Registration is free, with breakfast and lunch included, at https://bit.ly/CVHECDualEnrollConvene-REGISTERweb.
Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director, announced this week that Chancellor Christian, a former member of the CVHEC board of directors, will discuss the CCC dual enrollment commitment that is part of CCC’s “Vision 2030 – A Roadmap for California Community Colleges” plan and how the Central Valley is an active leader statewide.
According to the CCC DataVista website, the Central Valley has reported the highest share of community college students simultaneously enrolled in K-12 schools of any region in the state.
“Dual enrollment is a game changer in bringing college to first-generation students whose parents did not have the opportunity to pursue higher education,” said Chancellor Christian.
“Central Valley colleges have shown tremendous momentum in expanding dual enrollment pathways,” she continued. “The work led by The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium in collaborating, facilitating, and realizing dual enrollment is truly a gold star standard for the rest of the country. This area is leading the state in the number of students earning college credit while still in high school. Their phenomenal effort ensures equity in access, a key pillar in the work we are doing with our Vision 2030 plan.”
The daylong session will feature two panels and two interactive breakout sessions concluding with recommendation summaries. A student panel will provide first-hand testimony about dual enrollment successes and barriers. (CVHEC plans to release the full agenda Jan. 22).
Also new this year will be a pre-conference session, “Dual Enrollment Primer,” from 9-10 a.m. that will provide information for high schools and colleges new to dual enrollment, which is a strategy that allows secondary school students to earn college credits during high school. In some cases, students are able to actually complete associate degrees before their high school graduation.
Durán noted that CVHEC’s dual enrollment convening is unique because it features intersegmental collaboration at a regional level. It will be highly interactive and will engage audience members with panel presenters from valley colleges and high schools, including practitioners, and topped with student success stories, he added.
“CVHEC’s dual enrollment convenings help ensure that the outcomes from the ongoing dialogue between community colleges and their K-12 partners in the Valley will continue,” said Durán who will welcome the educators in the opening session.
“The convening also continues the CVDEEP Task Force’s advocacy efforts to institutionalize dual enrollment as a strategy that blurs the lines between high school and community college for those students who can benefit from taking college courses and get a leg up on their quest for a college degree or certificate.”
But Durán said the highlight of the event will be Chancellor Christian “who is a dual enrollment trailblazer in her own right leading initiatives that are part of the Central Valley’s highly successful dual enrollment landscape when she was with KCCD from 2013 to 2022.”
Dr. Christian served on the CVHEC Board of Directors — made up of sitting CEOs of higher education institutions in the valley’s 10-county region — when she was president of consortium member Bakersfield College from 2013 to 2021 and when she was chancellor of member Kern Community College District from 2021 to 2022 before assuming the CCC top spot.
With her appointment by the CCC Board of Trustees Feb. 20, 2022, Dr. Christian made history as the first woman and first Asian-American — as well as a first-generation college graduate — named chancellor of the state’s community college system.
The chancellor will discuss the “Vision 2030” dual enrollment strategy which calls for the preparation of high school students to choose a workforce pathway earlier in their academic journey so they see themselves as college scholars. Its “ninth grade strategy” works toward a future in which all California high school students enroll in community college transfer, career or apprenticeship pathways and complete high school with at least 12 units of dual enrollment credit.
“This dual enrollment opportunity must be available to all high school students and particularly tailored to those who have historically not been provided these opportunities,” the plan states. “In so doing, California’s youth will receive a self-development and career-exploration opportunity that will increase their interest in and understanding of college and career. As high school students engage in tailored dual enrollment programs, they will learn how to develop a college education plan, how to access financial aid and other support programs and explore possible careers for their futures.”
Chancellor Christian said early exposure to college and career is particularly important for historically underrepresented students and will equip colleges to utilize dual enrollment as a tool to close equity gaps, something she said is evident in the valley’s 10-county region.
Among the CVHEC initiatives are the Master’s Upskilling Program that provides a path for high school English and math teachers to earn a master’s degree required to teach community college dual enrollment courses at their respective schools (this was one of the outcomes of CVHEC’s first two dual enrollment convenings), and the Math Bridge Program with College Bridge.
This is the third convening of the Central Valley Dual Enrollment for Equity and Prosperity (CVDEEP) Task Force since it was formed by the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium following legislation in 2016 when a new dual enrollment option was introduced through Assembly Bill (AB) 288, amending Education Code (EC) 76004, and creating the College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP). This legislation enabled more high school students to take college courses taught by college professors on their high school campuses. California AB 30, signed by Governor Newsom in October 2019, expands and protects dual enrollment through 2027.
Planting the seeds for what has eventually led to CVHEC’s slogan, “The Central Valley Way,” the CVDEEP Task Force was formed with about 60 community college and K-12 educational leaders who deliver dual enrollment services valley-wide. CVHEC brought them together after community college leaders approached the consortium to provide assistance surrounding dual enrollment in 2019.
As chair, Chancellor Muñoz leads the executive committee of the CVHEC board which is now preparing for the consortium’s upcoming Central Valley Higher Education Summit tentatively set for May 9. Two board meetings are planned this spring, said Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director.
He succeeds Dr. Kristen Clark who retired from her position as chancellor of West Hills Community College District in August, an action that also vacated her seat on the CVHEC board and ended her time as board chair.
