Empowering Pathways: The Business, Accounting, and Entrepreneurship (BAE) Program at SDCCE

The Program of Practice

While Business, Accounting, and Entrepreneurship (BAE) programs have long been recognized for their workforce relevance, the onset of the pandemic revealed disparities in retention, access, and success for disproportionately impacted students—particularly African American males, Latino males, and older adult learners. Additional issues included uneven productivity across program areas, loss of faculty, and challenges associated with delivering equitable support in a rapidly shifting instructional landscape. Declines in alternative success rates for key populations highlighted the need for strategic re-engagement to ensure that career technical education is accessible and effective for all.

The Response

In response, SDCCE’s BAE Department enacted a wide-ranging redesign to expand access, enhance inclusion, and improve program outcomes. Key strategies included:

• Instructional Flexibility and Hyflex Options: Courses were redesigned for multiple modalities—online, synchronous, asynchronous, and hyflex—to serve working adults, parents, and caregivers.
• Equity-Minded Redesign: Instructors integrated culturally responsive practices, equitable access to materials, flexible deadlines, and multiple learning demonstrations to better serve diverse learners.
• Community and Industry Partnership Expansion: A formal relationship was established with Startup San Diego, enabling students to attend regional entrepreneurship events, gain exposure to industry, and pitch business ideas competitively.
• Personalized Support: The program implemented frequent instructor-student check-ins, one-on-one guidance, and supplementary resources to improve retention and persistence.
• Student Visibility and Recognition: Initiatives like pitch competition participation, alumni networking events, and community-based promotions increased student engagement and motivation.

The Unique Features of the Program

This program stands out for its:

• Strategic Industry Integration: Through partnerships like Startup San Diego, students have real-world engagement opportunities beyond the classroom.
• Modality Innovation: The BAE program embraced hyflex instruction early, accommodating learners balancing education with complex life demands.
• Commitment to Underserved Learners: The program’s intentional support for African American and Latino students includes culturally relevant mentoring, free resources, and flexible course design.
• Breadth of Career Preparation: Students can pursue tracks in accounting, office support, project management, business sales, and entrepreneurship, with Credit-By-Exam agreements supporting transitions to credit colleges.
• Real-World Application: Programs emphasize simulations, capstone projects, and technology tools (e.g., Microsoft Project, Slack, Trello), preparing students for contemporary work environments.

The Outcome

The BAE program achieved notable results over the last two years:

• Enrollment surged by 50% (from 5,555 in 2021/22 to 8,333 in 2023/24).
• African American enrollment increased by 42% in one year.
• Overall success rates increased by 10 percentage points since 2021/22.
• Project Management success rose to 73% in 2023/24.
• Administrative Assistant success grew from 41% to 57%.
• Over 100 students participated in Startup Week 2023.
• Two SDCCE students were finalists in a regional pitch competition, the only community college representation.
• New hyflex offerings and self-paced content expanded reach and accessibility.