TechEDge | California Community Colleges

eTranscript California Mini Grants For Colleges

Last Updated on Wednesday, 11 April 2012 Written by Sandoval Chagoya Wednesday, 11 April 2012

Assembly Bill 1056, requires community colleges to convert from a paper-based transcript process to electronic transcripts. The legislature provided one-time funding of $500,000 to effect this transition, and the California Community Colleges Chancellors office has created a new mini grant program to disburse these funds to the colleges.

The conversion to an electronic system will save the colleges $4 to $10 per transcript through reduced paper consumption, fewer staff hours and decreased postage costs. It will also shorten the transmittal time from approximately three weeks to 24-hours when transcripts need to be sent from one campus to another. Many community colleges are already using this system or an alternate e-transcript service. The newly signed legislation will make the practice universal.

The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office received a one-time allocation of $500,000 from the state Assembly specifically to help fund the cost of converting from the paper to an electronic transcript system. Maintenance expenses will be addressed through savings generated by the use of a more efficient, electronic system.

The colleges may choose any one of the following three mini grant options, each valued at $5,000:

• Option 1: Implement the ability to send and receive. This option best suits colleges that are not currently trading electronic transcripts. Completion of the requirements will fulfill the basic requirement outlined in AB1056.
• Option 2: Integration with Campus Systems. This option best suits colleges that are currently receiving electronic transcripts and printing them for use. These colleges typically would have a desire to import the transcripts into a education planner, degree audit system, or student information system.
• Option 3: Responding to Electronic Requests. This option best suits colleges that are currently sending electronic transcripts and wish to implement an automated process whereby electronic requests for transcripts can be requested by another institution. Typically these transactions must be able to handle exceptions such as holds and communicate to the requestor as to the status of the transaction.

A single college may apply for multiple grants. A district may apply on behalf of multiple colleges. Colleges that received an electronic transcript mini grant in the past are eligible for this new mini grant program.

To qualify for a mini grant, a college must meet the following requirements:

• Submit application by December 31, 2012.
• Implement the new system within a six month timeframe.
• Publicly announce successful implementation on the eTranscript California listserv via its Admissions and Records leadership or Chief Student Services Officer.
• Use the California Transcript Data Standard.

The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office through the eTranscript California project has established a California Electronic Transcript Standard that fully supports the intent of AB1056 by establishing a standard for the transmission of IGETC, General Education, and SB1440 data elements. Both CSU and UC, through the piloting and adoption of eTranscript California, accept this standard for the transmission of this crucial transfer data.

The standard is implemented as a User Defined Extension to the Postsecondary Electronic Standards Counsel XML transcript standard and the EDI transcript standard. Specifications for the California Electronic Transcript Standard may be found at the eTranscript California website.

Assembly Bill 1056 is an important first step for creating even greater efficiencies in the future. By investing in this statewide technology, California is building the crucial infrastructure to support future automated projects such as degree audits, around the clock counseling, and the ability to quickly send student transcripts to institutions out of the state.

News about the eTranscript California mini grant program and a link to the application are available from the eTranscript California website.<>

Sandoval Chagoya is the TechEDge Managing Editor and a Project Manager for the
California Community Colleges Technology Center and the California Virtual Campus.