California Postsecondary Education Commission -- Frequently Asked Questions

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Frequently Asked Questions

Please review our database of frequently asked questions. Click on a subject to jump to that section.

If you don't find what you need, e-mail our webmaster at Webmaster@CPEC.CA.Gov

The Commission

Who appoints the Commissioners? Do they have to be confirmed by the State Senate?

The Commissioners are selected by various appointing authorities including the Governor, the Senate Rules Committee, the Speaker of the Assembly, the various segments of higher education, and the State Board of Education. Senate confirmation is unnecessary. See the main Commissioners page for more information.

Does the Commission authorize colleges and universities to operate in California?

The California Postsecondary Education Commission does not directly authorize colleges and/or universities to operate in California.

Both the federal government and the states rely upon "accrediting agencies" (private educational associations that develop criteria and conduct peer evaluations to assess whether or not those criteria are met) as an indication of the quality of education offered by American schools and colleges. Colleges and universities must be accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Secretary of Education in order for it or its students to receive federal funds.

In California, the regional accrediting entity is the Western Association of School and Colleges (WASC). For further information about WASC you may contact:

The Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities
985 Atlantic Avenue Suite 100
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 748-9001

The Accrediting Commission for Community of Junior Colleges
3402 Mendocino Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
(707) 569-9177

Private postsecondary schools and colleges are approved by the State with oversight authority vested in the Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE). The BPPVE also approves non-degree granting vocational schools and programs leading to licensing. State approval is not the same as accreditation. Some state approved institutions are accredited, while others are not. NOTE: BPPVE has closed due to the sunset clause in its establishing legislation. Contact the Department of Consumer Affairs for more information.

Related Links:

What is the Commission?

The California Postsecondary Education Commission is the state’s primary planning and advisory body on higher education. It was established in 1974 as a citizen board by the Legislature and the Governor to coordinate California colleges and universities and to provide independent, non-partisan policy analysis and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature.

College Guide

Can you tell me which Community Colleges are on the quarter system?

De Anza, Foothill and Lake Tahoe community colleges are on the quarter system. The others are on the semester system.

Can you tell me which Community Colleges offer housing?

Columbia
Lassen
Redwoods
Reedley
Santa Rosa
Shasta
Sierra
Siskiyous
Taft
West Hills
Yuba

Do you know any universities where I can get a degree without taking any math classes?

It is advisable to refer to the course catalog for information on which courses are required.

How is the determination made for the transferability of a community college course and its applicability to degree programs at the UC and CSU?

Course transferability depends on the institutions and any articulation agreements that may be in place between the two institutions. An articulation agreement is an official agreement whereby one college or university agrees to accept specific courses or groups of courses from another college or university in place of its own courses.

"Articulation" in this context is when CSU and UC faculty agree to accept sets of community college courses as having the focus, content and rigor necessary to meet course requirements at the baccalaureate institutions. Formal course articulation agreements generally fall within one of three areas:

General education breadth agreements, such as those represented by IGETC
Transferable course agreements, such as those approved by the State University in various systemwide degrees
Course-by-course agreements, which are generally used to build articulation of lower-division coursework required for a particular major.

You can get more information on transferability of community college courses and their applicability to CSU and UC degree programs through ASSIST (Articulation System Stimulating Interinstitutional Student Transfer) This service displays reports of how course credits earned at one California college or university can be applied when transferred to another. ASSIST is the official repository of articulation for California's colleges and universities and provides the most accurate information available about student transfer in California.

Related Links:

ASSIST (Articulation System Stimulating Interinstitutional Student Transfer)

I love the information in the College Guide. Does the Commission have information about out-of-state institutions?

Yes. Go to the College Guide Search page, scroll down to Additional Search Parameters and select Include Out-of-State Institutions. You can also search the Guide by Program (Major), or a number of other options.

I need information about disability services at the community colleges.

The Disabled Students Programs & Services (DSP&S) program, enacted in 1976, provides support services, specialized instruction, and educational accommodations to students with disabilities so that they can participate as fully and benefit as equitably from the college experience as their non-disabled peers. A Student Educational Contract (SEC) is developed for each student which links student goals, curricula, and academic accommodations to his/her specific disability-related educational limitation.
In addition, you can find out about disability services offered at each community college by using the Commission's Guide to California Colleges and Universities at: CPEC College Guide

Related Links:

California Community College Disabled Students Program and Services

I need information about the SAT and the ACT. Do they have websites? Is the ACT needed?

