In 1988, the Basic Skills Task Force was established to assess the effectiveness of four academic policies in addressing the needs of California community college students with skills deficiencies. The policies define the scope and content of Adult Basic Education and of Precollegiate Basic Skills Instruction in nondegree-applicable credit courses; require colleges to establish skills requisites for degree-applicable, entry-level courses; require that student progress standards be upgraded and a 30-semester-unit enrollment limitation be enforced in precollegiate basic skills courses; and define the scope of student assessment programs and their relation to course placement. The Task Force was charged with examining and refining the policies by assessing the costs of policy implementation, developing strategies and timelines for the establishment of precollegiate basic skills courses, and recommending policy changes. After more than a year of study and discussion, the task force developed five recommendations: (1) current basic skills policies should be expanded to allow for a basic minimum core of precollegiate basic skills courses, and an expanded set of courses to respond to other needs; (2) regulations governing course standards should more clearly identify characteristics and conduct of nondegree-applicable and noncredit courses; (3) the Chancellor should prepare a comprehensive annual report on precollegiate basic skills instruction; (4) the Chancellor should ensure that staff development includes training and retraining for the effective delivery of precollegiate basic skills instruction; and (5) the colleges should develop local strategies to ensure the support for and provision of basic skills in nondegree-applicable credit courses. Appendixes provide background information on relevant policies and legislation. (WJT)