Definitions

A-G Requirements in California are a set of high school courses that students must complete with a grade of C or better to be eligible for admission to the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems. These courses cover seven subject areas including history, English, mathematics, science, a language other than English, visual and performing arts, and college-preparatory electives. College courses can count towards A-G requirements. The University of California counselors webpage offers some guidance.

Apportionment is the funding an educational institution receives in relation to students served by the institution. For example, a K-12 district apportionment is based on Average Daily Attendance (ADA), while community college apportionment is based on census enrollments and Full Time Equivalent Students (FTES).

College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) are partnerships governed by a formal CCAP agreement and empowered through legislation (Ed Code 76004). There are many legally required elements of CCAP agreements. Some distinguishing features include:

    • CCAP is designed for students from groups who have been historically underrepresented in postsecondary education or who are not already college-bound.
    • Students do not pay tuition or fees for supplies and textbooks.
    • Classes may be closed to the general public and the college may still claim apportionment, if the course meets certain requirements including being offered during the regular high school day.
    • The dual enrollment experience is designed along pathways to transfer, career technical education, college and career readiness and/or high school graduation.
    • Students may take up to 15 units of college credit per term, if specific requirements are met.

Contact Hour, also known as “class hour,” is used by community colleges to calculate instructional minutes for a course. This computation table shows how class meeting minutes are counted as contact hours.

Data Sharing Agreement is a formal arrangement that governs the exchange of student information to facilitate enrollment in college courses while still in high school. The agreement ensures that data, such as academic records and enrollment status, is shared securely and in compliance with privacy laws like FERPA. It supports collaboration between institutions to monitor student progress and provide necessary support. Such agreements are a required component of the formal MOUs between CCAP partner institutions.

Disproportionate Impact refers to a situation where policies, practices, or conditions have a more adverse effect on a particular group compared to others, often based on characteristics like race, gender, or socioeconomic status. This impact can occur even if the policies are neutral in intention. It is often used in discussions of equity to identify and address systemic inequalities.

Dual Enrollment is the umbrella term for students enrolled in two institutions at the same time. This guide sometimes uses the term “dual-enrolled” to describe students participating in dual enrollment. In the California community colleges, the term dual enrollment refers to “special part-time students “or “special full-time students” and includes:

    • K-12 students who are enrolled in high school and community college.
    • Students in adult education programs who are pursuing a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate while enrolled in community college.

In California, there are five different ways a student can access dual enrollment. It’s helpful to think of them along a continuum of highly structured to very little structure. The different types of dual enrollment structures in California, along with some general characteristics, can be found in the chart on Structures of Dual Enrollment.

Dual Credit is when a student receives high school credit in addition to the credit awarded by the college. The governing board of the school district determines if and how dual credit is awarded; this includes the number of high school units, the high school course or discipline the credit is awarded in, and the process by which the credit is transcripted on a student’s high school transcript. It is important not to assume that dual credit is being offered as a part of a dual enrollment partnership.

Early Alert refers to a system alerting educational staff or faculty that a student may need intervention. Many colleges have an early alert as a part of their management information system that an instructor or staff member can utilize to monitor student progress and seek interventions for students when indicated.

Early College Credit refers to college credit that students can earn while they are enrolled in high school. The three primary types of early college credit in California are high school articulation, dual enrollment, and advanced placement. See Types of Early College Credit for a brief overview.

Early College High School (ECHS) is a small autonomous high school that allows a student to earn a high school diploma and up to two years of college credit while in high school (see Education Code 11302). ECHSs have a special designation by the California Department of Education. The location of an ECHS is not specified in legislation.

Education Code, also called Ed Code, is made up of the state laws enacted by legislation that govern education. For example, in 2016, the legislation known as Assembly Bill 288 was passed. It modified Education Code 76004. Education Code directs and authorizes entities such as the California Community Colleges Board of Governors to establish regulations in Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations; Education Code always supersedes Title 5.

Education Plan (or Ed Plan) in community college is a roadmap that outlines the courses and academic goals a student needs to complete in order to achieve their educational objectives. This plan is typically created with the help of an academic counselor or adviser and can include prerequisites, general education requirements, major requirements, electives and transfer requirements if applicable. The Ed Plan helps students stay on track, avoid taking unnecessary courses, and complete their certificate, degree or transfer on time. It can be adjusted as students refine their goals or if their academic circumstances change.

