Examining the Status of Men of Color in California Community Colleges: Recommendations for State Policymakers

This report documents specific policy interventions that can be implemented in California to improve outcomes for men of color in community colleges. These recommendations were presented to the Assembly Select Committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color in October 2013.

• Require student outcomes data on the Community College Student Success Score Card to be disaggregated by gender within race/ethnicity, and refine ethnic classifications to better account for outcome disparities that are experienced by diverse student populations. Tweet
• Require community colleges to implement a statewide early alert system, as well as to assign an increased percentage of full-time faculty to gatekeeper basic skills courses. Tweet
• Redirect resources that are invested in corrections to postsecondary education. Tweet
• Reduce funding inequities in the State's postsecondary institutions so that institutions that serve high proportions of students of color receive adequate resources. Tweet
• Require federally designated minority-serving colleges and universities to include the statement, "serving historically underrepresented and underserved students" in their institutional mission and/or strategic plan with stated student success goals. Tweet
• Create a statewide educational initiative for men of color. Tweet
• Create programs to reclaim "near completers," those who have completed a substantial proportion of college units but have not completed their degrees. Tweet
• Ensure that men of color are equitably represented among students who transfer to California State Universities via Senate Bill 1440. Tweet