, mathematics, and language arts.
(3) English as a second language.
(4) Classes and courses for immigrants eligible for educational services in citizenship, English as a second language, and work force preparation classes in the basic skills of speaking, listening, reading, writing, mathematics, decision-making and problem solving
skills, and other classes required for preparation to participate in job-specific technical training.
(5) Education programs for persons with substantial disabilities.
(6) Short-term vocational programs with high employment potential.
(7) Education programs for older adults.
(8) Education programs for home economics.
(9) Health and safety education.(b) No state apportionment shall be made for any course or class that is not set forth in subdivision (a) and for which no credit is given.
Many people refer to Community Services as noncredit (because the course are not applicable toward a certificate or degree), but the State Chancellor's office does not. Community Service classes do not need the state application, and the college does not receive apportionment for them. See the excerpt below from the Program and Course Approval Handbook.
Community colleges are authorized by statute and regulation
to offer community services classes, which are defined as "classes in
civic, vocational, literacy, health, homemaking, technical and general
education, including, but not limited to, classes in the fields of music, drama,
art, handicraft, science, literature, nature study, nature contacting, aquatic
sports and athletics." There
is no restriction against offering avocational, recreational, and personal
development subject matters in the community services program.
Community services classes are not the same as noncredit courses.
They do not require approval from the Chancellor's Office and are not
connected with any approved program.
Community colleges do not collect any state apportionment
for community services offerings. They
must charge students in these classes a fee sufficient to cover the cost of
maintaining the classes, or they may provide community services classes by
contract, or with contributions or donations from individuals or groups.
Community college districts are also prohibited from
spending state general fund moneys to maintain community service classes.
Thus these classes must be fully self-supporting, but, conversely, fees
are not permitted to exceed the cost of maintaining the classes.
The Board of Governors, pursuant to statute, has adopted guidelines to
define the acceptable costs for which a community services fee may be charged
(BOG Agenda, May 1985, Item 5).
The statutory authorization for community services
offerings may be found at Education Code Section 78300:
78300. Authorization;
topics; admission; funds; fees.
(a) The governing board of any community college district may, without the approval of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, establish and maintain community service classes in civic, vocational, literacy, health, homemaking, technical and general education, including, but not limited to, classes in the fields of music, drama, art, handicraft, science, literature, nature study, nature contacting, aquatic sports and athletics. These classes shall be designed to provide instruction and to contribute to the physical, mental, moral, economic, or civic development of the individuals or groups enrolled therein.
(b) Community service classes shall be open for the admission of adults and of those minors as in the judgment of the governing board may profit therefrom.
(c) Governing boards shall not expend General Fund moneys to establish and maintain community service classes. Governing boards may charge students enrolled in community service classes a fee not to exceed the cost of maintaining community service classes, or may provide instruction in community service classes for remuneration by contract, or with contributions or donations of individuals or groups. The board of governors shall adopt guidelines defining the acceptable reimbursable costs for which a fee may be charged and shall collect data and maintain uniform accounting procedures to ensure that General Fund moneys are not used for community services classes.
The Title 5 reference is Section 55160:
55160. Approval of Community Service Classes.
(a) Districts are authorized in
accordance with the provisions of article 7 (commencing with section 78300) of
chapter 2, part 48 of the Education Code to approve and conduct community
services classes without the approval of the Chancellor. The classification of
all such classes shall be reported to the Chancellor in accordance with Section
55001.
(b) Community services classes shall not be referred to as noncredit classes.
Title 5 also includes a definition of community services
classes and the standards they must meet:
55002. Standards
and Criteria for Courses and Classes.
. . . (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.
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