California Bills Expand Community College
Two California bills that would expand community college bachelor's degree offerings have advanced and could face final votes.
Two bills to expand bachelor's degree offerings at California community colleges have advanced through the state Assembly. Final votes could occur before the legislative session ends on Monday, according to a report from Inside Higher Ed.
California's community college system has offered bachelor's degrees under strict rules for over a decade. The new proposals, AB 2694 and SB 960, would broaden the types of programs colleges can provide. In some cases, they could allow programs even if a nearby public four-year university offers something similar.
Proposed Legislation Details
AB 2694 would require colleges to meet certain performance standards to offer bachelor's degrees. SB 960 would cap the number of bachelor's degrees a community college could grant at 15 percent of the total number of associate degrees it awards. Despite this legislative progress, Governor Gavin Newsom's stance is unclear. He vetoed bills to allow community college nursing bachelor's degrees in 2024 and 2025.
The sponsor of AB 2694, Democratic Assemblymember David Alvarez, argues his bill increases educational access and addresses workforce gaps. "Our economy has changed, our workforce needs have changed and our students have changed," Alvarez said in a statement. He described students as working adults, parents, and first-generation students who cannot relocate. "When existing programs are not meeting that need, our community colleges should be empowered to respond."
A National Debate
At least 24 states already permit some community college bachelor's programs, reports the Community College Research Center (CCRC) at Columbia University's Teachers College. Yet, CCRC data from last spring shows only about 2 percent of all community college students were enrolled in a bachelor's degree program. Thomas Brock, director of the CCRC, said these arrangements benefit students and communities. He emphasized that more collaboration with public four-year colleges is better.
Policies allowing these degrees often have bipartisan legislative support. However, they remain a major point of contention between two- and four-year college leaders nationwide. A spokesperson for the California State University system declined to comment on the current bills.
Divergent Views in California
Support within California's higher education community is mixed. Rowena M. Tomaneng, deputy chancellor of the California Community College system, expressed support for expanding affordable education pathways. "As our state’s economy continues to evolve, students need flexible and affordable options that prepare them for in-demand careers," Tomaneng wrote in an email.
Former system chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley disagrees. He argued community colleges should focus on workforce credentials or partnerships with private nonprofits instead. "Community colleges continue to twist themselves into pretzels trying to find an angle that allows them to offer more baccalaureate degrees, and I think that’s a mistake," said Oakley, now president of the College Futures Foundation. He cited declining interest in traditional higher education and growing demand for shorter-term programs.
Jose L. Fierro, president of Cerritos College, believes community colleges should focus on associate degrees and certificates for workforce development. But he also sees a place for select bachelor's programs. Cerritos began offering a bachelor's of science in dental hygiene last fall. It plans to launch a bachelor's in field ironworker supervision in spring 2027.
Fierro said he faced pushback from California State University campuses offering construction management, who worried about losing students. He expects little overlap, as Cerritos's program targets working adults already in local labor unions. "It’s very unlikely that someone with a family, with a good-paying job, is going to quit their job and move 300 miles away to take a program and come back," Fierro said.
Carlo Salerno of the Burning Glass Institute sees the debate as part of a larger shift blurring lines between institution types. He is generally a proponent of the evolution but understands the stress for leaders. "There are only so many students out there that can be trained," Salerno said, describing institutions protecting their traditional roles and student pools. He suggested maybe the old model does not have to be the only way.
