LEAD Department (Writing, Reading & ESL) courses are designed to give students the strategies and practice necessary to improve their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills, the skills essential for students to successfully reach their academic, vocational, or life goals.
The Language Education and Development (LEAD) department consists of three literacy development disciplines: Reading, English as a Second Language (ESL), and Composition. The department also houses American Sign Language (ASL) and a High School Equivalency Preparation course. Courses offered range from 300-level to transfer, and include non-credit adult education, basic reading and composition, college preparatory and transfer courses. Courses are offered in a variety of locations/modalities: Main Campus, Glenn County, Chico Center and online. _______________________________________________________________________ ESL - The ESL program consists of four levels of English as a Second Language classes from Survival Life Skills to Level III. A recently developed Technology Skills for English Learners course provides another option in the certificate sequence. The ESL sequence ends with a Certificate of Competency. We also offer a Citizenship course and ESL Workforce training courses as part of the Early Childhood Education program. Supplemental ESL support classes include ESL Digital Cafe and ESL Conversation Cafe. Reading - We offer developmental and transfer level reading courses to support students as they develop critical reading for success in college or career. Our courses include transfer level Speed Reading and three levels below transfer, Strengthening Reading I, Strengthening Reading II, and Reading for College Success. We also offer READ 126, College Study Skills, which is also a First-Year Experience option. Three of our reading classes are available online. Reading & Composition - Our LEAD - ENGL sequence includes 4 courses that integrate reading and writing. The majority of offerings are ENGL 118, an accelerated course we coordinate with the English department. In addition, we offer three 200-level writing courses. We�ve recently developed and are piloting a second accelerated reading/composition course combining 3 and 4 levels below transfer. This course, ENGL 218, will give students the opportunity to complete pre-transfer writing courses in two semesters. In our writing classes students use writing for inquiry, learning, thinking and communicating. Students engage in a wide variety of writing tasks designed to focus on the choices they make in different rhetorical situations. Many of our classes act as an introduction to college. Our classroom spaces include technology-mediated instructional computer labs where students develop digital and information literacy through contextualized learning activities. ASL (formerly SIGN) - The American Sign Language program has grown from one section per semester to six, plus one section during the summer. We currently offer ASL I, ASL II, and ASL III. A recently developed ASL 10 (Deaf Culture) will be offered in Fall 2018, and ASL 4 is currently under development. With this course completed, we will offer a 19-unit certificate in Deaf Studies. And more - We offer high school preparation courses in Spanish and English, and we support a Workforce Readiness course at the Oroville Day Reporting Center. Faculty - The department currently has 5 full-time instructors. The majority of our full-time load is currently dedicated other projects and assignments, not to LEAD instruction: Dr. Katherine MacKinnon has reassigned time serving on the union negotiating team, Student Success Committee and BSI co-chair, Transformation grant administrator and Guided Pathways team. She typically teaches one course per semester. Teresa Ward has reassigned time as Professional Development Coordinator, Lisa Kekaha is at 60% as department chair, and Nicole LaGrave regularly teaches 20% of her load in another department. Our Student Equity-funded ESL Facilitator, Melana Cavenecia, serves full time as ESL program facilitator. In 2017-18, 25 associate faculty members taught classes in our department. Our faculty are active across campus and within the department. Faculty serve the college in a wide range of capacities. They are active on the following committees: Diversity, Curriculum, Academic Senate (hiring guidelines and DSPS sub-committees), We Care, LTPA, Faculty Flex, Professional Development Steering and Ad Hoc Pro Dev Task Force, SSSP, Non-Credit SSSP, ASCCC Non-Credit Liaison, 4CSD representative, Student Success, Equity Partners, Guided Pathways, Union, Enrollment Management, CAS Advisory, Library, Enrollment Management, Integrated Planning, LAMS Leadership, Education Master Planning, Transformation grant steering. In addition, LEAD Faculty also participate or take leadership