“We appreciate the energy and contributions from Chancellor-emeritus Clark as CVHEC board chair the past three-plus years,” Durán said. “We now look forward to Chancellor’s Munoz’ leadership of one of the most unique collaborations in the nation: the CEOs of a region’s colleges and universities working in unison as a consortium board for the success of more than 250,000 higher ed students in our 10-county service areas.”
“I am excited to serve as incoming chair of this important consortium with a proven history of fostering dynamic partnerships, driving impactful innovation and intentionally expanding access to transformative educational experiences for students and their families across the Central Valley,” said Chancellor Muñoz. “I look forward to working with my esteemed colleagues and their institutions to further align our collective efforts in creating a brighter and more equitable future for all.”
The CVHEC board consists of the chief executive officers of 28 institutions of higher education in the valley’s 10-county region that comprise the consortium membership. The executive committee is selected from board members representing the state’s four higher education segments,
“The CVHEC board’s executive committee conducts business on behalf of the board when it is not available, especially for timely or urgent matters,” said Ángel Ramírez, CVHEC operations and finance manager. “It also helps sets the agenda for board business.”
Per CVHEC bylaws, each higher education segment has a set number of representatives on the committee who are selected by the full board of directors. Executive committee members serve three-year terms beginning in October the first year.
The membership of the 2025 CVHEC Executive Committee by segment with their terms noted is:
The first executive committee meeting under Chair Muñoz is being set for late January / early February at UC Merced (date to be announced), and the second will be May 8, the day before the CVHEC’s higher ed summit, said Ramírez.
https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/CVHEC-EC25-featured-canva.png12001800Tom Uribeshttps://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.pngTom Uribes2025-01-16 07:55:472025-01-17 13:20:43BOARD NEWS: Chancellor Muñoz to chair CVHEC Board of Directors
With the advent of a new year, and many new developments across the nation and worldwide, we kick off our first Central Valley Higher Education Consortium newsletter of the year with a special guest edition of our blog featuring a reprint of the speech delivered by Jamie Merisotis, president of the Lumina Foundation, at the Complete College America (CCA) Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana last November: “Progress in a Time of Disruption: the Urgency of Reimagining Higher Ed.” CVHEC sent a delegation to the three-day conference Nov. 18-20 (see CVHEC photo gallery below) which drew 800 participants from throughout the country who heard Dr. Merisotis issue both an alarm that higher education is at a crossroads and a call to positive action through system changes in higher ed. An internationally recognized leader in higher education, human work, philanthropy, and public policy, Dr. Merisotis has been Lumina Foundation’s president and CEO since 2008. He is a national media commentator and contributor and is currently a regular Forbes contributor. Previously, Dr. Merisotis was president of the nonpartisan, D.C.-based Institute for Higher Education Policy, which he co-founded. He was also the executive director of a bipartisan national commission, appointed by the president and congressional leaders, to study college affordability. A distinguished graduate and trustee emeritus of Bates College, he has been awarded honorary degrees from colleges and universities worldwide. Dr. Merisotis is the author of America Needs Talent, named a Booklist Top 10 Business book of 2016, and Human Work in the Age of Smart Machines, an Amazon bestseller released in 2020.
Progress in a Time of Disruption: The Urgency of Reimagining Higher Ed
Remarks by Dr. Jamie Merisotis, president/CEO, Lumina Foundation, at the Complete College America Convening Tuesday, November 19, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was introduced by Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva, CCA president.
CVHEC photo gallery
I’m delighted to be with so many close partners and friends in state leadership roles. I’m especially pleased to be part of this convening, because the missions of Complete College America and Lumina have so much in common. We both work to advance ideas and policies to enable more Americans to get the higher education that’s critical to our country’s future. We both see the urgency of reimagining higher ed to meet the needs of today’s students and today’s society. And we both put special focus on reaching those who have too often been left out.
I’m proud of the work that CCA and Lumina have done together in many different ways. For example, we’ve been working to build a network for Black community colleges where leaders can come together to identify strategies and policies that will enable institutions to better serve adults of color. Lumina and CCA have both long pointed out and worked to remedy the systemic inequities, inefficiencies, and unfairness in higher education.
More broadly, CCA’s influence has been pivotal to the significant gains we’ve tried to catalyze in our work at Lumina when it comes to higher education attainment. Those gains, and the enormous benefits derived from millions more people attaining postsecondary credentials, are among the least well-understood stories of broad social progress that this nation has achieved in the last decade.
We need to keep this progress going, because we’re clearly living in a time of ongoing disruption. We haven’t fully escaped the impacts of COVID on higher ed and the country at large. Artificial intelligence is advancing with great speed and uncertainty. The devastation of climate change — on both property and lives — is no longer hypothetical and off in some distant future. It is here today and growing in frequency and severity. The widening war in the Middle East has led to a surge of campus protests as explosive as any since the 1960s.
And of course, sitting here in November of 2024, the presidential election signals a major change of direction for the country and for higher education.
It is early yet, but we all know that President-elect Trump’s pronouncements on higher education, and his prior record from 2017-2020, point toward a challenging time ahead for higher education.
From the efforts to obliterate DEI and target undocumented students, to efforts to undo the student debt relief advanced by the Biden administration, to rhetoric about eliminating the US Department of Education and dismantling the accreditation system, there is no shortage of things that will challenge, frustrate, and possibly realign the fundamental relationship of higher education institutions to the federal government.