504 Plan is developed to ensure that a student with a disability attending a public school receives the necessary accommodations to support their academic success and access to the learning environment. It is designed to provide equal access to education by addressing the student’s specific needs.

General Education (or Gen Ed) are patterns of college courses that students must complete from certain academic areas as part of their degree program. General education requirements are intended to provide breadth and depth to students’ educational experience and prepare them for further academic curricula and lifelong learning. General education patterns vary depending on the specific degree the student is completing, and whether the student is completing a degree at the same college or planning to transfer to another institution.

High School Articulation Agreement offers a type of early college credit. Under an articulation agreement, a high school course, if mutually agreed upon by instructors from the high school and college, can result in a college transcript reflecting a college course annotated as credit by exam. Students can earn college credit by getting a specific grade in the high school class and through successful completion of a college-approved and proctored exam, portfolio or demonstration of skill. It is important to note that this is different from a community college’s articulation with four-year/baccalaureate degree granting institutions. It is also important to note that high school articulated courses are distinct from dual enrollment experiences.

Middle College High Schools (MCHS) are located on a college campus, as set forth in Ed Code, and are designed to mitigate the dropout rate for at-promise students (see Education Code 11300). An MCHS has a special designation by the California Department of Education. MCHSs are supported in part through a grant managed by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.

Non-CCAP refers to partnerships governed by agreement or individual admit covered by Education Code section 48800. This is distinct from CCAP, which falls under Ed Code 76004. Non-CCAP is designed for “advanced scholastic and vocational work” (Ed Code 48800). Courses must be open to the general public, if the college will claim apportionment. Partnerships may close the courses to the general public if they are not funded through apportionment but through a different mechanism, such as a grant or contract with the high school. These types of dual enrollment existed before CCAP legislation and often had a career technical education focus. For more about the differences, see CCAP and non-CCAP Partnerships.

Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations includes education regulations for both K-12 and community colleges. Division 6 of Title 5 contains the rules and regulations adopted by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors, while Division 1 of Title 5 contains the rules and regulations for K-12 districts under the California State Board of Education.

Acronyms

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) is a civil rights law enacted in 1990 that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and public and private places open to the general public. The ADA ensures that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. It covers a wide range of disabilities and mandates reasonable accommodations to ensure accessibility and equal participation.

ADA (Average Daily Attendance) is an average of a student’s attendance in instructional minutes in a school day. This is how school districts get their base funding.

CCAP (College and Career Access Pathways) are partnerships governed by a formal CCAP agreement and empowered through legislation (Ed Code 76004). There are many legally required elements of CCAP agreements. Some distinguishing features include:

    • CCAP is designed for students from groups who have been historically underrepresented in postsecondary education or who are not already college-bound.
    • Students do not pay tuition or fees for supplies and textbooks.
    • Classes may be closed to the general public and the college may still claim apportionment, if the course meets certain requirements including being offered during the regular high school day.
    • The dual enrollment experience is designed along pathways to transfer, career technical education, college and career readiness and/or high school graduation.
    • Students may take up to 15 units of college credit per term, if specific requirements are met.

DSPS (Disabled Student Programs and Services) are support services offered by colleges to ensure students with disabilities have equal access to educational opportunities. DSPS provides accommodations, such as assistive technology, academic counseling, and alternative testing arrangements, tailored to meet individual needs. The goal is to remove barriers and support academic success for students with disabilities.

FTES (Full Time Equivalent Students) measures enrollment in colleges and universities. It is calculated by dividing student contact hours in a course by the 525 student contact hours that a hypothetical full-time student would attend over an academic year. FTES is based on enrollments in a course at census, and how FTES is calculated and reported varies based on how it is scheduled and which accounting method is used.

IEP (Individualized Education Program) is a customized plan created for students with disabilities to ensure they receive specialized instruction and services tailored to their unique needs. It outlines specific educational goals, accommodations, modifications, and the support the student will receive to help them succeed in school.

ELL (English Language Learner) is also called multilingual learner (MLL). In California, there are multiple classifications for ELL students: Initial Fluent English Proficient (IFEP), English Learner (EL), Reclassified Fluent English Proficient (RFEP) and Long-Term English Learner (LTEL).

SES (Socioeconomic Status) is a measure that combines a person’s or group’s economic and social position in relation to others, based on income, education, and occupation.