Becoming Accredited: The Path to Proficiency and Beyond

The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges uses a rubric to evaluate colleges' Program Review, Planning, and Student Learning Outcomes. There are four levels in the rubric for each area: Awareness, Development, Proficiency, and Sustainable, Continuous, Quality Improvement. The commission has stated that colleges be at the “Proficiency” level for Student Learning Outcomes by 2012. All colleges experiencing site visits - as Palomar College has in the last year and a half - and mid-term reports must show how the path to the proficiency level has been planned.What does “proficiency” look like on the ACCJC rubric?  Here are the ACCJC descriptors:

•Student Learning Outcomes and authentic assessment are in place for courses, programs and degrees.

•Results of assessment are being used for improvement and further alignment of institution-wide practices.

•There is widespread institutional dialogue about the results.

•Decision-making includes dialogue on the results of assessment and is purposefully directed toward improving student learning.

•Appropriate resources continue to be allocated and fine-tuned.

•Comprehensive assessment reports exist and are completed on a regular basis.

•Course student learning outcomes are aligned with degree student learning outcomes.

•Students demonstrate awareness of goals and purposes of courses and programs in which they are enrolled.

Where are we with each of these points? What practices do we need to modify or adopt in order to reach proficiency? How do we see these interfacing with our strategic plan?  As we continue to implement our SLOAC time line, it is imperative to address these questions in order for us to be at the Proficiency level by 2012.