Much has been written about the intense polarization in our country, including a supposedly inexorable divide in views of higher education among red and blue states. But if I can take liberties with Mark Twain, our own work shows that some of those reports have been greatly exaggerated. For example, Texas, led by Republicans, and Illinois, led by Democrats, are both reevaluating and increasing funding for higher ed. Texas recently redesigned how it funds community colleges, while Illinois is taking on how it funds universities.
Both states agree that more equitable distribution of taxpayer dollars across higher education is vital and that more resources are needed to help students earn credentials valued in the workplace. And the 21st century industries that all states are pursuing – things like renewable energy, AI, chip-making, advanced manufacturing, and biologics – all require the kinds of skills, creativity and problem-solving abilities that come from higher education.
So I think everyone in this room will acknowledge that this is a pivotal moment for American higher ed. My point simply is that this polarization is not a new challenge, but a more extreme one.
Now I know you share my frustration that, at a time when higher education has never been more important for our citizens or our country, we’re facing stiff headwinds everywhere we look. And while there was a welcome uptick in enrollment last year, we’ve struggled again this year. This reflects a longer-term trend, one where the total number of undergraduates is more than a million fewer than in 2018, and two million fewer since 2012.
So we must be clear-eyed about our current challenges.
Not only have we seen a long-term enrollment decline, but the fact that there are fewer Americans under 18 makes this trend difficult to reverse. Throw in a robust job market, and the fact that fewer than two-thirds of high school graduates are going on to college — a percentage well down from a decade ago — and the headwinds become a hurricane.
But the biggest concern is that for the first time in American history, many are questioning whether higher education is still worth it.
According to a Gallup poll, confidence in higher education is at an all-time low, with only 36% of Americans saying they have “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in higher education. This is a 20-point drop from eight years ago.
Higher education is at a crossroads. It can push back on the critiques that have led to this declining confidence. That certainly makes sense in a number of ways, since many of the criticisms of higher education ARE distortions. They are often caricatures of the unique world of elite, highly selective institutions, where relatively few students attend college. Those distortions leave little room for understanding what really happens on most college campuses.
But higher education also has an opportunity, which is to use this moment of extreme stress to pursue genuine, urgently-needed systemic change. Bluntly stated, this means calling BS on the outrageous distortions about higher education while also pursuing urgently-needed changes. These things are both possible, and not in contradiction. Let me explain what I mean.
Let’s start first with the facts about why higher education has been and remains a fundamental building block of American greatness.
For individuals, the data are clear that a bachelor’s degree is still the surest route to the middle class. A study from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce found a lifetime gain of $1.2 million for those with bachelor’s degrees.
Of course, the benefits of going to college go beyond making more money. Many studies say that today’s workers will typically have 10 or more jobs over their lifetimes, and we know that college embeds habits — such as discipline, curiosity, and critical thinking — that give one a leg up on learning new things. This is true for people who earn any postsecondary credential – bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, certificates, and other credentials.
The data are also clear that people without education past high school not only earn less than those with some higher education — they also struggle more.
They’re more prone to depression, they need more government assistance, they pay less taxes, they divorce more frequently, they vote and volunteer less often, they even live shorter lives. The latest research by Anne Case and Angus Deaton — the Princeton economists who coined the term “deaths of despair” — reveals that the gap in life expectancy between Americans with college degrees and those without has surged to 8½ years.
We also can’t overlook the tremendous societal and national value of higher ed.
In a recent op-ed in our local Indianapolis newspaper, Ball State University Economist Michael Hicks points out that the combination of business incentives and cuts to funding of higher education has left Indiana’s economy weaker vis-à-vis other states. He concludes this way:
“To put it as plainly as possible: Educational attainment alone is now a more powerful predictor of a region’s economic success than everything else combined.”
Let me share one more argument I’ve been making in gatherings like this.
The economy’s shift from high-paying manufacturing jobs to technology-mediated office work requiring college education has made life more challenging, broadening the popular appeal of authoritarianism. It’s a global phenomenon, and even here in the United States we’re seeing the growing appeal of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom.
We know the solution: Studies going back decades have shown that higher levels of education make it less likely people will turn away from democracy. Data from surveys that track authoritarian leanings show that higher levels of education reduce such beliefs and values. The election results are in line with these findings: College-educated people were far more likely to reject the rhetoric that praises dictators and disdains democracy.
Higher ed promotes independent thought and curiosity. It exposes people to other cultures and ideas. It can equip people to handle complexity, differences, and rapid societal changes. A better-educated population, then, is not only essential to individual prosperity — what we have long called the “good jobs and good life” dividends of education — but also shared prosperity, the strongest bulwark against growing threats to our democratic way of life.
So, we can all agree that, when it comes to value, of course higher ed is worth it. That’s been the case throughout our country’s history, and the evidence is overwhelming that it’s still the case.
But that doesn’t mean that the system as it’s been for the past century or more is sufficient going forward. High costs have put too many schools out of reach for many Americans. The system is inflexible and hard to understand. College schedules often don’t work for today’s students — more of whom are older, working, many with families of their own. And students are often unsure if their coursework will prepare them for today’s jobs.
Higher ed must be responsive to what society needs, and those needs have evolved in light of global, technological, economic and social changes.