in the FAIR Classrooms project, Proactive Registration, CACP, as peer evaluators, and on multiple hiring committees and program reviews. Ongoing Department Projects include: - Addressing 2017 Program Review recommendations - Ongoing SLO deep dives and Brief Reflection summaries in READ, ENGL, ESL and ASL - Recent Curriculum Development - Technology Skills for ESL, Grammar and Punctuation and Deaf Culture - Low- and no-cost textbooks - Proactive Registration for Basic Skills English and Math students - ESL Listening Assessment and Professional Development - AEBG Rigor training in ESL and EDUC - ESL CASAS training - ESL Digital Toolkit and Ipad training - ESL Prep Nights & ITSS Tech Nights for ESL - ESL collaborations and offerings in VESL and/or CTE support classes - Undocumented student advocacy - ASL Silent Dinner & Deaf Community projects - ASL at Durham High Career Faire - In Progress Curriculum - ASL 4 and Deaf Studies Program Embedded Support: - Counseling - Counselor Class Visits - EOPS & DSPS - Class Visits - Center for Academic Success - CAS Instructional Aides in the classroom - Retention Specialist and Student Success Specialist Transformation grant projects: - Acceleration training for ENGL 218 - ENGL 218 Community of Practice - Acceleration training for ENGL 118 - ENGL 118 Community of Practice and portfolio sessions - Acceleration mentorships and partnerships - Multiple Measures
The LEAD Department’s most recent Program Review (SP17) resulted in 13 recommendations.
The LEAD department is in the process of change as we revise our sequences to implement AB 705, to re-envision assessment and placement processes, and to address acceleration initiatives and requirements of the Transformation grant. At the same time, we believe it is critical to ensure pre-transfer options for students with basic skills needs and to continue to support students’ entry into career and transfer pathways. The work ahead will be to adapt to current changes and also continue to meet our mission (or revise our mission) in order to provide literacy development as students define and achieve success.
Recommendations and progress towards implementation follow:
1. The Validation Team recommends the LEAD Department establish a task force to communicate with student services, including Assessment and Counseling, to create clear recommendations for students placing into Basic Skills sequences. These recommendations should address both accelerated and traditional Basic Skills courses in ENGL and READ. Because LEAD curriculum builds foundational skills, giving consistent recommendations which focus on the benefits for both “required” and “non” required courses is recommended. - While we have not formed a “task force,” this work is in progress. Work groups including Assessment, Counseling, LEAD and English faculty, the LAMS dean, and the VPI are working to streamline a basic skills to transfer sequence to address AB 705 and increase acceleration and completion. As part of this work, we will continue to revise our placement processes and improve messaging to students.
2. The Validation Team recommends the LEAD Department’s continued collaboration with the campus Guided Pathways efforts to create effective “on ramping”. These efforts should assist students in strengthening their academic foundational skills and guarantee student access to their future pathways - This work has started.Katherine MacKinnon has been working on the Guided Pathways team. This semester the department will develop plans at a Program Review retreat in April. Plans include an (unnamed) college success certificate projected to include basic skills English, Math, FYE. We’re also working on non-credit mirrored courses to support English learners transitioning into credit coursework and a students likely to benefit from repetition. Once we’ve developed these courses, we plan to create a non-credit certificate of completion.
3. The Validation Team recommends a full-time ESL faculty hire. The LEAD Department currently has only one temporary full-time ESL facilitator/faculty funded through Student Equity. This important position supports a diverse and fragile population and should not remain at the whim of grant funding. Butte College has now reached the status of an (unfunded) Hispanic Serving Institution; the college needs to more fully serve students with Hispanic backgrounds. ESL leadership is critical to serving these students and as well as others from diverse backgrounds. - To address this recommendation, we need the support of the college. The LEAD department has advocated for a full-time ESL instructor and facilitator in Unit Plans and through the faculty hiring prioritization process for the past 7 years. We will continue to advocate for an ESL facilitator as well as VESL or CTE-ESL positions in order to address unmet need in the community.