Colleges vary as to which test is required for entrance. Contact the schools you are interested in to find out which entrance exam is required.

The SAT is administered by the College Board. Other tests are administered by ACT, once known as the American College Testing Program.

Related Links:

I would like to get a mailing list of the colleges in California. Is this possible?

Please see the following link. It is a .csv (comma separated value) file that can be opened in Excel and other spreadsheet and database programs: www.cpec.ca.gov/OnLineData/AddressOptions.asp

What exactly are postsecondary institutions? Why are they called postsecondary institutions?

Postsecondary institutions are colleges and universities. They are called postsecondary because they offer education after high (or secondary) school.

Which University of California campuses are operating on the quarter system, and how many/which campuses on the semester system?

The University of California, Berkeley, is on the semester calendar, while the other nine UC campuses (Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Merced) use the quarter system.

Related Links:

Data

How does CPEC get segmental data? Does CPEC get reports directly from the centralized offices of the segment (UC, CSU, CCC, INDEP) or does it get the data from IPEDS?

CPEC obtains data from the public segments [systemwide offices] for enrollment and degrees. Independent institution data comes from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). IPEDS data is also used for all segmental aggregated data. The Department of Education provides K-12 data.

How often is the data collected for the CPEC data search on your site?

Visit our Sources and Timing of Data page for a concise list of data sources, how we collect the data, when we receive the data and when it becomes available on the website. Visit the Custom Data Reports Dates Available page for a list of the range of years for each table used on the website. The Commission website is dynamically driven by our database servers. The instant we update the data on our servers, it becomes available to you, our customers.

I think the number of students from my school that go on to college are greater than reported by CPEC data. Why is there a discrepancy?

There are several possible reasons. Our first-time freshmen data are calculated by selecting students that are 19 years old and younger in their freshmen year of college. The source high schools are reported by the UC, CSU and Community College data centers. Sometimes, the postsecondary institutions are not aware of new high schools. Those high schools might be coded as an unknown high school in a particular county, state or country. We do not follow a cohort of students because the high school and college data cannot be matched. We are not able to identify students from a particular high school that attend out-of-state institutions or private in-state institutions. Some students might have earned enough college credit (Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or concurrent college) in high school to start college as a sophomore or junior. These students cannot be identified because of limitations in the data. Therefore they cannot be counted. Students frequently ask to have transcripts sent to a college although they might not enroll for any number of reasons. The count of transcripts (applications) sent will not equal enrollment counts.

I would like to get a mailing list of the colleges in California. Is this possible?

Please see the following link. It is a .csv (comma separated value) file that can be opened in Excel and other spreadsheet and database programs: www.cpec.ca.gov/OnLineData/AddressOptions.asp

The Custom Data Reports is difficult to use. How can I get help with the data?

The Custom Data Reports does have a learning curve because it can answer so many questions. Start with the Custom Data Reports Help page. This will answer some basic questions. For greater detail download Navigating the CPEC Custom Report System. This document takes the reader from selecting their criteria to downloading the data to Excel and creating a pivot table. You can always ask us a question if you need help. Send an email to Data_Request@cpec.ca.gov with your detailed question.

Enrollment Growth

Doesn't California's Master Plan for Higher Education require the University of California and the California State University to admit and enroll all eligible students? Won't the university systems be violating State law if they place limitations on student enrollments?

No, the Master Plan does not "require" the CSU and UC to enroll all eligible students. It requires them to choose from among all eligible students in making their respective enrollment decisions. Both the CSU and UC have historically tried to find space for all eligible students who apply to their systems. California's Master Plan for Higher Education is a compact between the State of California and its public higher education institutions. The Master Plan provides that all California residents in the top one-eighth (12.5%) or top one-third (33%) of the statewide high school graduating class who apply on time be offered admission to some campus within the UC or CSU system, respectively, although not necessarily at the campus or in the major of first choice. Typically, the Master Plan has been interpreted as requiring the State's public universities to find a space for all eligible students and for the State to provide sufficient funding to support those enrollments. However, not every aspect of the Master Plan is in statute; it has been the historic institutional policy and practice of both university systems and the State to honor these provisions of the Master Plan. Since 1960, even during periods of severe budget constraint, the State's public university systems have continued to admit every eligible California high school student.

