California has the world’s largest system of higher education, but too many students who enter it don’t achieve their education goals. California is implementing a series of major reforms to promote postsecondary success, including reforming remedial education, increasing access for qualified students, and addressing college affordability. It is also beginning to focus on workers in the workplace who don’t have college degrees. Gov. Newsom is targeting “near completers” – the 60,000 students who started at the University of California and the California State University, but never completed their studies since 2000. Former Gov. Jerry Brown initiated an online-only community college to serve “stranded workers” who find themselves in the workplace with out the skills they need to advance. EdSource will track these reforms — and identify what’s working, and what’s not.
As a community college student, Mike Muñoz struggled to find stable housing. As the next president of Long Beach City College, he wants to help students facing similar challenges find success as he did.
A new report urges California to take steps to create more spaces at UC and CSU for qualified students, especially Black and Latino students who are underrepresented among enrolled students.
Members of the governing board for California's community colleges are urged to focus the system on helping students stay enrolled and complete studies.
CSU reports an uptick in graduation among first-time and transfer students despite the coronavirus pandemic but concerns remain to improve rates for low-income and students of color
Inefficiencies in the transfer process from community colleges to UC and CSU that cost California students time and money can be streamlined by proposed bill.
