Aug 28, 2014 11:08 AM EDT By J Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter

The California community college system announced Wednesday that it will seek to increase the number of student completion by nearly a quarter of a million statewide.

The system's Board of Governor's set a goal to produce 227,247 more students earning certificates, degrees or transferring to four-year institutions over the next 10 incoming freshman classes. Achieving this goal would mean increasing completion rates for degree and transfer-seeking students to 62.8 percent from the current 48.1 percent, Inside Higher Ed reported.

"This is the time of year when thousands of students begin their college educations at our campuses. We are making a commitment to in-coming freshmen that more of them will graduate, transfer or complete career technical programs,'' Community Colleges Chancellor Brice W. Harris said in a statement.

Recent system-wide policy changes that will improve completion rates include priority registration, which requires students to participate in orientation, assessment, and education planning; redesigned student support services designed to keep students on tack academically; streamlined transfer, and closer collaboration with K-12.

Individual community college districts will have the flexibility to set their own goals, with the system-wide targets and local performance data provided by the Student Success Scorecard guiding development of local goals.

"Over the past two years, the Board of Governors has adopted comprehensive policy changes designed to help more students complete their educational goals on time. These changes are now being implemented, and by setting these system-wide goals we are signaling that we expect improved outcomes that can be quantified,'' said Manuel Baca, president of the California Community Colleges Board of Governors.

The California community college system, which is comprised of 112 colleges, enrolls 2.1 million students.

Student success rates will be crucial to "whether the college completion goals set by President Obama and powerful foundations can be met," Inside Higher Ed reported.

"In a state as diverse as ours we do not want to bind districts to a one size fits all approach to improving completion, but we do expect all districts will thoughtfully develop local targets to help more students achieve their educational goals and collectively move our state forward,'' Harris said.

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