Sacramento lawmakers have the ability to make community college free for thousands of San Mateo County students. State Sen. Josh Becker, D-San Mateo, authored and Assemblymembers Kevin Mullin, D-South San Francisco, and Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto, have co-authored Senate Bill 893 which allows the San Mateo County Community College District to use existing local funds to reduce or eliminate the cost of attendance and cover other educational expenses for students in need such as text books, housing and transportation.
John Pimentel
We are all aware that the cost of living in San Mateo County is one of the highest in the nation. The total cost of enrollment — including tuition, fees, books, technology, transportation, food, rent and other living expenses such as child care — can exceed $15,000 per year for community college students.
Existing state dollars only allow San Mateo County community colleges to provide free enrollment in our Promise Scholars program to about 2,000 students across our three campuses: Cañada College in Redwood City, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College in San Bruno. If SB 893 advances and provides SMCCCD with more flexibility to use existing local district dollars, we could potentially serve 4,000 to 6,000 students who need financial assistance to make college a reality.
SB 893 will allow our district to bridge inequities throughout our county by making college more accessible and affordable for students, particularly those in marginalized and underrepresented communities. Though San Mateo County is economically prosperous in comparison to other areas of the state, there are significant opportunity, economic and educational gaps within our community. The flexibility to use local funds to support these communities will have life-changing impacts on students.
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This week, the Assembly Appropriations Committee will either approve this bill or prevent it from advancing. We urge the committee to support it since it will not cost the state any money but instead provide SMCCCD with the flexibility to use existing local dollars. The bill has important safeguards like a five-year sunset and report back to the state on the success of the pilot program. Further, there are transparency requirements including the adoption of local policies that determine which students will be eligible for the funding and financial impact projections of the pilot program costs at public meetings.
SB 893 is supported by a variety of local and state organizations including my colleagues on the San Mateo County Community College District Board of Trustees, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, the cities of South San Francisco and Redwood City, the San Mateo County Economic Development Association, Chamber San Mateo County, the San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO, and the Student Senate for California Community Colleges.
We are grateful to state Sen. Becker and Assemblymembers Mullin and Berman for championing this effort which will change the lives of so many future SMCCCD students. By removing financial barriers, SB 893 will allow countless students in need to fulfill their dream of a college degree and an improved quality of life right here in San Mateo County. We are just a step away from making college free for thousands of San Mateo County students.
John Pimentel is a trustee of the San Mateo County Community College District. The opinions expressed in this piece are his own and not an official communication of the community college district Board of Trustees.
Dirk, thank you for your support of free community college, and congratulations on using the GI Bill to complete college. That $15B investment of taxpayer funds from 1945-56 is estimated to have generated a 10x ROI (incremental additional income tax paid by the >8M vets who participated over the GI Bill's cost, Source: Khan Academy). Unfortunately, the GI Bill's benefits (free college, unemployment benefits, subsidized loans, healthcare) were not extended to many people of color depriving those Americans of equal educational and financial opportunities. From 1960 to 1985 California's Community College system sought to correct that inequity by making at least the first two years of college tuition free for EVERY Californian regardless of race, economic status, or academic ability. Unfortunately, since 1985 increasing levels of tuition have been required under state law, and now community colleges must charge $46/unit a bargain for some, but a clear financial barrier to equitable participation. Senator Becker's bill seeks to give San Mateo County the flexibility to reduce or eliminate tuition so all County residents can start and complete community college. Like the 10x return on the GI Bill, free community college is a great opportunity for our County's property owners who have enjoyed robust increases in real estate values to share a small portion of that value with those County residents who are willing to invest their time and effort to improve their earning potential through higher education. Under SB 893 our local Board of Trustees will have the responsibility to define and justify the criteria used to offer free tuition through a transparent and public process. Regards, John P.
UPDATE: on Thurs., Aug 11, Sen. Becker's Bill SB 893 (Free Community College for San Mateo County) passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee on a unanimous vote and is headed for the Assembly Floor, then the Governor's Desk. Thank you Josh for your leadership! And thank you to Kevin Mullin and Marc Berman for co-authoring and supporting the bill. Regards, John P.
I would support such a effort as long as there are some constraints attached. When I went to college using the GI Bill benefits, payment was based on a GPA of 2.0 at a minimum and I had to show that I actually finished all courses with a passing grade. The courses also had to lead to an AA or eventually an BS or BA degree. If not, one would not be eligible and benefits would cease. If there are no constraints, this would be just another give-away that would not benefit anyone except for the CC administrators.
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(3) comments
Dirk, thank you for your support of free community college, and congratulations on using the GI Bill to complete college. That $15B investment of taxpayer funds from 1945-56 is estimated to have generated a 10x ROI (incremental additional income tax paid by the >8M vets who participated over the GI Bill's cost, Source: Khan Academy). Unfortunately, the GI Bill's benefits (free college, unemployment benefits, subsidized loans, healthcare) were not extended to many people of color depriving those Americans of equal educational and financial opportunities. From 1960 to 1985 California's Community College system sought to correct that inequity by making at least the first two years of college tuition free for EVERY Californian regardless of race, economic status, or academic ability. Unfortunately, since 1985 increasing levels of tuition have been required under state law, and now community colleges must charge $46/unit a bargain for some, but a clear financial barrier to equitable participation. Senator Becker's bill seeks to give San Mateo County the flexibility to reduce or eliminate tuition so all County residents can start and complete community college. Like the 10x return on the GI Bill, free community college is a great opportunity for our County's property owners who have enjoyed robust increases in real estate values to share a small portion of that value with those County residents who are willing to invest their time and effort to improve their earning potential through higher education. Under SB 893 our local Board of Trustees will have the responsibility to define and justify the criteria used to offer free tuition through a transparent and public process. Regards, John P.
UPDATE: on Thurs., Aug 11, Sen. Becker's Bill SB 893 (Free Community College for San Mateo County) passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee on a unanimous vote and is headed for the Assembly Floor, then the Governor's Desk. Thank you Josh for your leadership! And thank you to Kevin Mullin and Marc Berman for co-authoring and supporting the bill. Regards, John P.
I would support such a effort as long as there are some constraints attached. When I went to college using the GI Bill benefits, payment was based on a GPA of 2.0 at a minimum and I had to show that I actually finished all courses with a passing grade. The courses also had to lead to an AA or eventually an BS or BA degree. If not, one would not be eligible and benefits would cease. If there are no constraints, this would be just another give-away that would not benefit anyone except for the CC administrators.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.