Fees and Tuition

How much will California residents pay in tuition and/or fees to attend the State's public colleges and universities as full-time undergraduate students? What about non-residents?

California residents pay only what are considered "fees" to attend the State's public colleges and universities; they do not pay "tuition." Only non-California residents pay "tuition" to attend the State's public colleges and universities. In actuality, this distinction has become less important since the early 1990s. Fees are generally defined as charges to cover the indirect costs associated with college attendance, while tution is defined as also including direct instructional costs. As resident student fee levels have risen, so has the use of revenue. Revenues from systemwide resident fees now are used as a general-purpose fund source for the higher education systems and are used to cover all the costs associated with the institution's operation.

Current and historic fees are posted on the Commission's Statewide Snapshots page. A variety of additional information can be found in the Topical Listing of the Reports section.

How will the recent student fee increases affect enrollment at California's public colleges and universities?

Given the increased funding for grant aid to offset the student fee increases for financially needy students, the fee increases – by themselves – should have a relatively marginal impact on overall enrollments at California's public colleges and universities. Those students most at risk because of the recent fee increases are those who are unaware of or lack information about student financial aid and how to apply for that aid.

Is it true that California pays the college tuition for California residents if they attend a California University?

No. However California's public colleges and universities distinguish between residents and nonresidents for tuition purposes. State residents are charged much less than non-residents, who are charged the full cost of instruction.

What is Title IV?

This term refers to a section of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, which authorizes the vast majority of federal student financial assistance programs.

Title IV student financial aid programs are offered by most institutions that are accredited by an accrediting agency that is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. It is important to note that not all accrediting agencies are recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. Students attending institutions that are accredited by agencies not recognized by the Secretary are ineligible to receive aid from the federal Title IV student financial aid programs.

Title IV programs include:

Federal Pell Grants
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
Federal Work Study
Federal Direct Loans
Federal Direct PLUS Loans
Federal Perkins Loans
Federal Stafford Loans

What portion of the cost of providing postsecondary education is borne directly by resident students attending California's public colleges and universities and what portion is subsidized by the State?

While we have imperfect information concerning the exact cost associated with providing postsecondary education in California's public colleges and universities, we estimate that, on average, undergraduate residents attending the University of California pay about 30 percent of the cost of education in that system; California State University undergraduates pay about 26 percent of the cost within that system; and California Community College students pay about 10 percent of their cost of education.

Meanwhile, the State of California and its taxpayers are providing about two-thirds of the support for the cost of education at the University of California and about 74 percent of the cost of education at the California State University. For the California Community Colleges, State General Fund revenues support about 48 percent of the cost of education, while local property tax revenues provide the remaining 42 percent of support.

The State and its taxpayers provide about $12,000 to support the postsecondary education of each full-time-equivalent student at the University of California, about $8,000 per full-time-equivalent student at the California State University, and State and local property tax revenues combined provide about $4,000 per full-time-equivalent student at the California Community Colleges.

(Numbers adjusted in 2007)

Financial Aid

Are there any programs in California that would allow one to prepay college tuition?

Yes. Check out California Golden State ScholarShare College Savings Trust. ScholarShare is an IRS Code Section 529 plan. Funds are invested in low-cost, professionally managed stock, bond and money market mutual funds designed to outpace tuition inflation. Investments grow on both a federal and state tax-deferred basis until withdrawn, at which point they are taxed at the beneficiary's (lower) rate. The funds are highly flexible - they may be used at any accredited higher education institution in the U.S., including vocational and technical schools and, if not used, can be transferred to other family members. Funds can be used for tuition, room and board, books, fees and other qualified expenses. Unlike other college savings vehicles, there are no income limits and maximum contribution levels are far higher than the Education IRA. These "529" plans have been featured in Time, Newsweek, Money Magazine and USA Today as the best new way to save for college. Contributions can be made by check, payroll deduction or automatic funds transfer. For payroll deduction contributions, the minimum is only $15.

Related Links:

California Golden State ScholarShare College Savings Trust

Do middle-income students qualify for student financial aid and/or for grant assistance to offset the recent student fee increases?