The good news is that many states get it and are adapting. Data show that price increases are easing — sometimes dramatically — and states are expanding scholarships and need-based aid.
More states are encouraging schools to look at options like three-year degrees rather than the traditional four-year model. They’re looking at non-degree credentials and offering more flexible scheduling to meet the needs of today’s learners. More states are creating real financial incentives for schools to partner with businesses to ensure they’re teaching in-demand skills, and are using internships, apprenticeships, stackable credentials and other programs to give their students entrée into good jobs.
I mentioned the Texas funding increases, which are in a bill known as HB 8. The legislation focuses on awarding “credentials of value” — defined as degrees, certificates, or credentials that offer, in the words of the bill, “purpose in the economy, value in the labor market, and opportunities for good jobs and meaningful careers.”
Lumina, CCA, and many other organizations also are putting renewed emphasis on tying degrees and credentials to return on investment, good jobs, more opportunities for further education, and other measures of value.
Let me also single out two areas that remain at the heart of our mission.
First is the importance of continuing to bring an equity lens to this work despite the current backlash against DEI and other such efforts. Again, speaking candidly, we should not leave it to others to define what equity is.
There has been a long-standing and widely understood agreement about what equity is about. It’s about ensuring that everyone has access to resources and opportunities to succeed, including—and in particular—those who have been historically disadvantaged or underrepresented. It acknowledges that people come from different places and have different needs. Equity in education is important because it’s aimed at ensuring that the outcomes of learning cannot be predicted based on one’s race, ethnicity, income, or geographic location. That enduring definition is in the best interests of everyone, and that’s what we need to make clear.
We know that, for all the efforts going back decades, gaps in educational attainment have long existed due to historical, social, systemic, and structural factors that continue to persist. Our collective futures depend on bringing off the sidelines the people who too often have been left out.
A recent report from Georgetown’s Center on Education and the Workforce provides powerful evidence of why this matters. It notes that the proportion of people with degrees increased 6.7 percentage points from 2010 to 2020, and as a result, US workers will earn more than $14 trillion more over their lifetimes.
Of course, it’s not just the college graduates who benefit. When people earn more, they spend more — not only on cars, homes, and groceries but on their own communities through civic involvement and charitable giving.
The Georgetown center’s analysis also found that if all racial and ethnic groups reached the same educational levels as white Americans, those groups would see an additional $11 trillion in net lifetime earnings, on top of the $14 trillion all graduates will gain.
What this means is that we’ve got to do a better job of designing policies and programs to meet the needs of today’s students, especially regarding affordability and academic quality. Programs from the humanities to sciences and specialized technical programs must be made more affordable and built to support students who are more likely to work while in school, provide care for family members, and experience economic insecurity. Programs should be completed in reasonable time frames, offer scheduling flexibility, and lead to family-sustaining livelihoods.
Second, I want to underscore the importance of developing not just productive individuals but informed, engaged citizens.
I mentioned earlier how even the US is not immune from the appeal of authoritarianism — which is on the rise around the world and is arguably reflected in the recent US election results.
Research has shown that education plays a key role in protecting democracy, but that role has often been understated, undervalued, and underinvested. Our task now is to highlight more clearly the continuing economic and social benefits of higher ed while also making the case that it’s one of our best bets to help protect democracy. Increasing college attainment alone will not solve all our nation’s challenges with cohesion and democratic vitality, but the sector can do more to play a positive role.
There’s an opportunity now to build bridges — despite the many signs of increased polarization. Among the reform efforts needed in higher education, we must reimagine higher ed’s role in preparing people for active, informed citizenship.
It’s not just about voting—as important as that is. Active citizenship requires us to be truly engaged in our communities and society. And to support that effort, educators must connect learning with the persistent issues that confront individuals and their communities.
That means answering tough questions, including:
What do people actually need to learn and experience to prepare them to be better equipped for the human work of today and tomorrow while also serving as engaged and active citizens?
How do we respond to the torrents of misinformation in ways that allow us to work across our differences?
How can we reckon with America’s troubled past and present, particularly as it relates to race, ethnicity, income, and geography, while also working toward a brighter future?
And, how can we show young Americans that education can equip them to have a real impact on the problems they see around them?
At the end of the day, we need to make clear what higher education is FOR, not just what it is against. Thinking about why higher ed is so valuable — and what it is truly for — points us in the right direction. It can lead us to the most productive responses, at a time when such responses are desperately needed.
Advancing American talent through a robust system of higher education is the best pathway to individual and shared economic prosperity. Graduates equipped with 21st century skills and immersive experiences in problem-solving, communication, digital literacy, critical thinking, teamwork, and other foundational skills have higher wages. They also are the best contributors to their communities and are the best defenders of freedom and democracy.
Even more than in past gatherings, this is our leadership moment, a time for creativity, for new approaches, a time when we need to think of strategy — not in terms of either-or, but both-and.
So this meeting could not be more timely, and I’m very much looking forward to our panel and to hearing what’s on your minds.
ABOUT LUMINA
Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. We envision higher learning that is easy to navigate, delivers fair results, and meets the nation’s talent needs through a broad range of credentials. We work toward a system that prepares people for informed citizenship and success in a global economy.
