Norco College's LFM Journey by Ireri Valenzuela

Norco College established as a campus of Riverside Community College District in 1991.

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2010-Accreditation

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Norco College was granted initial Accreditation by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) in January 2010 and is the 112th independent college of the California Community College system.

2015 Guided Pathways Work Begins

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Our commitment to this work began in 2015 with the Completion Initiative and continues to shape our priorities through the strategic planning process via our Student Transformation vision. Norco College endeavors to change the trajectory of students’ lives by addressing four critical areas in student transformation: access, completion, equity, and professional development. The Guided Pathways pillars provide a framework for addressing these four critical areas that are designed to create equitable access and success for students.

Prison Program Launches Classes (Spring 2017)

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In Spring 2017, we launched a handful of classes to offer in the CRC.

June 2020 Formation of Racial Justice Taskforce

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July 2020 Norconians for Racial Justice Protest Clash with counter-protesters

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2018/2019 Onboarding Process changes

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Onboarding process changes and Creation of Student Success Teams with Counselors, Educational Advisors, Student Success Ambassadors, and Faculty Advisors.

2021 -- AB417

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The state has created incentives for community colleges to take on the task of educating those incarcerated within their local district ; 10-million-dollar academic support program for two-year colleges

2006 Norco College's First President, Dr. Brenda Davis

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Brenda Davis, Ph.D was elected Provost of Norco College from 1993-2006 and became Norco College's first president in 2006 and served until 2011.

2018 - DEIA Committee Formed

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2015 - SB 1391

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On or before March 1, 2015, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges shall enter into an interagency agreement to expand access to community college courses that lead to degrees or certificates that result in enhanced workforce skills or transfer to a four-year university. The courses for inmates in a state correctional facility developed as a result of this agreement will serve to supplement, but not duplicate or supplant, any adult education course opportunities offered at that facility by the Office of Correctional Education of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

2021 - SB 416

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This bill would instead require the department to make college programs available for the benefit of inmates with a general education development certificate or equivalent or a high school diploma and would require those college programs to only be provided by the California Community Colleges, the California State University, the University of California, or other regionally accredited, nonprofit colleges or universities.

2015 Completion Initiative

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Now a national model for Guided Pathways implementation, it is hoped that this report by Norco College might prove useful to other institutions as they contemplate adopting a similar student success initiative for their own communities

Prop 57 (2016) Milestones for those Incarcerated

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Proposition 57 was an initiated California ballot proposition, approved on the November 8, 2016 ballot. The Proposition allows parole consideration for nonviolent felons, changes policies on juvenile prosecution, and authorizes sentence credits for rehabilitation, good behavior, and education.

Rising Scholars Network (2021)

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The Rising Scholars Network grew out of Corrections to College California, an independent initiative that aimed to increase public higher education access and success for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students. In 2020, Corrections to College California merged with the Foundation and refined its focus to provide support for students at the California Community Colleges. The result of this partnership was the creation of the Rising Scholars Network, a group of community colleges dedicated to opening opportunity and academic achievement for students who have experienced the criminal justice system.

SB 823 (2023)

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To support the successful implementation of this transition and on-going programing and interventions, the State established effective July 1, 2021, the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR) within the California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS). OYCR will be responsible for (1) developing a report on youth outcomes; (2) identifying policy recommendations for improved outcomes and integrated programs and services to best support delinquent youth; (3) identifying and disseminating best practices to help inform rehabilitative and restorative youth practices, including education, diversion, re-entry, religious and victims’ services; and (4) providing technical assistance as requested to develop and expand local youth diversion opportunities to meet the varied needs of the delinquent youth population, including but not limited to sex offender, substance abuse, and mental health treatment. OYCR will also fulfill statutory obligations of an Ombudsperson. For more information, go to the Office of Youth and Community Restoration page.

Juvenile Justice Education Grant Awarded (2023)

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Spring 2017 - Met with CRC Education

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Met and began planning for launching classes in the fall

Invited to CRC by Warden (2015)

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The college was hesitant to offer classes at the prison. There was a lot of pushback

January 2011 Legacy Comm Founded

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Legacy Committee was founded to address and foster diversity. Later becomes DEIA

March 2020 Covid hits and all "non-essential" personnel were sent home.

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April 1, 2020 Dr. Monica Green becomes Norco College's Fourth President

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Green, a first generation college student, served as the interim president of Norco College since July 1, 2019. Prior to this role, she led Riverside City College as the vice president of Planning and Development. Prior to RCC, she served as the dean and later vice president of the Norco College Student Services division from 2009 – 2018, where she developed, implemented, and evaluated student services programs to support student access, equity, and success

May 2023 Norco College Approves Schools Reorganization Seeking Equity in Guided Pathways and Effective Fall 2023

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Norco College will be organized in three divisions with eight schools plus a counseling department (8 + 1). Each of the divisions will be led by a Dean of Instruction and the schools will serve as our new academic departments.

May 2023 LFM Team Established

angelaburkherrick — 2024-03-18 18:20:40 UTC

Let's add a picture

August 22 2021 New Associate Dean

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Juan Alvarez is hired to handle both dual enrollment and the prison program.

Fall 2021 Return to some Face-to-Face Classes

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March 2020 Start of Correspondence Classes

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CRC only will allow correspondence classes at the prison due to the Covid outbreak

May 2021 Director of the Prison Program's Contract Ends

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The college decides to not institutionalize the Director position for the Prison Program.

(May 2018) Director is hired for Prison Program

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Jessica Cobb, Director of Prison Education. Program started to grow exponentially. Director position was grant funded, but unfortunately grant funding ended in 2020.

January 31, 2020 Graduation

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June 2024 Graduation of 52 Students!

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Feb 2023 - RSN Flex Event about Teaching in the CRC

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June 2024 Meeting with Counseling Dept

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Shared the opportunities for support for students at the CRC

Sept 20, 2022

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Tuesday, September 20th, PBS aired a segment on Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated students. The segment was recorded at the California Rehabilitation Center (CRC) and features two of our former Norco College alumni, Kenneth Butler and Pedro Rivera, as well as Professor Lisa Nelson teaching one of her classes.

This story highlights Norco College's partnership with Pitzer college, who offers a bachelor of arts to our ADT alumni Rising Scholars (while inside the CRC), creating a program model for the nation. The Rising Scholars program is doing amazing work in the Inland Empire and impacting lives across the state.

Watch the PBS Special: Prisoners will soon be eligible for federal grants, opening new educational opportunities | PBS NewsHour

March 6, 2024: From Prison Cells to College Halls: Norco College's Bold Initiative

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A delegation from Norco College, in collaboration with other esteemed institutions and legislative representatives, convened at the California Rehabilitation Center (CRC) to discuss a groundbreaking proposal for the transformation of CRC's Facility A into the CRC College Center.

Jan. 2024 Meet with VPs

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Conversation about institutionalizing the program and getting students support they need

March 2024: 1st Program Review

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Submitted Program Review and started finding ways to meaningfully institutionalize Rising Scholars Network.

August 2024: New Student Success Coordinator joins the team

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Successfully funded new student centered position. Student Success Coordinator will be responsible for supporting students both inside the CRC and on-campus Rising Scholars students.

Fall 2021-Faculty Coordinator started

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.4 Faculty Coordinator Position started. This position functioned as a chair for the faculty inside the prison to alleviate or balance. Responsible for scheduling, and helping with faculty and programs.

March 2023 New Associate Dean

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New Associate Dean of Educational Partnerships started. Transformational Leader

Program Review Approved 2024

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Prioritization of hiring to Counselor, additional hours for part time A&R Student Services Specialist support and Student Success Coordinator.