Many middle-income students do qualify for student financial aid. The federal government has established a rather complex methodology for determining the financial need of a student based upon the student’s and his or her family’s individual circumstances. The State’s public colleges and universities use this federal methodology for determining a student’s financial need. Students who feel they need financial assistance in order to attend or complete their postsecondary education should apply for financial aid even if they believe they or their parents earn too much money. For example, the University of California has recently announced that all financially needy students whose family incomes are less than $90,000 would receive an institutional grant to partially offset the recent increase in UC student fees -- even if those students do not qualify for any other types of grant aid. Because many middle-income families are considered financially needy, they too are eligible to receive a waiver of all California Community College student fees. Even if students are not financially needy, they or their parents may still receive a federal tax credit and/or a federal tax deduction for the student fees they pay.

Given the recent increases in student fees, has additional financial aid been provided to offset the fee increases for financially needy students?

Yes. Both the State's Cal Grant program and the institutional financial aid programs administered by the University of California and the California State University have been increased in order to provide additional grant aid to financially needy students to offset the recent student fee increases.

Both UC and CSU have set aside between 20 percent and one-third of the additional revenue generated from the student fee increase for additional grant aid to needy students in recent years. Financially needy students attending the California Community Colleges are also fully protected from the recent student fee increase. All financially needy community colleges students are eligible to have their student fees waived through the Community College Board of Governors' Fee Waiver Program.

The overwhelming majority of financially needy students attending the State's public colleges and universities will receive some form of financial assistance to offset the recent student fee increases, but they must apply for financial aid in order to receive this assistance.

How does a student apply for financial aid?

The first step in applying for student financial aid is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA. The FAFSA is available from college and university student financial aid offices, in public libraries, or can be completed on-line. Students are encouraged to contact their college or university's student financial aid office for assistance. In addition, California Community College students can have their student fees waived by completing a short application form and requesting a Board of Governor's (BOG) Fee Waiver. The Community College BOG Fee Waiver applications are available from any California Community College student financial aid office.

Related Links:

What is Title IV?

This term refers to a section of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, which authorizes the vast majority of federal student financial assistance programs.

Title IV programs include:

Federal Pell Grants
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
Federal Work Study
Federal Direct Loans
Federal Direct PLUS Loans
Federal Perkins Loans
Federal Stafford Loans

What is Title IX?

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in all educational institutions, including K-12 and higher education, which receive federal funding. Specifically, the language states: No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Title IX applies to all aspects of educational opportunities, but is especially well known for opening the door to greater athletic opportunities for women and girls. With regard to athletics, Title IX generally requires educational institutions and programs to do the following: offer male and female students equal opportunities to participate in athletics, including interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural and club sports; treat male and female athletes fairly; and give male and female athletes their fair share of athletic scholarship money and other resources. Prior to its passage, girls and women were limited in the athletic opportunities open to them in high school and college, and represented only a very small proportion of school athletes. Since the passage of Title IX, athletic participation rates have increased greatly at both the secondary and postsecondary levels. However, while significant progress has been made, the 1999-2000 NCAA Gender-Equity Report indicates that more than 80% of schools are not in compliance with the provisions of Title IX. An additional issue is that there has been little research into the composition of the populations who have participated in the increased opportunities provided by Title IX. Though not its intention, the effect of Title IX implementation appears to distribute benefits unequally among women. Further research is warranted to determine the degree to which women of color have benefited.

There have been numerous challenges for educational institutions striving to achieve compliance with Title IX. Federal and state regulations have gray areas that are difficult for schools and colleges to interpret. Compliance problems may be under-reported because of lack of awareness of Title IX and the complaint process. Available funding and an evolving body of law regarding the scope of Title IX have limited both federal and state enforcement of Title IX. Updating older facilities constructed during a pre-Title IX era presents many challenges to compliance, as overcrowded classrooms may be prioritized over gender equity concerns in athletic facilities.

Transfer

How is the determination made for the transferability of a community college course and its applicability to degree programs at the UC and CSU?

General education breadth agreements, such as those represented by IGETC
Transferable course agreements, such as those approved by the State University in various systemwide degrees
Course-by-course agreements, which are generally used to build articulation of lower-division coursework required for a particular major.

Related Links:

ASSIST (Articulation System Stimulating Interinstitutional Student Transfer)

I am attending two community colleges simultaneously. I will transfer to a CSU soon. Which community college will receive credit for for my transfer?

Credit is given to the community college where the student earned the most transferable units.

Accreditation

Is there such a thing as distance education accreditation?