CVHEC Photo Gallery – Complete College America (CCA) Conference Nov. 18-20, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana
https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/CVHEC-Blog-banner-0125-Merisotis-Lumina-v2-blue-1.png14292000Tom Uribeshttps://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.pngTom Uribes2025-01-16 07:45:412025-01-16 12:48:53‘What the CV-HEC is Happening’ Blog: CCA keynote Dr. Jamie Merisotis (Lumina)
“Building on the concept that the math courses students take should be relevant to their programs of study and career goals, we now expand to think about how students are brought in and supported through corequisite support,” said Brandon Protas, Ed. D., assistant vice president for Alliance engagement at CCA.
Dr. Benjamin Duran, CVHEC executive director, with Complete College America officials at CCA’s national conference in November in Indianapolis: Dr. Brandon Protas, assistant vice president for Alliance Engagement; Nichole Mann, M.A. Alliance Engagement director; and Dr. Dhanfu E. Elston, chief of staff and senior vice president for Strategy.
“When we look across the country, there is a lack of consistency in the courses that make up the math pathways sequences, particularly for STEM,” Protas added. “CCA is now sharing clear recommendations of what courses should be part of this sequence to maximize student success.”
Dr. Benjamín Durán, executive director, of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium, welcomed the report as reinforcement for work CVHEC members and partners such as the Dana Center at the University of Austin (Texas) are pioneering in Central California.
“The CCA Math Pathways report emphasizes the importance of effective math placement processes that put students first,” said Durán who is also president-emeritus of Merced College. “This ideology aligns with the math alignment, AB705, and AB1705 work that is being done by our Math Taskforce here in California’s Central Valley. Seeing the country moving in the same direction with math pathways is really encouraging.”
Key highlights of the report published Jan. 8 include:
Introducing the concept of math pathways 2.0, building on existing math pathways work, insights, and successes
Specific recommendations on aligning gateway courses with programs of study
Providing strategies for implementing effective math placement processes that start with student goals
Outlining approaches for providing math corequisite and other student supports
Offering guidance for measuring success and tracking student outcomes
The report provides critical insights for higher education leaders, faculty and staff committed to removing barriers in math education and expanding access to and success in all programs of study, particularly for historically excluded students. Additionally, the publication also includes specific recommendations for courses in the STEM pathway to ensure alignment with every student’s program of study.
Formula for Success rolls out math pathways 2.0, addressing critical challenges in postsecondary math education the persistent use of prerequisite remediation, inconsistent gateway course requirements across institutions, and practices that inadvertently steer students away from STEM pathways. By offering specific strategies to overcome these obstacles, including backmapping gateway course content, revising course placement processes, and providing corequisite support in gateway courses, the report provides a roadmap for colleges, universities, and systems to implement math pathways that work for all students.
The report builds on years of research and practice in mathematics education reform, particularly focusing on the nuances and challenges of math pathways in STEM fields. By working directly with colleges and universities of all types, CCA has developed a comprehensive approach that helps institutions close performance gaps and address inequities in student success.
Download the full report to learn how your institution can implement effective math pathways that support every student’s success.
The Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (CVHEC) is a member of the Complete College America (CCA), a bold national advocate for dramatically increasing college completion rates and closing institutional performance gaps by working with states, systems, institutions and partners to scale highly effective structural reforms and promote policies that improve student success. Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director, serves as an alliance lead responsible for providing oversight and coordination for local initiatives as well as CCA-sponsored projects, acting as a strategic thought partner and leader and promoting the efforts and importance of CCA. Other CVHEC team members serving as CCA leads: Elaine Cash, policy; Ángel Ramírez, equity; and Tom Uribes, communications.
See the January 2025 newsletter blog CVHEC What is Happening Blog” [LINK to come] for the keynote speech delivered at CCA’s national conference November 20, 2024 in Indianapolis by Dr. Jaime Merisotis, president of the Lumina Foundation.
https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/image001.png267570Tom Uribeshttps://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.pngTom Uribes2025-01-16 07:15:422025-01-16 00:55:48HIGHER ED NEWS: Complete College America (CCA) ‘Math Pathways’ report
All-time high for first-year student enrollment and steady overall growth reported,
despite FAFSA challenges, including at three CVHEC member CSU campuses
For the second consecutive year, the California State University (CSU) welcomed an all-time high number of first-time, first-year students for fall 2024—more than 68,500 new students across its 23 universities, including at the three CSU members of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium: Bakersfield, Fresno and Stanislaus.
Preliminary data the university reported in October also show an overall enrollment increase of 2% from the previous year to more than 461,000 students, as well as a similar percentage growth in the number of California residents enrolled. CSU’s enrollment for 2024 is also reflective of California’s dynamically diverse demographics, with more than half of first-year students from historically underserved groups (Latinx, Black, Native American).
This week, the three CSU members of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium provided these campus breakdowns for the fall 2024 semester:
CSU Bakersfield’s total campus enrollment of 10,770 represents 6% growth including a 7% increase in First-time First-year students, a 34% increase in new transfer students, a 7% increase in Latinx students (69% of all students are Latinx) and a 5% increase in African American students
Fresno State welcomed a record-setting number of new undergraduate students and transfer students (6,541) this fall: 3,676 freshmen and 2,865 transfer students. Total enrollment for the university’s 114th academic year is 24,310. 57% of its students come from Fresno County while 82% come from the broader six-county region (Fresno, Madera, Kings, Tulare, Merced and Mariposa counties).
