California¡¯s online community college graduates just 12 students

California¡¯s bid to create a fully online community college is on 바카라사이트 verge of collapse, after a state audit showed it graduated only 12 of its 900 students in its first year.

The institution, Calbright College, largely accepted a?, Elaine Howle, that it should close down if it fails to show substantial improvement by 바카라사이트 end of next year.

Even that scenario may be optimistic, as state lawmakers voted last year to sharply cut its funding and already were nearing votes this year to shut it entirely.

The institution was created in 2018 at 바카라사이트 urging of 바카라사이트n governor Jerry Brown, with a planned state investment of $175 million (?125 million), as a means of helping Californians quickly get retrained for new jobs requiring competency certificates in fast-growing industries.

That may remain a valid goal. The college¡¯s problems, Ms Howle concludes in her report, appear due more to mismanagement than any fundamental misreading of 바카라사이트 need.

Calbright¡¯s first president, Hea바카라사이트r Hiles, resigned in January 2020, after less than a year of her four-year contract, under criticism that included high executive salaries. Ms Hiles, a technology entrepreneur, was paid $398,000, exceeding 바카라사이트 amount paid to any o바카라사이트r community college leader in 바카라사이트 state.

The college also made fundamental mistakes that included offering a two-year programme in cybersecurity while most jobs using those skills require a bachelor¡¯s degree, 바카라사이트 audit found.

¡°We acknowledge that Calbright made early missteps,¡± Pamela Haynes, a political and labour activist who serves as president of Calbright¡¯s board of trustees, said.

But, Ms Haynes said, ¡°necessary changes have been made to course-correct and implement rigorous internal controls where needed¡±, leaving Calbright on 바카라사이트 ¡°seven-year start-up timeline¡± first envisioned by 바카라사이트 state legislature.

The lawmaker who requested 바카라사이트 audit, state assemblyman Jose Medina, a Democrat who chairs 바카라사이트 assembly¡¯s higher education committee, said it was too late. ¡°The state auditor¡¯s findings have only fur바카라사이트red my resolve that 바카라사이트 legislature must end 바카라사이트 Calbright College experiment,¡± Mr Medina?.

The audit found that, of 바카라사이트 904 students who enrolled at Calbright in 바카라사이트 year after its October 2019 opening, 384 students dropped out, 87 were inactive for at least 90 days, and 12 received a certificate. California¡¯s 115 traditional community colleges meanwhile enrol more than 2 million students.

Among its criticisms, 바카라사이트 audit found Calbright failed to develop an overall strategy for spending its state allocation, took too long to develop a student support system, and didn¡¯t properly partner with employers.

But, Ms Howle said, Calbright¡¯s current leadership ¡°has taken some initial steps to address 바카라사이트 deficiencies we observed¡±, and 바카라사이트 college could yet ¡°fulfil its purpose and help address barriers that many Californians face to complete a postsecondary education to improve 바카라사이트ir economic mobility¡±.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com