Updated November 2018
The Student Success and Support Program (SSSP) initiative of the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office enhances student access to California Community Colleges (CCC) and promotes services that lead to quality matriculation. The initiative assists students in making informed decisions about educational goals and their chosen course of study—as well as developing an education plan—by funding orientation, assessment, counseling and advising, and other education planning services.
Funding is matched by districts and community colleges based on a college’s potential population of students to receive services, and the total students served at the college. The CCC Board of Governors determines the match amount. For-credit courses require a 3:1 match of district resources to state; non-credit courses require a 1:1 match. The adjustment to a non-credit 1:1 match was made in 2015-2016 to address concerns from colleges regarding a lack of available funds.
The 2014-2015 budget included $199 million for the Student Success and Support Program and $20 million for the Student Success for Basic Skills Students program.
This initiative has been revised. See Student Equity & Achievement Act
Resources: Legislation (Education Code Section 78216)
Element is not present in this initiative.
Pre-enrollment services include orientation, assessment, and abbreviated educational plans for high school students served by and/or applying to the college, even if students subsequently do not enroll. This incentivizes colleges to continue or establish programs that help transition high school seniors to college.
Districts and colleges must use California Community Colleges Common Assessment once adopted, if a placement assessment instrument is used.
Participating college sites operate internally with a primarily academic focus. The Board of Governors does strongly encourage colleges to develop partnerships with feeder high school districts, workforce agencies, and other community resources to assist students in career and educational exploration and planning.
Element is not present in this initiative.
Credit-based programs offer the following core services:
Non-credit funds provide core services for students in the following programs:
Initial reporting includes success metrics per student:
Connecting pathways in partnership with the Adult Education Programt (AEP), the Career Technical Education Incentive Grant program, Linked Learning, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs, and CalWORKs federal assistance could leverage these support initiatives and resources. Such partnership could also increase access to Student Success and Support Program services.
Given the initiative’s academic focus, there is opportunity to expand pathway sector engagement, delivery, and reach via connections with other initiatives’ resources. Targeting high-demand industry sectors could support the initiative’s broader mission that calls for partnerships with feeder high school districts, workforce agencies, and other partners to assist entering students in career and education exploration, and to leverage resources that support a successful transition to college and career.
The initiative’s current efforts focus on increasing full matriculation and are not curriculum centered, or aligned against a coordinated strategy. Building on and learning from the delivery strategies of other initiatives (e.g., contextualized integrated instruction, AEP, and Linked Learning), and learning from WIOA Title I adult, dislocated worker, youth transitional job, and On-the-Job Training and Supportive Services Programs could present opportunities for more coordinated instructional delivery and success mapping.
Does this information need updating or adjustment? Send us your suggestions: CAcareerpathway@clasp.org