A strategic education plan, sometimes referred to as an education master plan, is
a comprehensive guiding document presenting the college’s 5-year plan for education
program development. The strategic education plan helps inform and drive other foundational
plans for the college, including the enrollment management plan, technology plan,
facilities plan, staffing plan, and budget priorities. The strategic education plan
deeply reflects the college’s mission and vision and is rooted in intensive study
of local community and workforce needs as well as a careful assessment of the college’s
own strengths and opportunities for growth.
The SMC Strategic Plan for Education 2024-2029 will establish a framework for best serving Santa Monica College students over the
next five years, taking into consideration the major demographic, economic, and educational
issues facing the SMC community. The plan will be developed through:
Consultation with SMC’s leadership
Interviews and focus groups with SMC administrators, faculty members, classified staff,
students, and trustees
Input from residents, businesses, community leaders, and educators
Extensive review of SMCCD documents, demographic data, and research
Internal analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT)
SMC has convened a cross-functional Strategic Education Plan Workgroup, supported
by the consultancy Kennedy & Co., to develop the Strategic Plan for Education 2024-2029 during the 2023-24 academic
year. To learn more about the strategic plan workgroup and how you can be involved in the planning process, please see the menu below.
Help shape the future of education at Santa Monica College!
Your voice matters in charting SMC's course for the next five years. Faculty, staff,
administrators, and students are invited to participate in a broad survey that will
help guide SMC's strategic planning process--specifically by informing the Strategic
Education Plan Workgroup with your views, concerns, and aspirations for the college.
Access the survey below to help the us identify key themes, strengths, and areas needing
support as SMC embarks on its education program planning process.
Judith MosherMath Lab Coordinator and CSEA Secretary
David DuncanDirector of Budget and Management, Associated Students
Timeline
May 2023 SMC Trustees approve contract with consultancy Kennedy & Co.
August 2023 Workgroup membership finalized with DPAC constituent groups.
September 2023 Education plan workgroup kickoff.
September 2023 Kennedy & Co. delivers SMC market research and demographics report.
November 2023 Kennedy & Co. interview 50 SMC faculty, staff, and administrators.
December 2023 Kennedy & Co. delivers interview insights and novel transfer programs report.
December 2023 Campus-wide website & survey launched.
January - June 2024 Additional reports, campus feedback, validation of plan.
Additional timeline milestones through June 2024 to be posted. Additional timeline
milestones through June 2024 to be posted.
Documents
Throughout the 23-24 year, the consultancy Kennedy & Co. has delivered a series of
analytical reports to shed light on education program development opportunities for
SMC. Access to Kennedy & Co.'s reports is available to SMC faculty, staff, and administrators
through the links below. A brief summary of each report is also provided.
Presented to the Strategic Education Plan Workgroup on Nov. 3, 2023
Kennedy & Co.’s market research report offers a careful look at Los Angeles County
demographics, job, and industry data, the better to frame SMC’s opportunities for
growth in service to the educational needs of a diverse and evolving regional student
population. Notably, the report highlights the demographic shift towards a more Hispanic/Latinx
population, a sizable gap in higher education attainment among residents, and the
growing demand for healthcare and technology-related occupations. The report emphasizes
SMC’s need to offer accessible education while tailoring programs to suit the needs
of underrepresented communities and the changing job market.
Presented to the Strategic Education Plan Workgroup on Dec. 1, 2023
Kennedy & Co.’s second report for SMC includes insights from interviews with over
50 stakeholders whose feedback emphasizes the need to balance the college's historic
strength in transfer education with growing demand for career education and a continue
push for high-quality wrap-around services. The report identifies five key themes,
including the development of SMC's brand and infrastructure to support both transfer
and career education in the face of changing demographics, the continued development
of more comprehensive and culturally responsive services, the need for more intentional
and salient support for the college's online leaners, and, finally, the importance
of steady coordination of the strategic plan for education and other key planning
documents. Significantly, the consultants also identified areas for improvement in
SMC’s data collection and management protocols, particularly for academic program
enrollment trends.
The report also analyzed the top twenty largest sectors of regional employer demand
for employees possessing a bachelor’s degree or higher. These prospects are meant
to inform SMC’s possible program development opportunities in transfer degrees and
potentially in stackable certificates leading to transfer in high-demand job markets.
The relative strengths and weaknesses of each education market are analyzed so as
to help SMC prioritize program opportunities in relation to its own strengths, ambitions,
and limitations.
Presented to the Strategic Education Plan Workgroupon Jan. 31, 2024
In its analysis of SMC’s “legacy” programs, Kennedy & Company evaluates the salient
strengths and weaknesses of SMC’s program inventory. The report outlines current and
future market and demographic trends to shed light on program demand and enrollment
expectations for SMC’s largest programs, fastest growing, and slowest growing programs. Limitations in SMC’s data structure are also noted, indicating
a need for improved alignment of enrollment and program data for better tracking of
trends over time.