Distance study accreditation is an institution-wide, national accreditation that covers all distance study courses offered by an institution. It is unique in American accreditation because it is based upon a method of instruction rather than educational level or subject matter discipline. It covers all programs, courses, and distance study endeavors of an institution, including degree, non-degree, vocational, and avocational programs. Unlike regional or specialized accrediting agencies, the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) provides distance education institutions with a single source of national recognition. For more information on distance education accreditation you may visit DETC's website.

Related Links:

Distance Education and Training Council (DETC)

What is accreditation and how do I know if a school or program is accredited?

Accrediting agencies are private educational associations of regional or national scope that develop criteria and conduct peer evaluations to assess whether or not those criteria are met. Institutions or programs that meet an agency's criteria are thereby "accredited." Both the federal government and the states use accreditation as an indication of the quality of education offered by American schools and colleges. At the federal level, colleges and universities must be accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Secretary of Education in order for it or its students to receive federal funds.

Accreditation does not provide automatic acceptance by an institution of credit earned at another institution, nor does it give assurance of acceptance of graduates by employers. Acceptance of students or graduates is always the prerogative of the receiving institution or employer. For these reasons, besides ascertaining the accredited status of a school or program, students should take additional measures to determine, prior to enrollment, whether or not their educational goals will be met through attendance at a particular institution. These measures should include inquiries to institutions to which transfer might be desired or to prospective employers and, if possible, personal inspection of the institution at which enrollment in contemplated.

Private postsecondary schools and colleges are approved by the State with oversight authority vested in the Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE). The BPPVE also approves non-degree granting vocational schools and programs leading to licensing. State approval is not the same as accreditation. Some state approved institutions are accredited, while others are not. For additional information about schools approved by BPPVE, you may contact the Bureau or access their website:Department of Consumer Affairs
1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N 112
Sacramento, CA 95834
Phone: (800) 952-5210.

NOTE: BPPVE has closed due to the sunset clause in its establishing legislation. Contact the Department of Consumer Affairs for more information.

Related Links:

California Department of Consumer Affairs

What is the difference between accreditation and approval?

Accreditation means that an institution has been recognized as meeting the standards established by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, or the Committee of Bar Examiners for the State of California.

Private postsecondary schools and colleges are approved by the State with oversight authority vested in the Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE). State Approval means the institution meets minimum standards established by BPPVE for integrity, financial stability, and educational quality. NOTE: BPPVE has closed due to the sunset clause in its establishing legislation. Contact the Department of Consumer Affairs for more information.

What is WASC?

The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) purpose is to promote the welfare, interests, and development of elementary, secondary, and higher education through improvement of educational programs, close cooperation among the schools, colleges, and universities within the territory it undertakes to serve, certification of accreditation or candidacy status, and effective working relationships with other educational organizations and accrediting agencies. WASC and the other five regional associations in the United States grant institutional accreditation after a comprehensive self-study followed by an on-site evaluation of the programs and services of the total institution. For further information about WASC you may contact:

The Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities
985 Atlantic Avenue Suite 100
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 748-9001

The Accrediting Commission for Community of Junior Colleges
3402 Mendocino Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
(707) 569-9177

Related Links:

Starting a College

We would like to open a cosmetology school, please provide information on how to apply.

Contact information:
Department of Consumer Affairs
1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N 112
Sacramento, CA 95834
Phone: (800) 952-5210
NOTE: BPPVE has closed due to the sunset clause in its establishing legislation. Contact the Department of Consumer Affairs for more information.

Related Links:

California Department of Consumer Affairs

Closed Schools

The institution I attended has closed, how do I get a copy of my transcripts?

If a state-approved institution closes, state law requires the institution to arrange for the storage and safekeeping in California of all transcripts. The length of retention varies by type of institution. If the institution granted degrees, the transcripts must be maintained for 50 years. If it was a vocational institution, the transcripts must be maintained for 5 years. The repository for the records is decided on a case-by-case basis. To learn more about closed institutions, transcripts, the custodian of records, or additional information about schools approved by the Bureau of Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE), you may contact the Bureau at:

Department of Consumer Affairs
1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N 112
Sacramento, CA 95834
Phone: (800) 952-5210.
NOTE: BPPVE has closed due to the sunset clause in its establishing legislation. Contact the Department of Consumer Affairs for more information.

Related Links:

The school I attended has closed. Can you help or direct me where to go or who might be able to assist me in collecting the refund of my tuition?

Contact the Department of Consumer Affairs at (800) 952-5210.