Stanislaus State’s total fall enrollment of 9,295 included an increase in new undergraduate students with 8,243. This was fueled by a 6% increase in new first-time transfer students from 1,241 to 1,316.
“This promising upward momentum demonstrates the confidence that Californians have in the extraordinary power of a CSU degree to transform lives, particularly for America’s new majority, comprised of first-generation students, students of color, low-income students and adults seeking new opportunities,” said Chancellor Mildred García.
“Our world-class faculty and staff look forward to supporting our new scholars’ success as the CSU continues to advance our multi-year, holistic enrollment growth strategy, focusing on recruitment, retention and strengthening pathways for community college transfer students.”
The CSU’s increased enrollment numbers for fall 2024 are also a testament to the monumental efforts of financial aid staff across the 23 universities to ensure that admitted students and their families had additional time to receive and consider financial aid offers that were delayed as a result of the difficulties in the rollout of the 2024-25 FAFSA—the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the CSU report said.
“University financial aid teams worked tirelessly to meet urgent needs, including quickly reaching out to students with incomplete FAFSAs, offering care and reassurance to concerned students and parents, and rapidly processing thousands of provisional aid offers once federal data was received,” the report said.
The CSU also joined the University of California to extend its intent to register deadline for new students to allow more time for students to consider financial aid packages.
The report said that while many states saw double-digit declines in FAFSA applications this year, thanks in large part to the CSU’s efforts, as of August, California is among the top 15 states with the highest 2024-25 FAFSA completion rates.
“What’s more, federal Pell Grant awards for CSU students increased systemwide and at most campuses for fall 2024,” the report said. “Increases in federal Pell awards improve access and affordability and minimize debt for CSU’s diverse students.”
Although fall 2024 overall systemwide enrollment is not expected to exceed pre-pandemic numbers, the preliminary data signals additional growth in the coming years. In addition to a record-breaking first-time, first-year student headcount, the CSU saw growth over 2023 enrollment among transfer students (7%), continuing undergraduate students (1%) and graduate students (2%).
Preliminary CSU Systemwide Enrollment for Fall 2024
461,439 total students (2% growth)
408,151 undergraduates
68,525 first-year students (on par with 2023 all-time high)
52,261 transfer students (7% growth)
53,288 graduate and post baccalaureate students (2% growth)
96% of California first-year applicants were admitted
7% increase in California Community College transfers
58% of first-year students are from historically underserved groups (Black, Native American, Latinx). (54% of all undergraduates are from historically underserved groups)
54% of first-year students are Latinx (50% of all undergraduates are Latinx)
4% of first-year students are Black (4% of all undergraduates are Black)
52% of first-year students are from low-income families (50% of all undergraduates are from low-income families)
The California State University is the nation’s largest four-year public university system, providing transformational opportunities for upward mobility to more than 450,000 students from all socioeconomic backgrounds. More than half of CSU students are from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, and more than one-quarter of undergraduates are first-generation college students. Because the CSU’s 23 universities provide a high-quality education at an incredible value, they are rated among the best in the nation for promoting social mobility in national college rankings from U.S. News & World Report, the Wall Street Journal and Washington Monthly. The CSU powers California and the nation, sending nearly 127,000 career-ready graduates into the workforce each year. In fact, one in every 20 Americans holding a college degree earned it at the CSU. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU newsroom.
https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/CSU-enroll-art-HEnews1224-v2.jpeg500800Tom Uribeshttps://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.pngTom Uribes2025-01-16 07:00:232025-01-16 14:16:46MEMBER NEWS: CSU sets another first-year student enrollment record
Registration is now available for the free event presented by the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Fresno. Breakfast and lunch will be provided to participants.New this year will be a pre-conference session from 9-10 a.m. that will provide information for high schools and colleges new to dual enrollment.
The event, postponed from November, will focus on creating a strategic plan for dual enrollment in the Central Valley, policy changes, support, student success and equity, said Dr. Benjamin Durán, CVHEC executive director.
“The dual enrollment opportunity provides a timely gateway to meaningful careers with sufficient earnings to support a quality of life for themselves and their families,” said Durán, who also is president-emeritus of Merced College.
Through dual enrollment, high school students earn college credits while earning their high school diploma which increases their chances of earning credentials, associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees as expeditiously as possible. Since 2019, the region has reported the highest share of community college students simultaneously enrolled in K-12 schools of any region in the state.
Durán said at this convening, college and university professionals will highlight their work delivering college level courses to high school students from rural high schools using an online dual enrollment strategy as a vehicle to reach populations that do not typically have the opportunity to benefit from taking college level courses while still in high school.
“This is a great way to infuse equity and inclusion into our partner institutions for those students who will benefit from getting a jump-start on gateway college courses that are essential for the successful completion of their degrees and certificates,” Durán said.
CVHEC created the CVDEEP Task Force — made up of community college and K-12 educational leaders — in July 2019 at the request of community college administrators so Central Valley colleges and K-12 partner districts could purposefully and strategically engage on a regional basis to deliver dual enrollment in a more equitable way.
The first two CVDEEP Task Force convenings in 2020 and 2022 set the stage for educators in the valley to collaborate leading to such gains as improving the CCCApply application process to the California Community College system and getting more high school teachers qualified to teach dual enrollment college courses.
For more information about the convening, contact Ángel Ramírez, director of operations and finance, at angelr@csufresno.edu or 559.278.0576.
