Common Course Numbering Project

Education Code Sections 66725-66725.5 [via Assembly Bill No. 1111 (Berman)] require implementation of a student-facing common course numbering (CCN) system across the California Community Colleges on or before July 1, 2024. The CCN system will assign the same course number to comparable courses across all California community colleges in order to “streamline transfer from two- to four-year postsecondary educational institutions and reduce excess credit accumulation.” The CCN system will establish a structure that maximizes credit mobility for all students, strengthening equitable transfer and student success. More specifically, it will support students in areas such as building cohesive academic plans, understanding how required courses transfer and apply to completion, and making informed course selections that support degree completion. This effort will require the coordinated engagement of many stakeholders, including faculty, administrators, staff and system officials.

The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (Chancellor's Office) formed the Common Course Numbering Task Force (CCN Task Force) to make recommendations for a systemwide plan. Background information and more details are provided in the ESLEI 24-22 Memo: Common Course Numbering Update.

Common Course Numbering Council

The CCN Task Force proposes a CCN Council to inform strategic direction and goals, guide the work of implementation work groups and identify policy barriers to strong implementation of CCN. It is also proposed that a subset of CCN Council members form a Council Steering Group to collaborate with the Chancellor's Office in planning CCN Council meeting agendas and other related matters.  The CCN Task Force also recommends two work groups, specifically focused on CCN development and CCN technology and processes, to carry the work forward. 

Stakeholders on the CCN Council include representatives from the Chancellor's Office; Academic Senate for California Community Colleges; Student Senate for California Community Colleges; California State University (CSU) Chancellor's Office; CSU faculty; University of California (UC) Office of the President; UC faculty and the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU).

Development Workgroup

The CCN Development Work Group will make design recommendations to the CCN Council for the infrastructure and processes needed for curricular coordination to develop a common course and assign common course numbers. The CCN Development Work Group will coordinate, support and guide the intersegmental disciplinary teams resourced to complete the work of creating, adopting and implementing the CCN Descriptor. Additionally, this work group should engage stakeholders and research the impact of all California community colleges adopting the CCN system. 

Technology and Processes Workgroup

The CCN Technology and Processes Work Group will design recommendations to the CCN Council for the infrastructure and processes needed for curricular coordination to develop a common course and assign common course numbers. The CCN Technology Work Group will guide and support the design and implementation of the technology and related processes needed for CCN technology implementation. Additionally, this group will collaborate with the Chancellor's Office in developing associated CCN technology vendor(s) scopes of work as well as in the management and tracking of deliverables to ensure all institutions are supported and changes do not negatively disrupt student processes. This group is also expected to collaborate with campus, district and regional stakeholders to support efforts in CCN integration.

Timeline