Students can request, in writing, a refund of tuition from the school. The Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE) investigates whether closed schools may have violated state or federal law. If so, students may be eligible for a refund of all or part of tuition and other costs, such as the cost of books. More information on a particular school's refund policy can be found in its course catalog and/or enrollment agreement.

Related Links:

Title IX / Athletics

What is Title IX?

Improving Teacher Quality Program

Do both IHE partners have to be from the same institution?

No. It is permissible for a partner IHE school or division that prepares teachers and principals and a partner IHE school of arts and sciences to be from separate IHEs. Additional IHEs may be optional partners.

May an IHE outside of California participate in a grant?

There is no prohibition against a non-California IHE participating as a partner in a grant, even as a required partner (either education or arts and science). However, the grant will be awarded only to a California-based IHE, which must also be part of the partnership.

Are private schools eligible to participate in partnerships?

Yes, both private Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) and teachers or principals in private K-12 schools may participate. Whether or not a private IHE participates, there must be two required IHE partners—a school or division that prepares teachers and principals, and a school of arts and sciences. Private K-12 school teachers and principals may also participate to the extent that the partner LEA uses funds to provide for professional development for teachers and others. (Additional information on private school participation is available in the Title II-A Non-Regulatory Guidance, Section H, at http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherqual/guidance.pdf.)

Which partner receives the funding?

Only California institutions of higher education (IHEs) may be designated as grantees. This includes colleges and universities in the University of California (UC) system, California State University (CSU) system, and accredited private universities within the state. California Community Colleges may also be designated by required partners to receive a grant although they are only optional partners. Any partner in the grant may act as the fiscal agent, although normally that is the role of the IHE receiving the grant. Also, any partner in the grant may act as the lead partner responsible for project management. Funds awarded to IHEs may be provided to other members of the partnership as subgrants or through contracts or interagency agreements. No single partner in the grant may BENEFIT from more than 50% of the funds in the grant (see additional information under Funding Questions).

May an ITQ grant serve only a single K-12 school?

Yes, a grant may serve only a single school. However, the Local Educational Agency (LEA) in which this single school is located becomes a required partner in the grant and must qualify as high-need based on the previously described poverty and teacher qualification requirements.

Are matching funds required?

There is no requirement to provide matching funds for ITQ grants. However, contributions of matching funds and/or in-kind services from the applicant institution, its partners, or outside sources are strongly encouraged as a commitment to demonstrating project sustainability. These contributions may also gain extra credit in the scoring. One potential source of contributions is the LEA's Title II-A formula grant allocation.

Are there specific rules for the structure of a partnership?

There is no cookie-cutter design by which partnerships must be structured, except an eligible partnership must include the three federally mandated partners. The partnership needs to have a coherent plan that prioritizes service to teachers serving high-need students, but it may organize itself and designate its leadership to best meet project requirements.

Can a community college be a required partner? Can it be a project lead?

Generally, community colleges cannot meet the federal requirement as "mandatory" or "required" partners unless they provide teacher preparation that leads to a credential—a condition that few California community colleges meet. They also do not qualify as arts and science partners because they do not award baccalaureate degrees. However, community colleges may be additional partners in any project, may be designated as project lead by the partnership, and may receive the project award. Their participation is encouraged.

Can a County Office of Education be a required partner? Can it be a project lead?

According to the U.S. Department of Education, because a county office of education is not the same kind of funding recipient as a school district and because its "high-need" status cannot be determined through U.S. Census data, it cannot be considered a required partner. However, a county office of education may be an additional partner in a project, and may be designated as project lead by the partnership. As with community colleges, the participation of county offices of education is encouraged.

How can I Learn more about current Improving Teacher Quality grant opportunities?

Please refer to the main ITQ page at http://www.cpec.ca.gov/FederalPrograms/TeacherQuality.asp. Information on previous and current grant competitions is available there as well as FAQs specific to each competition.

How is poverty determined? How flexible is this determination?

With regard to the required partner LEA, only U.S. Census data may be used for the poverty determination, the first of two tests of "high-need" for the district. The requirement specifies that EITHER 10,000 students OR 20% of the students age 5-17 living in the district must come from families living in poverty. This is not a flexible requirement regarding the LEA. An up-to-date Excel table that lists California LEAs meeting this requirement is posted at http://www.cpec.ca.gov/FederalPrograms/EligibleDistricts2007.xls and should be consulted when determining the LEA to be included in your partnership.

