Officials push for free college

For his part, Goodman said he favored such an initiative, so long as a partnership can be formed with county officials to help finance the program waiving two years worth of enrollment fees.

“If we were to have a commitment from our supervisors … we could do so much more,” said Goodman.

Canepa, meanwhile, said he is pleased to dig into the terms of a possible arrangement through which county officials could help fund the program currently relying on outside contributions to operate.

“We have really got to work out the details,” he said. “But that being said, we need to go all in, full force and figure out what the financial plan is going to be,” said Canepa, who pointed to a similar fee-waiver program in San Francisco as a potential local model.

Closer to home, Goodman said he believed the Promise Scholar program would benefit from a similar level of financial backing provided by county officials to The Big Lift, which draws from tax revenue to expand early education opportunities to underserved communities.

Students enrolled in the Promise Scholar program can seek financial support by getting school fees waived or covered, while also tracking down additional money for books, technology and transportation. Students can also access a lending library for school materials, attend the program’s summer school and get additional technology access.

The program launched in 2016 at Skyline College has been widely successful, according to educators. Of the 139 students enrolled in the pilot year, 96 percent stayed at Skyline College into the following spring. Such a retention rate tops the schools general 85 percent rate. Last year, the program served 253 students and 91 percent stayed enrolled, nearly 8 percent better than the general rate.

Skyline College President Regina Stanback Stroud, who founded the program, strongly supported the proposal for its expansion.

“I’m whole-heartedly behind that idea,” she said.

Stanback Stroud characterized the program’s broad availability as a matter of equity in the community.

“It is imperative for our region and our county to make sure that people have access and be engaged in a meaningful way,” she said.

Canepa, a Skyline College alumnus, last year gathered $5,000 in county funds to donate toward the program. The cost for one student to participate in the program is about $1,200, and the county money addressed tuition costs, student body as well as health service fees and additional textbook, technical and other costs.

To broaden the revenue base for expanding the program throughout the county, Canepa suggested a tax measure could be in order, but said the details of that strategy could be hashed out over the coming months. Regardless of the specifics though, Canepa’s commitment to growing the initiative was made clear.

“We need to do this in such a manner where we help them realize this dream,” he said. “Yes it’s going to be a significant contribution and it’s going to be a contribution that is well worth it.”

Also as it relates to other legislative proposals for the district, Goodman said he too supports a recent letter sent by state Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, and Assemblyman Kevin Mullin, D-South San Francisco, seeking to make Cañada College a member of the California State University system.

Though the examination is still only in its formative stages, Goodman said he believed expanding the breadth of degrees which can be earned at the Redwood City campus would be a significant advancement for local students.

“I definitely think it’s viable,” he said. “I see it as an opportunity.”

Currently, community college students are able to get degrees in fields which are not offered in the state university system. But making Cañada College a member of the system would broaden the horizons of local students who may wish to attend, but struggle to reach regional state school campuses in San Jose or San Francisco.

“It will connect underserved, underemployed individuals with opportunities to be able to start a career path at a community college level and connect with a four-year degree where they can obtain jobs in the local community,” said Goodman.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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