Hello colleagues,
I was glad to see that the California’s multi-million Golden State Pathways program is getting back on track, with revised results released publicly earlier this month. This big investment is part of a broader commitment to expanding career education in the state.
As a Golden State Pathways refresher:
- High schools and districts applied for grant funding to collaborate with colleges and employers, expand access to A-G courses (California’s college prep courses, required for admission to state universities), and build new pathways that weave work-based learning into the student experience.
- The goal is more seamless transitions from high school to higher education and on to well-paying jobs. In some places, that will take shape as industry-specific pathways in high-demand fields like healthcare, education, and climate tech.
Sometimes, big bets come with big challenges. Regrettably, the rollout has been rocky thus far. Districts are eager to move forward, but delayed funding and mixed signals have stalled progress.
- In June, we celebrated the announcement of approximately $470 million of the half billion going to schools. (The remaining funds go to technical assistance centers and other costs that help this program work.) In September, it became clear that something had gotten snarled up. Schools received confusing funding allocations, with some getting more than expected and others left waiting.
- Earlier this month, the state department of ed re-announced the grants. We hope that with this new clarity, educators and leaders can forge ahead, hire staff, and expand programs to deliver on their plans.
The San Joaquin Valley provides a clear example of why this kind and size of investment in young people is crucial. Our partners at the Public Policy Institute of California dug in to investigate why the inland region’s degree attainment rates have remained stubbornly low.
- High school graduation rates in the valley are on par with the rest of the state, but only 57% of graduates go on to college, compared to 65% across the state. Too many students in the San Joaquin Valley don’t have access to the A-G college prep courses required by the UCs and CSUs, which may contribute to low application rates to the state’s four-year universities.
- A degree pays in the Valley: In the region, a worker with a bachelor’s degree earns 41% more than one with a high school diploma. But only 14% of Valley residents between 23 to 34 have a bachelor’s degree—significantly lower than in the rest of the state.
- Access is key. Funding can create new and expand access to dual enrollment and work-based learning opportunities that open students’ eyes to all their options and help them get a head start.
The potential of Golden State Pathways to improve the trajectory of millions of students is too big to ignore. We shouldn’t let the early challenges distract us from watching (and cheering on) how these funds are put to use to accelerate students into success across the state.
Thanks for reading,
Patrick Methvin
Director, Postsecondary Success and Interim Director of Pathways
“The No. 1 reason people go to college is to improve their economic mobility and the No. 1 reason they don’t go is the cost."
- College Future Foundation CEO Eloy Oakley, in the LA Times.
Check out the coverage of College Future's research on the ROI of various degrees and credentials in California.
What we’re reading, California edition:
- EdSource dug into the Community College Research Center’s new research on what happens to dual enrollment students after high school and the state-by-state dashboards that allow California leaders to better understand the impacts of dual enrollment on student outcomes.
- The San Jacinto Valley Sun published a recap of a concerning state audit that showed only 1 in 5 community college students in the state actually manage to transfer to a four-year institution within four years of starting college. More collaboration, more access to Associate Degrees for Transfer, and more advising for students who intend to transfer are all needed to remedy this.
- In more positive transfer news, the University of California, Merced, and the Los Angeles Community College District launched the Merced Promise Pathway Program, which will give community college students access to cross-enrollment courses and collaborative research projects as they prepare to transfer.