I am the Early Childhood Education, (ECE) Department, Coordinator here at Skyline College. I am writing to express my serious concern about the recent advertisement in the Skyline View dated September 26, (page 9). The ad is promoting ECE units that can be earned quickly, (15 units in 10 weeks), from American College of California which is located in San Francisco. I am familiar with American College and its ECE course offerings. Unfortunately what this advertisement fails to mention is that the courses offered are not transferable to any of the California community colleges, state colleges and/or universities. This is because American College is not accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the US Department of Education. American College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology which is not officially recognized by the state of California’s college education system. I have heard from many individuals who have enrolled in and paid quite a bit for these units, who then come to find out that their coursework is not transferable to Skyline for the ECE certificate and/or AS degree with a major in ECE. In every case, when I have asked these individuals whether they were informed that the coursework would not be transferable, the answer has been no. I believe that this is very misleading. I think that this is the first time that this advertisement has been published in the Skyline View. I hope that it is only time. Thank you.
Valerie S. Goines
ECE Department Coordinator