4. The Validation Team recommends a full-time READ/ENGL faculty hire. The LEAD Department serves a diverse population of students and has continued serving students with the loss of numerous full-time and associate faculty. The LEAD Department relies heavily on part-time instructors to address the needs of students enrolled in Reading/English courses. To meet the varied demands of instruction and leadership, the Validation Team strongly recommends a full-time Reading/English hire.
5. The Validation Team recommends the ESL Program identify and assess the needs of students enrolled in non-credit courses and create processes, support, and curriculum to assist these students in also enrolling in credit courses. - We have regular counselor visits to ESL classes as well as ex-ESL students participating in our ESL Prep Nights Certificate Celebrations. The Student Equity-funded ESL Facilitator, now Butte’s ASCCC non-credit liaison is working on non-credit mirrored courses as an academic bridge for current non-credit students. Residency (lack of residency) remains the biggest barrier to credit course work for some 85% of students currently enrolled in non-credit ESL courses.
6. The Validation Team recommends that the LEAD Department revise their mission statement to further reflect the academic, social, and developmental skills that prepare students for college success and ensure their educational equity. - Scheduled for Program Review Retreat in April 2018.
7. The Validation Team recommends a re-imagining of LEAD with the possibilities of rebranding themselves as a college success department offering new scheduling option, cohorts, and contextualized reading courses. - Scheduled for Program Review Retreat in April 2018.
8. The Validation Team recommends continued collaboration between institutional researchers, colleagues in English, Counseling and Assessment to design, assess, and message a shared vision for the writing sequence. - After our Program Review Retreat in April 2018.
9. The Validation Team recommends the LEAD Department and the district’s research staff collaborate to develop additional ESL and vocational programs and course partnerships based upon community need, employment statistics, and other applicable data.
10. The LEAD Department serves higher percentages of low income students, foster youth, students of color, and economically disadvantaged students making standard means of data evaluation inadequate. The Validation Team recommends the college provide greater responsiveness to the department’s request for data, analysis, and reporting.
11. The Validation Team recommends that the ENGL 118 course be moved to the LEAD Department’s purview to ensure that the responsibilities for curriculum modifications, programmatic changes, and support rest with a department of faculty trained in developmental education. - This is done. ENGL 118 is now housed in the LEAD department. LEAD faculty are facilitating ENGL 118 training and community of practice, and coordinating IA and Retention Specialist support in 118 classes.
12. The Validation Team recommends college resources are continually dedicated to updating computer labs. - This is another recommendation for the college. In spring 2017 we submitted a Facilities work request to have instructional computer classroom reconfigured to meet our pedagogical and instructional needs, but the request was not forwarded to Facilities by administration
13. The LEAD Department is a champion of equity on campus. They design their courses with a focus on helping students develop confidence, reading and writing strategies, and overall college success skills. The Validation Team recommends the college supports the department’s work with our high needs students by providing accurate data and by preserving Basic Skills course options and scheduling needs.
ESL Program Development
ESL Program Operating Expenses
ASL Program Development
Student Support for AB705 Compliance
Computer Life Cycle Replacement
Strategy 1 - ESL Program Development
ESL Program Facilitator/Instructor
To be AB 705 compliant, ESL students will need to complete transfer-level English in 3 years. The program is not currently structured to meet this goal. We will need to develop curriculum to transition students from noncredit to credit coursework and co-curricular or embedded options ot support student completion.
In 2011 our only tenure track full-time ESL instructor retired. Within a year, two long term grant-funded (full-time) VESL instructors retired when grants ended. We’ve advocated for a full-time ESL instructor for the past seven years. In our 2011 program review, the validation team recommended we hire an ESL instructor and a dedicated program assistant (classified). The validation team noted “ESL associate faculty cannot provide the work and leadership necessary for the program’s success.” The team further pointed out that ESL students are at the core of the community college mission. The 2017 program review validation team agreed, saying “This important position supports a diverse and fragile population and should not remain at the whim of grant funding. Butte College has now reached the status of an (unfunded) Hispanic Serving Institution; the college needs to more fully serve students with Hispanic backgrounds. ESL leadership is critical to serving these students and as well as others from diverse backgrounds.”