CVHEC media contact: Tom Uribes • cvheccommunications@mail.fresnostate.edu • 559.348.3278 (text message)
BACKGROUND: CVHEC Dual Enrollment White Paper sets the stage
In 2016, a new dual enrollment option was introduced through Assembly Bill (AB) 288, amending Education Code (EC) 76004, and creating the College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP). This legislation enabled more high school students to take college courses taught by college professors on their high school campuses. California AB 30, signed by Governor Newsom in October 2019, expanded and protected dual enrollment through 2027.
The task force’s first planning meeting July 22, 2018 brought together about 60 front-line educators who deliver dual enrollment services valley-wide to join forces establish a regional consensus that provided the direction for a full conference March 5, 2019.
At that first full convening in 2019, attendees representing 52 school districts, 12 community colleges and two education organizations/agencies spent the day in two panels and three breakout sessions discussing their experiences and ways to navigate forward.
John Spevak, a CVHEC regional coordinator, at the time commended the educators for their efforts in developing dual enrollment programs, telling his audience, “I’m just impressed with the amount of work that we have to do to make this successful. It just doesn’t happen by itself. This is one of the most intensive activities I have ever seen take place between high schools and colleges.
The second convening March 17, 2022, with the theme “Establishing Dual Enrollment Pathways in the Central Valley,” attracted more than 150 secondary and postsecondary educators to discuss and recommend action that has come into fruition as a result of their efforts :
Improvements in the CCCApplyapplication process to the California Community College system.
The Dual Enrollment Upskilling Teachers Master’s Program that provides access to state funding through the Fresno K-16 Collaborative providing funds for high school English and math teachers to earn their master’s degrees.
https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DEconv25-art.png431796Tom Uribeshttps://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.pngTom Uribes2024-12-18 09:30:032025-01-16 15:36:28CVHEC ‘Dual Enrollment Convening – the Central Valley Way’ Feb. 3
Cerro Coso Community College administrators and staff in front of property in Tehachapi recently purchased to provide a local campus. From left Chad Houck, Alec Griffin, Peter Fulks, Michael Chiang, Lisa Stephens, Anna Carlson, Karee Hamilton and Frederick Wheeler. (Photo courtesy of Cerro Coso Community College).
Cerro Coso Community College announces new campus
Land acquired for relocation expanding access to higher education in Tehachapi
Cerro Coso Community College, a Central Valley Higher Education Consortium member institution, will expand its educational opportunities in the Tehachapi area with the acquisition of land for the home of a new campus there.
Sean Hancock, President – Cerro Coso Comm. College
Dr. Sean Hancock, Cerro Coso president and member of the CVHEC Board of Directors, announced the purchase and relocation Nov. 1 saying it marks a transformative step forward for Cerro Coso’s commitment to providing accessible, high-quality education to meet the growing needs of students and the broader community.
He expressed appreciation for the support from the Tehachapi Unified School District which has been leasing space to Cerro Coso for the current location saying that their partnership has enabled the college to establish a strong foundation in the community.
The new campus will further this partnership by offering a dedicated space to help more students achieve their academic and career goals, the president said.
“This expansion not only strengthens Cerro Coso’s presence in the region but also aligns with the college’s mission to empower individuals through education and serve as a community hub for growth and opportunity,” President Hancock said.
“We are thrilled to be moving forward with this project and look forward to what this means for our students and the future of our college.”
The Cerro Coso Tehachapi campus relocation will support the college’s goal of meeting the needs of a rapidly expanding student body in an area with a strong demand for skilled professionals.
Lisa Stephens, Cerro Coso Director of East Kern Center & Campuses, shared her excitement, stating, “I am thrilled about this new chapter for our college and the exciting opportunities it brings for our students and community. Our Tehachapi team looks forward to continuing to connect and strengthen our partnerships in Tehachapi.”
Updates on the project will be shared as progress continues, and the college eagerly anticipates the positive impact the new campus will bring to Tehachapi.
For more information about Cerro Coso Community College please visit www.cerrocoso.edu.
UC Merced Interim Associate Vice Chancellor Orquidea Largo, left, and Professor Zenaida Aguirre-Muñoz lead research efforts on the “Advancing Educational Opportunities in California” project.
‘Despite significant growth in dual enrollment
participation rates in Central Valley, disparities persist ’
BY TOM URIBES CVHEC Communications Coordinator
A University of California, Merced research team has completed the first phase of a two-year project project to create a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of college readiness among high-school students in the San Joaquin Valley, particularly those from underrepresented and socioeconomically diverse backgrounds.
The UC Merced Advancing Educational Opportunity in the Central Valley Project, announced earlier this year and led by Professor Zenaida Aguirre-Muñoz, principal investigator, focuses on surveying and analyzing college-readiness data, policies and infrastructure to determine how certain academic pathways and access disparities impact student populations — including Latinx, Black, Native American and English learners — and their preparedness for higher education.
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UC Merced is a member of the Central Valley higher education Consortium that is made up 28 colleges and universities in the valley’s 10-county region.
In the “What the CV-Hec is Happening Blog” for this November issue of the CVHEC e-newsletter, Aguirre-Muñoz writes that in October, the research team completed the first phase of the project with an in-depth analysis of student and districtwide data on dual enrollment and Advanced Placement (AP) access and participation for key demographic groups in the Central Valley.
