1. Looking towards more accurate program data – TOP code alignments
Craig Rutan, Area D Representative
Marc Beam, Senior Researcher, RP Group
Lorraine Slattery-Farrell, ASCCC Representative At Large
2016 ASCCC Fall Plenary

2. Let’s get acquainted Presenter introductions
Assess your (the audience) level of knowledge on the topic
How many know what TOP codes are?
How many know what SAM codes are?
How many have used the CTE LaunchBoard?

3. Top & CIP codes
Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) codes are used for every course, degree, and certificate to help identify the program of study. TOP codes are specific to the California Community College system.
For example, physics courses are assigned to and English writing courses are assigned to
If you wanted to look up physics degrees in Data Mart or the Curriculum Inventory, searching by TOP would show a list of physics courses, student enrollment counts in physics, or physics graduates in the CCCs.
Colleges also assign Classification of Program (CIP) codes to their awards (certificates and degrees). CIP is a federal designation for program content that is required for Gainful Employment, financial aid, veterans programs, and accreditation.

4. SAM codes
SAM codes help identify pathways within CTE programs. They clarify which courses are introductory and which are the capstone courses, as well as which courses associated with apprenticeships.
For example, in an EMT program, “Gateway to Health Careers” might be given an introductory code (SAM D) and “Selected Topics in Emergency Medical Care” might be given a capstone code (SAM B).

5. What is top code alignment?
Intra-Program Alignment: The required courses for each award may be similar or may cross multiple disciplines. If you want to see course and award data together in tools like the LaunchBoard, then the TOP codes have to be the same at the four- or six-digit level.
Inter-program Alignment: Different colleges may have assigned different TOP codes to their programs, even though the content is similar. If you want to see your college’s program in comparison to other programs in the LaunchBoard or Data Mart, then the TOP codes have to be the same at the four- or six-digit level.

6. Is there something to a name?
If two degrees or certificates have the same name, should they have the same TOP code?
What factors should go into selecting the TOP code for these awards?
Should the intended occupations matter when choosing a TOP code?

7. INTER-PROGRAM research findings
Statewide TOP Code Assignments Within Administration of Justice Course Groups

8. INTRA-PROGRAM research findings
Percent of Courses that Match Within a Program by TOP Code

9. code alignment project
Through CTE Data Unlocked, the Academic Senate is working with representatives from WestEd, the RP Group, and Centers of Excellence to enable colleges to review their course and award code assignments.
The project will begin with a pilot to test a model process. The pilot will run from November 2016-February 2017.
Colleges that participate in the pilot will receive training on how to look at their CTE programs and determine whether TOP codes are in alignment with award and course content, plus document SOC, CIP, and SAM codes.
Non-pilot colleges can receive similar support starting next spring.

10. How the process works?
In order to identify possible program codes, colleges will start by identifying the intended occupations for students completing each degree or certificate.
Using that information, a representative from the Centers of Excellence will identify the Standard Occupation Codes (SOC) that reflect those jobs
Your college will also document the occupational codes that were assigned as part of program planning.
The next step is to identify the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code using the federal SOC to CIP crosswalk.
Your college will also document the CIP codes you’ve already assigned to awards for purposes like Gainful Employment and accreditation.

11. The Process Continued
Once the CIP codes have been identified, the TOP code for the degree or certificate will be chosen using an updated TOP to CIP crosswalk.
An updated version of this crosswalk will be piloted during the Code Alignment Project. Colleges participating in this project will be the first to use the updated crosswalk.
Colleges will also document the TOP codes that have been assigned for each award.
Once award codes are reviewed, an analysis of the TOP and SAM codes used for required courses will be done.

12. SOUND DREADFUL? We’ll help make it more palatable!
Information will focus on the descriptions associated with the codes, rather than long strings of numbers.
This discussion can provide a great opportunity to review how courses fit together to form clear pathways to employment.
By looking at all of the numbers together within the context of a program, you can focus on alignment within a pathway and determine whether codes that are out of alignment are a faithful representation of diverse content.

13. How do you participate?
Your local senate must be on board with your college participating in the project. TOP code selection is faculty purview and administration cannot make this decision.
The senate president should work with administration to identify funding. The college must commit to pay for a curriculum expert to support the code review process ($67/hour). CTE discipline faculty must also be allowed to participate in all meetings and be compensated for the work (especially if they are part time). The $50,000 that each college received under CTE Data Unlocked can be used to cover these costs.

14. Participation Continued
Your academic senate president should Julie Adams to indicate your desire to participate.
A Curriculum Expert will be assigned to your college to lead the code review meetings. Your college’s CTE Data Unlocked Expert will work with your college, WestEd, and the Centers of Excellence to compile the documentation needed for the code review meetings.

15. Questions we are hoping to answer in the pilot
What types of problems are colleges experiencing with current codes and their usage?
What are the implications of changing codes that need to be addressed in the short and long term?
Are there patterns in how codes have been assigned?
How can the proposed review process be made more manageable?

16. What we need from you
Does your college have a past curriculum chair with many years of experience that would like a new challenge and some extra cash?
Have them Julie Adams and indicate that they would like to be one of the Curriculum Experts for this project.
Faculty working on this project for ASCCC are compensated for each hour that they work at ~ $67/hour.
The more Curriculum Experts we can identify, the more colleges we will be able to serve in the spring.

17. Find out more
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