In Spring 2016, a Student Equity proposal allowed the LEAD department to hire a full-time ESL Program Facilitator/Instructor. The work the ESL Facilitator is doing is critical for the growth and longevity of the ESL program. English learners in our service area are currently underserved, particularly in Glenn and South Butte Counties. This dashboard group is experiencing equity gaps in terms of access and completion. ESL students experience barriers - transportation, childcare, income level, and work conflicts - so we need to develop more flexible offerings in offered in locations more likely to meet their needs. We have the capacity to increase offerings to better support this population, but this work won’t be done without full-time leadership.
The department is requesting a permanent, tenure track position structured as an ESL Program Facilitator/Instructor: $114,000.
Strategy 2 - ASL Program Development
ASL Studies Certificate
The department has developed curriculum for a 19-unit certificate program. ASL courses fulfill foreign language credit and are transferable to UC/CSU. This program will prepare students for transfer to American River College's interpreting program and future employment as interpreters. It will also meet a local demand for education paraprofessionals working in Deaf classrooms. Our campus, community, and neighboring communities are in significant need of both interpreters and paraprofessional with some ASL; our program would help meet this critical need. ASL is a popular course and this program will draw students to the college. With no fulltime faculty in ASL, this work must be done by associate faculty. Faculty stipends for research, course development, and creating materials to promote the new program: $1,000.
Strategy 3 - ESL Program Development
VESL/CTE Development & Instructor
To meet the department’s goal to sustain and grow the ESL Program, we need additional faculty to develop career-focused ESL opportunities. In 2011 the LEAD department’s only tenure track full-time ESL instructor retired. Within a year, two long term grant-funded (full-time) VESL instructors retired when their grants ended. Since that time, we haven’t offered the VESL Certificate of Completion, and the department’s course offerings have been reduced.
We have the opportunity to rebuild VESL opportunities by offering VESL classes in the community through employer partnership, in collaboration with CTE pathways, like our current ECE-ESL or HEO ESL support classes, or through contextualized literacy development similar to our basic skills in Automotive/LEAD. Two VESL development/Instructors would:
The department is requesting two full-time ESL faculty structured as VESL Development/Instructor positions: $228,000.
Strategy 4 - ESL Program Development
Classified ESL Student Success Specialist
Our grant-funded ESL SSS directly supports students with
CCCApply, residency issues, transcripts
Choosing and registering for classes
Accessing campus systems and supports like email, Canvas, and student services
Identifying academic and career goals
Finding and using resources, financial aid, EOPS, etc.
In addition, the SSS coordinates with ESL faculty focusing on retention and individual student needs and supports the program with data and event support:
- Track inventory and process supply requests
-Process CASAS booklets and bubble forms
-Data entry into TOPSpro
-Enter and track survey results
-Assist at ESL events such as Prep Nights, Tech Nights, Celebration, and recruiting events
-Create ESL schedules, calendars, flyers, and promotional materials
-Answer inquiries about the program
-Make regular updates to the website
Strategy 5 - Student Support for AB 705 Compliance
Additional CAS Instructional Aides
Under AB 705, all students will be placed into transfer-level composition. For funding, students must complete transfer-level writing within a year. Extra support both in and outside the classroom will help students succeed.
The LEAD department requests 4 additional Instructional Aides
$25,006.32 per IA
Strategy 6 - Student Support for AB 705 Compliance
Mobile Laptop Computer Carts
We request four laptop carts for use in English 2. Students at the English 2 level suffer from the same issues of access and need for technological literacy skills as do students in basic skills and high school English--and they are required to do more with technology at the English 2 level, which we should be modeling and then asking them to practice, with guidance in class before we expect them to do it on their own as homework. Most of all, reading and writing with books and paper in the classroom or doing group work this way is feeling less and less relevant to students who recognize that in the actual world most reading and written exchange is taking place digitally, and most collaboration and collaborative problem posing and problem solving is taking place digitally and virtually as well. Finally, giving all of our students access to technology as part of teaching reading and writing is an equity issue, since achievement gaps for historically disadvantaged students in education correspond with gaps in access to technology, disproportionately impacting economically disadvantaged students of color, especially.