While only U.S. Census data may be used to determine LEA eligibility, indicators such as eligibility for free and reduced-price lunch or low school performance may be used to support the need for a project, and may also be used to designate the high-need school or schools which must be served by the project.

May an Extension Division of an IHE coordinate or lead a grant?

An Extension Division or other IHE organizational unit may be an additional partner in a grant and may assume responsibility for grant management. However, the mandatory partners of a School of Education and a School of Arts and Sciences must also be included in the grant.

What do "required partner," "principal partner," and "lead partner" mean?

"Required partner" is one of three entities that federal statute requires be a participant in a partnership under the Improving Teacher Quality Program. The required partners are a school or division in an IHE that prepares teachers and principals, a school of arts and sciences in an IHE, and a high-need LEA. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) refers to the statutorily required partner as a "principal partner." The "lead partner," though not an official term, refers to the partner that assumes responsibility for operating the project, and may or may not be a "required" partner. A "principal partner" is another term for "required partner." "Lead partner," though not an official term, generally refers to the partner that assumes responsibility for operating the project. This may or may not be a "principal" or "required" partner.

What do the acronyms used by this program mean?

The following are the acronyms most frequently used in the Improving Teacher Quality grant competition: • CPEC – California Postsecondary Education Commission (state agency that administers the ITQ Program) • ED – U.S. Department of Education (federal funding agency) • IHE – Institution of Higher Education (public and private colleges and universities) • ITQ – Improving Teacher Quality (Title II-A federally funded state grants program) • NCLB – the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (federal law that funds elementary and secondary education programs) • LEA – Local Educational Agency (school districts and county offices of education; for ITQ grants, only districts may be a "required" partner) • RFP – Request for Proposals (notification and requirements to compete for an ITQ grant)

What is meant by "required partnerships" to receive a grant?

In order to be funded, a project must be provided by a partnership that includes, at a minimum, a school or division that prepares teachers and principals in an Institution of Higher Education (IHE); a department within a school of arts and sciences in an IHE (representing the content area that is the focus of the project); and a high-need Local Educational Agency (LEA). Other ("optional") partners may be involved, including another LEA, a public charter school, an elementary or secondary school, an educational service agency, a nonprofit educational organization, another IHE, a school of arts and sciences within that IHE, the division of that IHE that prepares teachers and principals, a nonprofit cultural organization, an entity carrying out a pre-kindergarten program, a teacher organization, a principal organization, or a business.

What is meant by a "high percentage" of teachers who are teaching outside their field or whose credentials are not permanent?

Since NCLB requires all teachers to be "highly qualified" by 2005-06, the percentage of these teachers has declined, but has not reached zero. Applicants will be required to report the percentage of teachers they have in both categories. Based on the 2005-2006 report of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing on teacher supply, which shows that 94.9% of teachers statewide are fully credentialed, 5% or more teachers in the categories above can be deemed to be a "high percentage." LEAs with a lower percentage will not be disqualified if the proposal shows a reason for the lower number and explains how the highest need teachers will be given priority.

What is meant by the "high-need LEA" requirement?

The required Local Educational Agency (LEA) partner MUST be a high-need LEA. This definition has two elements:
•The LEA serves at least 10,000 children from families below the poverty level OR at least 20% of the children in the district are from families below the poverty level (based on district population—the number of children age 5-17 living within the district boundaries—NOT on school enrollment), AND
•There is a high percentage of teachers who are not teaching in the academic subjects or grade levels that the teachers were trained to teach, OR there is a high percentage of teachers with emergency, provisional, or temporary certification or licensing.
•IMPORTANT: At least ONE school to be served by the grant must also fit the requirement for "high-need." However, as U.S. Census figures are not available by school site, the applicant may use other indicators, such as percent of free and reduced lunch AND a high percentage of teachers teaching outside of their certification or with provisional, emergency, or temporary credentials.

What is the source of the funds for these grants?

Improving Teacher Quality State Grants funds come from Title II, Part A of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001—the federal legislation that provides support to elementary and secondary education. The program's goal, in line with NCLB's overall goals, is to ensure that all students have access to highly qualified teachers. In addition to these competitive grants awarded to institutions of higher education, Title II-A allocates formula grants directly to school districts for professional development (for further information on formula grants, contact Robert Lee at the California Department of Education by e-mail at rlee@cde.ca.gov).

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