SACRAMENTO, CA —  The California Community Colleges, in partnership with the Success Center at the Foundation for California Community Colleges, is launching a new project to leverage shortened academic courses to improve accessibility and flexibility for students across the state.

Shortened courses, which last 8 weeks or less instead of the traditional 16-17 weeks, offer more opportunities for students to access high-quality programs and more manageable workloads for students, especially working learners and student parents.  

The goals of the project, which is being funded by Ascendium Education Group, are to:

• Conduct research on existing shortened courses in the California Community Colleges to determine what kinds of courses and programs utilize this format and assess students’ success in these courses compared to students in traditional length courses. 
• Create a community of practice of approximately 20 colleges, each of which will receive a minimum grant of $20,000, as well as resources and guidance to implement shortened courses in full programs.
• Conduct a series of case studies on select colleges from the community of practice to understand promising practices and barriers to implementing shortened courses. The case studies will also include student interviews to understand their experiences in a shortened course. 
• Collect and share lessons with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to inform system-level actions. This includes examining the barriers and opportunities experienced by colleges in implementation, collecting and sharing tools in the community of practice, and recommending actions the system can take to scale promising practices.

“Shortened courses can play a pivotal role in helping our students succeed by offering them the flexibility and resources they need to balance education with other commitments,” said Dr. Rowena M. Tomaneng, Deputy Chancellor of the California Community Colleges. “This initiative will foster cross-college collaboration to address the complexities of implementing these course formats.”

By expanding the offering of shortened courses, the program seeks to improve completion rates and address equity gaps. This will provide greater flexibility for students, particularly working adults and student parents. The project is closely aligned with the California Community Colleges’ strategic plan, Vision 2030, which aims to support students through flexible modalities, such as short-term and online classes.

“We are proud to be partnering with Ascendium to better understand the benefits for students and the barriers colleges face in implementing shortened courses at scale,” said Nadia Leal-Carillo, Executive Director of Policy Development and Research for the Success Center. “We understand that many of our students need flexibility on their paths to college, and we hope this project will showcase how this flexible modality better meets the needs of students. By learning from practitioners who have successfully implemented shortened courses, we intend to support the expansion of system strategies to make higher education more equitable and attainable for all Californians.”

The project runs until October 2027. For more information, please visit https://www.ascendiumphilanthropy.org/our-grantmaking/remove-structural-barriers-to-success

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About the California Community Colleges

The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; degree and certificate pathways. As the state’s engine for social and economic mobility, the California Community Colleges supports Vision 2030, a strategic plan designed to serve our students, our communities, and our planet. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges website or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).

About the Foundation for California Community Colleges

The Foundation for California Community Colleges works to benefit students, colleges, and communities by accelerating paths to economic and social mobility, strengthening communities, and reducing barriers to opportunities for all Californians. FoundationCCC is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1998. It serves as the official statewide nonprofit organization supporting the California Community Colleges, the largest system of higher education in the nation. For more information, visit www.foundationccc.org.  

About Ascendium Education Group

Ascendium Education Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to helping people achieve their academic and career goals. Our national philanthropy focuses on increasing opportunities for learners from low-income backgrounds to achieve upward mobility through high-quality learning after high school. Through our grants, we explore innovative ideas, validate promising practices, and scale successful solutions that advance meaningful, systemic change. To learn more, visit ascendiumphilanthropy.org.