Increasing students' digital literacy enhances a culture of inclusiveness and works against the digital divide, since many students lack access to this technology in their homes. This project also models sustainability as it would help to reduce the use of paper in the classroom. Student learning and success are also helped by being able to use technology in the classroom, to support their research, reading, and writing.
Strategy 7 - Computer Life Cycle Replacement
Computers for FT Faculty
Per the District's Computer Life Cycle Replacement policy, computers should be replaced every six years. The following computers are due ot be replaced:
Katherine MacKinnon - 2012
Teresa Ward - 2013
Two Computers: $6000.
Strategy 8 - Students Support for AB705 Compliance
Office Hours for Associate Faculty
Associate faculty teach the overwhelming majority of ENGL courses. Research shows that access to faculty increases student success, and that the number of courses taken with part-time instructors is negatively correlated with completion of associate degrees and other outcomes, due most likely to the lack of student access to part-time faculty outside of class hours. Access to faculty is particularly crucial for students in writing courses. At Butte, the success rates for sections of English 2 taught by associate faculty is consistently an average of 10 percentage points lower than the success rates for students in sections taught by full-timers. Paid office hours for meeting with students will put a dent in that number. In addition, student/faculty interaction was one of our lowest items on the CCSSE. Paid office hours will provide more opportunity for students to meet with their instructors to discuss grades and assignments, thus increasing our score on the CCSSE. Further, we need associate faculty to have paid office hours in order to maintain the appropriate program and service mix between the main campus and outlying centers. Full-time instructors teach primarily at the main campus, so students who take courses there have access to office hours. Students taking courses from associate faculty members at the outlying centers should have the same access to office hours.
Strategy 9 - ESL Operating Program Expenses
Requesting $23,280 for ESL Program support and operating expenses
Special Events Refreshments
$1700. ESL Prep Nights - 9 nights (4 FA, 4 SP and 1 SU) assessment, registration and advising
$300. ESL Certificate Celebration in May (for students and families)
$2000.
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Supplies for special events and promotions
$500. Office Depot
$500. Bookstore - supplies/promotional items (small giveaways with Butte College logo like pens, pencils, notepads, t-shirts, etc.) for ESL Prep Nights and recruiting events.
$1000.
Mileage for Student Success Specialist
For ESL SSS to travel to multiple campuses and for special events and recruiting activities for 10 months.
· $2500.
Operating Expenses
Office supplies, Signage, Business Cards, Nametags, color printing - $1000.
Advertising in Sabias Que - $65/month = $780.
Translation Support for recruiting materials, official document translation, updating SFF forms, student comments on formal evaluations - $1000.
$2780.
Professional Development / Conferences
To provide in house pro dev or send faculty to TESOL or CATESOL.
$5000.
Textbooks for students as vouchers or class sets
$10,000
$23,280
Items previously supported through Noncredit SSSP and the WIOA grant. The LEAD department receives ~3000. in District funds per year for Basic Skills reading and writing, American Sign Language and English as a Second Language. The ESL program, because of the unique needs and barriers of the population served, requires much more support for special events - ESL Prep Nights and Certificate Celebrations, need for outreach, recruiting and advertising and translation services. In addition, we're requesting funding for professional development and class sets of textbooks for students.
LEAD/READ/ESL 2010-2011 Budget 11-000-614-493072 $2926.
The LEAD Department makes good use of supplemental funding sources to support our work in streamlining and maximizing student success in ESL, reading, writing and GED preparation courses.
WIOA Grant for ESL, ABE and HSE - This money is earmarked exclusively for providing support for the ABE, ESL, and HSE. It pays for textbooks for students, some associate faculty salaries, professional development, materials and operating expenses.
