Iowa Admin. Code r. 281-21.4

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 10, November 13, 2024

Rule 281-21.4 - Curriculum and evaluation

(1)General education. General education is intended to provide breadth of learning to the community college experience. General education imparts common knowledge, promotes intellectual inquiry, and stimulates the examination of different perspectives, thus enabling people to function effectively in a complex and changing world. General education tends to emphasize oral and written communication, critical analysis of information, knowledge and appreciation of diverse cultures, ways of knowing and human expression, knowledge of mathematical processes and natural sciences investigations, and ethics. General education courses are not intended to be developmental in nature. Each community college is responsible for clarifying, articulating, publicizing, and assessing its general education program.

(2)College parallel or transfer.

a. This program shall offer courses that are the equivalent of the first two years of a baccalaureate program and may also include such courses as may be necessary to develop skills that are prerequisite to other courses and objectives, specialized courses required to provide career options within the college parallel or transfer program, and approved transfer major programs meeting the requirements of rule 281-21.3(260C). College parallel or transfer programs are associate of arts and associate of science degree programs. General education courses in college parallel or transfer programs are required to be college transfer courses. Data will be collected and analyzed to determine how well students have succeeded and which adjustments in the curriculum, if any, need to be made.

b. Courses of a developmental or remedial nature or prefreshman level will not bear college transfer credit and will be clearly identified in the college catalog. Developmental courses on the transcript will be identifiable through the adoption of the community college common course numbering system.

(3)Career and technical education. Instruction will be offered in career and technical education programs in no fewer than five different occupational fields as defined by the department. College parallel or transfer courses may be offered as needed in career and technical education programs. Career and technical education programs must meet program approval requirements set by the state board of education. The director's approval of new career and technical education programs is necessary. Instruction will be offered in career and technical education programs, ensuring that they are competency-based, contain all minimum competencies required by the department, articulate with local school districts' career and technical education programs, and comply with any applicable requirements in Iowa Code chapter 258. The occupational fields in which instruction is offered will be determined by merged area and geographical area needs as identified by surveys in these areas. Occupational advisory committees may be used to assist in developing and maintaining instructional content, including leadership development.

(4)Developmental education. Students who enter community colleges underprepared for postsecondary coursework are provided opportunities to improve their cognitive and noncognitive skills via developmental education academic and student support services. In an effort to enhance these opportunities, while respecting the local authority of Iowa's community colleges, each college will adopt proven developmental education strategies to identify and address the needs of students, shorten the time to completion, prepare students for academic success, and reduce the financial burden for students underprepared for postsecondary coursework. Such proven strategies include multiple measures of placement; accelerated and integrated strategies, such as co-requisite models; and support services that address students' cognitive and noncognitive needs. These reform efforts require collaboration among community colleges, school corporations, and education stakeholders to systemically expand proven strategies to prepare students for postsecondary success.

(5)Adult and continuing education. Adult education shall be offered and may include adult basic education, adult continuing and general education, college parallel or transfer, high school completion, supplementary and preparatory career education programs, and other programs and experiences as may be required to meet the needs of people in the merged area.

(6)Continuing education. The community colleges shall provide a program of community services designed to meet the needs of persons residing in the merged area. The purpose of the continuing education program is to foster agricultural, business, cultural, industrial, recreational and social development in the area.

Iowa Admin. Code r. 281-21.4

ARC 8646B, lAB 4/7/10, effective 5/12/10

Amended by IAB August 29, 2018/Volume XLI, Number 5, effective 10/3/2018

Adopted by IAB April 17, 2024/Volume XLVI, Number 21, effective 5/22/2024