Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor David J. Canepa, District 5
Supervisor Warren Slocum, District 4
Subject: Adopt a resolution in support of Senate Bill 893 (Becker) Community colleges: San Mateo County Community College District: California College Promise.
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution in support of Senate Bill 893 (Becker) to enhance access and support for community college students in need.
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BACKGROUND:
The San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) serves approximately 45,000 students through three campuses: Ca?ada College in Redwood City, the College of San Mateo, and Skyline College in San Bruno. The total cost of enrollment - including tuition, fees, books, technology, transportation, food, rent and other living expenses - can exceed $15,000 per year for community college students.
California law currently prevents local community college districts from using their various local revenues to offset tuition and expenses for students and restricts districts' ability to waive or reduce enrollment fees. As a result, SMCCCD can only fund 2,000 of the 6,000 eligible students for its Promise Scholars Program even though they have local revenue to provide financial assistance for all eligible students.
DISCUSSION:
Without the flexibility to use local funds or reduce enrollment fees, SMCCCD is unable to supplement the Promise Scholars Program and achieve its goal of supporting underserved communities and students.
By allowing SMCCCD to use local funds to support students' basic needs and to have the flexibility to charge less than the currently required state fee rate of $46 per credit unit, SMCCCD could make attending college less financially burdensome for students in need of assistance. Further, by permitting SMCCCD to supplement the California Promise Program with local funds, the bill would increase the number of students eligib...
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