May 7, 2021

Two years after its founding, Calbright College has big ambitions and a distinct mission to serve underemployed adults. But with little to show so far in certificates awarded, the budget cutters in the Legislature are targeting  California’s new online community college. This week, Calbright President Ajita Menon lays out a strategic plan and makes the case for why the college needs more time.

Also this week, higher ed reporter Larry Gordon delves into a 3-decade-old  question confounding community college students: Why can’t there be a systemwide uniform course numbering system to make it easier to transfer to a CSU and UC campus?

And we discuss EdSource’s new data analysis that reveals students in low-income schools are far more likely than students in wealthier schools to still be in distance learning.

Ashley Smith and John Fensterwald are this week’s co-hosts.

For background, read these EdSource stories:

Higher education

Attendance data and California’s plans to return to in-person instruction