Free college showing success in San Mateo County Community College District

The majority of students who benefited from the program were students from historically marginalized communities of color, and first generation college students, McVean said. 

“Our district’s role in breaking intergenerational poverty has been dramatically increased thanks to SB 893 and free college,” McVean said. “We as a district, in providing this access and helping students complete their certificates, degrees and transfer, that is an act of social justice.” 

SB 893 passed in 2022 authorizing the district to use general funds to pay enrollment fees and other costs for students. McVean reported that the majority of funds dedicated to the initiative are used for covering the state-mandatory $46 per unit enrollment fee for county residents. 

Additional funds have been dedicated to providing extra support for students demonstrating financial need, which has totaled 5,189 to date, and contribute to registration, materials and additional fees. 

The bill was passed for a five-year pilot period, and the district must submit a report to the department of finance and state Legislature by March 1, 2026, to request an extension “into infinity,” McVean said. 

The West Valley Mission Community College District just recently got its own version of free college signed into law, suggesting progress in the widespread adoption of free community college in the state again. 

“This has provided a model and continues to extend that free college movement here in the state,” McVean said. “While we’re optimistic, we definitely need to look at how we sustain SB 893 and free college moving forward.” 

The district currently budgets just under $9 million of its general fund to support the initiative. Financial sustainability will hopefully become strengthened as the move toward free community college throughout the state progresses, McVean said. 

The initiative remains a priority for the district’s Board of Trustees and Chancellor Melissa Moreno, they have said previously. 

Prior to the passing of the bill and implementation of free college, the district was consistently seeing a decrease in enrollment. From the 2011-12 school year to 2020-21 school years, the district’s number of students declined 23% overall, and full-time students declined 28%. 

Outgoing board President John Pimentel said beyond finding the funds to continue this service for the foreseeable future, trustees and district staff should dedicate significant effort to getting the word out to the community. 

“I think it would be equally wise investment to make sure we had an aggressive plan to share this good news,” Pimentel said.

Regardless of ticket price, the dedicated funds to providing free college to county residents is “an investment back to our community,” McVean said. 

“This is such an incredible effort, everybody on the staff, on the board, our political leaders were part of this process and I just couldn’t be more delighted with the results,” Pimentel said. “Now we’ve got to go make it permanent.”