Changes to the Basic Skills Plus Tuition Waiver (G.S. 115D-5(b)(15))

NUMBERED MEMO CC21-041

TO: Community College Presidents

FROM: Dr. Kimberly Gold Chief Academic Officer

DATE: August 31, 2021

SUBJECT: Changes to the Basic Skills Plus Tuition Waiver (G.S. 115D-5(b)(15))

 

The purpose of this memo is to provide guidance on changes in the Basic Skills Plus section of the Tuition and Registration Fee Waiver Reference Guide and the Basic Skills Plus Policies and Procedures Implementation Guide.

 

Changes to the Basic Skills Plus Tuition and Registration Fee Waiver Reference Guide Note: The Tuition and Registration Fee Waiver Reference Guide can be found as an attachment to Memo CC18-053 issued October 22, 2018.

 

The updates provided in this memo will be incorporated into a revised version of the Tuition and Registration Fee Waiver Reference Guide, when issued. In the meantime, this memo serves as official guidance.

 

Updated Reference Guide information and changes are as follows:

1. New Definition: Basic Plus Tuition Waiver serves literacy students, not enrolled in secondary school, who are concurrently enrolled in courses providing employability skills, job-specific, occupational, technical skills, or developmental education instruction.

 

Definition Changes:

• Removed statement regarding a “State Board approved Basic Skills program”. Enrollment that follows the stated guidelines will no longer require State Board approval.
• Added a statement that specifies students are concurrently enrolled. CC21-041 Page 2

 

2. Updated Eligible Training Guidelines: Students may choose one of the following pathways:

• Continuing Education: Workforce Continuing Education (WCE) courses identified as eligible for NC Title ll post-secondary transition leading to state and industry recognized credentials. Colleges may waive registration fees for up to 96 hours.

• Curriculum: Courses within an occupational or technical credential program of study for an approved curriculum certificate as listed in college’s catalogue. College may waive tuition for up to 12 credit hours.

 

Eligible Training guideline changes: Clarifies the requirement that training may include Continuing Education or Curriculum courses and notes the requirements for each.

3. Proof of Eligibility of Waiver (added the following statements): Colleges must document that literacy students receiving the Basic Skills Plus waiver meet the following criteria:

• Are currently enrolled as participants in Basic Skills Adult Education literacy program and

• Are assessed with a NC approved assessment and are functioning at the Adult Secondary Education level as defined by National Reporting System in either reading or math.

• Or are enrolled in an Adult High School program. Changes to the Basic Skills Plus Policies and Procedures Implementation Guide Note: The Basic Skill Plus Implementation Guide has been revised as of June 2021 and the updated guide can be accessed using the link provided above.

 

 

The following changes are reflected in the updated Implementation Guide:

• Budget purpose code 320 is no longer allowable use in Basic Skills Plus.

• Previously students were required to enroll in three concurrent educational components,

1) employability skills,

2) occupational training and

3) Basic Skills literacy courses.

 

Students are no longer required to be concurrently enrolled in all three components.

• Students can concurrently enroll in Basic Skills Adult Education Literacy and Workforce Continuing Education (WCE) courses offered for up to 96 hours leading to state and industry recognized credentials or curriculum courses within an occupational or technical credential program of study approved at that institution for up to 12 credits.

• Programs are not required to complete and submit a Basic Skills Plus Career Pathway Template and Career Pathway Map Career Pathway Template to the Career Pathway Map to Basic Skills Plus Online Registry. 

• If programs are following stated guidelines, additional approval of Chief Academic Officer or Senior Continuing Education Administrator is not required.

• Programs are not required to submit a budget to the System Office.

• Updates on coding Basic Skills Plus students included on the Basic Skills Plus Setup Guides.

Curriculum: Basic Skills Plus students will be coded into the program code associated to the program of study in which the student is enrolled.

 

cc21-041_changes_to_the_basic_skills_plus_tuition_waiver_002.pdf