The Learning Assessment Retention Consortium of the California Community Colleges distributed two questionnaires to all 108 California community colleges to determine practices related to academic standards and matriculation. Study findings, based on responses from 68 colleges to the academic standards survey and 70 colleges to the matriculation survey, included the following: (1) 76% of the responding colleges referred students with limited English skills to adult education; (2) 65% required assessment of all day and evening students; (3) 22% used reading and/or writing and/or math skills proficiencies as prerequisites for vocational courses, and 26% used them for baccalaureate courses; (4) many responding community colleges had implemented elements of the 1984 Matriculation Plan for California Community Colleges (MPCCC) without state funding; and (5) the most common difficulties in implementing the MPCCC were insufficient counseling staff to see all new students and implement the full follow-up process outlined in the MPCCC; insufficient computerization; lack of a computerized matriculation database and research staff; and lack of sufficient staff for assessment, orientations, and counseling contacts for all new students. The study report includes a commentary on the area of legislation affecting the implementation of academic standards; composite profiles of a typical community college and highly, moderately, and less involved colleges based on their involvement in academic standards; and an assessment of the implementation of each component of the MPCCC. (RO)