Equity Planning in Community College: An Analysis of California's Student Equity Plans

• In Event: 66.026 - Who Holds the Reins? Analysis of the Effects of Policy Influencers and State Contexts on Higher Education

Abstract

In 2014, the state of California revised and funded a policy that mandated community colleges to develop equity plans that address gaps for various student groups (i.e., racial, gender, veteran status) across five areas of student success (i.e., degree completion, transfer). Since then over $380 million dollars have been allocated to implement these Student Equity Plans (SEP). However, little is known about the SEP’s implementation process. This study conducts an analysis of equity plans submitted across the state to understand which groups are targeted, the activities proposed to address inequity, and the ways funds were allocated. Our analysis revealed two emerging issues: the role of aggregating student groups and the policy’s focus on identifying problems rather than developing solutions.

Authors

• Eric Felix, University of Southern California

• Marlon Fernandez Castro, The Pennsylvania State University