SEA Program currently pays for ESL Facilitator/Instructor and the ESL Student Success Specialist.
| Original Priority | Program, Unit, Area | Resource Type | Account Number | Object Code | One Time Augment | Ongoing Augment |
| Description | Supporting Rationale | Potential Alternative Funding Sources | Prioritization Criteria | |||
| 1 | LEAD, ESL | Personnel | 11.000.614.1.493072 | 51100 | $0.00 | $114,000.00 |
| ESL Full-time Instructor | The position will be a full-time instructor with a focus on providing leadership for the ESL program including shaping the program to meet community needs, providing leadership to the department and across campus for English Language Learners, and addressing barriers and closing equity gaps for English learners. |
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| 2 | LEAD, ESL | Personnel | $0.00 | $228,000.00 | ||
| VESL/CTE Development/Instructor (2 positions) | To meet the department�s goal to sustain and grow the ESL Program, we need additional faculty to develop career-focused ESL opportunities: Rebuild integrated training programs. Support English Learners in CTE pathways. Serve English learners in the community and in the workforce. Partner with local business to offer integrated training programs and language support. Grow FTES for the college. Offer VESL Certificate of Competency. Address Program Review and student learning outcomes recommendations. |
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| 3 | LEAD-ESL | Personnel | $0.00 | $0.00 | ||
| ESL Student Success Specialist | Requesting funding to continue grant funded ESL SSS position. |
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| 4 | ESL - LEAD - Language Arts | Operating Expenses | $0.00 | $23,280.00 | ||
| ESL Program operating expenses | Previously support through Noncredit SSSP. The LEAD department receives ~3000. in District funds per year for Basic Skills reading and writing, American Sign Language and English as a Second Language. The ESL program, because of the unique needs and barriers of the population served, requires much more support for special events - ESL Prep Nights and Certificate Celebrations, need for outreach, recruiting and advertising and translation services. In addition, we're requesting funding for professional development and textbooks for students. |
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| 5 | LEAD | Personnel | 11.000.614.1.493072 | 51100 | $1,000.00 | $0.00 |
| ASL Studies Certificate Program | Development of a two-year certificate program in Deaf studies would serve our students and surrounding communities. Additionally the program would attract students. Stipends for curriculum and program development - $500. Develop and create promotional materials - $500 |
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| 6 | LEAD-ENGL | $0.00 | $10,342.00 | |||
| Office hours for associate faculty | Students need access to the faculty who teach their courses. Success rates in English 2 are 10 percentage points lower in sections taught by associate faculty than they are for sections taught by full-time instructors. We would like to request 10 paid office hours for each of our 37 associate faculty members, calculated at a rate of $25 per hour plus benefits of 11.809%. |
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| 7 | LEAD-ENGL | Equipment | $100,000.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Mobile Laptop Carts | It's very difficult to imagine how we can effectively teach college composition and research without ongoing access to computers. The college has recognized and addressed this need at levels below transfer but not at the transfer level where it is just as crucial. And it has become increasingly important as more students are able to take their transfer-level composition course. Digital literacy is inextricably part of any literacy practice in 2018, and we can't teach reading, writing, critical thinking, and rhetorical strategy in a modern context without computer access. Lab space on campus and at Chico and Glenn Centers is very difficult to plan ahead for and request early. If you request it when you realize you most need it, it's usually too late to find a space. Many frustrated English 2 instructors are struggling (and far too often failing) to work around a lack of computer access in class, and it's a key obstacle to increased success rates and completion rates in English 2. Likewise increasing students' digital literacy and access enhances a culture of inclusiveness and works against the digital divide, since many students lack access to this technology in their homes. The curriculum alignment group has identified digital literacy as a barrier to the success of students from the Oroville Union High School District in particular. This project also models sustainability as it would help to reduce the use of paper in the classroom. Student learning and success are also helped by being able to use technology in the classroom, to support their research, reading, and writing. The budget also includes the costs of storing, securing, and maintaining the carts, which is an estimated $1000 each. |
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| 8 | LEAD | $6,000.00 | $0.00 | |||
| Computer Life Cycle Replacement | Per the District's Computer Life Cycle Replacement policy, computers should be replaced every six years. The following computers are due ot be replaced: Katherine MacKinnon - 2012 Teresa Ward - 2013 Two Computers: $6000. |
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