“The analysis highlights significant growth in dual enrollment participation rates across the Central Valley, with a rise from 3.3 percent in 2015 to 11.1 percent in 2021 among 11th and 12th graders,” she blogs. “This rate has now surpassed participation levels in other parts of the state, reflecting a local commitment to increasing college readiness opportunities for students. However, disparities persist.
The project is a collaboration between the UC Merced, Language, Learning, and Teaching Lab led by Aguirre-Muñoz and the UC Merced Center for Educational Partnerships led by Dr. Orquidea Largo, CEP interim associate vice chancellor and chief outreach officer who is the project’s co-principal investigator. It is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation whose $500,000 grant first announced in February is the foundation’s first award to UC Merced.
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“High-school students in this region, on average, encounter more barriers in accessing dual enrollment or AP (Advanced Placement) courses compared to students in other areas of California,” explained Aguirre-Muñoz when the grant was first announced last spring.
“This grant funding will contribute valuable insights and practical solutions that can shape state policies aimed at addressing the persistent disparities in equity and academic achievement, which hinder the upward mobility of underrepresented, minority students as they progress through high school.”
In a supplemental summary of the first phase she provided this month for the blog, Aguirre-Muñoz said the project’s findings will support state policy makers and regional leadership in continuously improving evidence-based pathways for accelerating college readiness rates in the Central Valley’s most vulnerable student populations.
She said this first phase summarizes key findings from the Strategic Landscape Analysis that provides descriptive detail of both dual enrollment and advanced placement (AP) availability and participation for key demographic groups in the Central Valley, adding that “a mixed effects hierarchical modeling analysis also was completed to identify critical factors affecting dual enrollment access in the Central Valley, focusing on geographic, socioeconomic and demographic variables.”
In the summary, Aguirre-Muñoz broke down these highlights from the project’s Strategic Landscape Analysis:
Dual Enrollment Growth: Between 2015-2021, dual enrollment rates in the Central Valley increased significantly, surpassing non-CV rates by 2020-2021. Although schools in the CV now offer dual enrollment at rates comparable to other parts of California, AP course access remains lower, with the gap widening over time.
Racial/Ethnic Disparities: While dual enrollment participation has increased, underrepresented minority (URM) students, especially Black and Latinx students, continue to enroll at lower rates than their White and Asian/Pacific Islander peers. This disparity persists even in schools that offer dual enrollment, suggesting that simply increasing availability does not fully address access inequities.
AP Participation: Central Valley schools lag behind the state in AP course offerings and student participation. For example, AP enrollment among Asian/Pacific Islander students in the region decreased slightly, resulting in a narrower but still present racial/ethnic gap.
“The analysis indicates the need for targeted interventions, particularly in rural and high-poverty schools, to further bridge these educational gaps and enhance college readiness across the Central Valley,” she said.
Aguirre-Muñoz’s summary also reports that the first phase presents this analysis of Central Valley dual enrollment availability:
Model Structure — three models were developed to examine dual enrollment factors, gradually incorporating geographic (e.g., location and urbanicity), socioeconomic (e.g., poverty rates), and demographic (e.g., race and ethnicity) elements.
Significant Findings:
Regional Trends: Schools in the Central Valley are generally less likely to offer dual enrollment than other regions, though local initiatives have improved access over time.
Urban-Rural Divide: Urban schools have a higher likelihood of offering dual enrollment than rural schools.
Socioeconomic Factors: Schools with high Black student populations showed an increase in dual enrollment availability, while high-poverty and high-URM schools faced more access challenges.
Central Valley and Year: Positive trends over time indicate regional improvements and positive impact of local efforts to increase access.
URM and Poverty: High-URM, high-poverty schools saw improved dual enrollment access under certain conditions, suggesting that targeted support may benefit these schools.
Model Fit: Model 3, incorporating interaction effects, was the strongest predictor of dual enrollment variability, offering the most comprehensive insights into access disparities.
“The analysis suggests a need for targeted support in high-poverty, rural, and URM-focused schools to enhance dual enrollment accessibility and improve educational equity across the Central Valley,” Aguirre-Muñoz said in her summary.
In her blog, she declares that, “as educational leaders and policymakers digest these insights, the path forward becomes clear: invest in dual enrollment for underserved communities, prioritize high-poverty areas with significant Black and Latinx populations, and bridge the gap between urban and rural school districts.
“By expanding these opportunities, we can create an educational environment that empowers every student to reach their fullest potential, regardless of race, geography, or socioeconomic status,” Aguirre-Muñoz wrote. “This is the promise of dual enrollment, and it’s a promise that Central Valley students deserve to see fulfilled,”
She told CVHEC that two more phases will be complete in spring 2025.
https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20240221_gates-aguirre-munoz_largo-870x450-1.jpg450870Tom Uribeshttps://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.pngTom Uribes2024-11-15 11:10:092024-11-15 16:32:45UC Merced project to improve college readiness data completes first phase
The success of the Kern Master’s Upskill Program has resulted in the creation of an additional English cohort of 15 slots that will begin in March 2025 – meaning more Kern high school teachers can obtain funding to earn a master’s degrees qualifying them to instruct dual enrollment courses at Kern County high schools as well as to become adjunct community college instructors.
For this new fourth cohort, English Single Subject credential holders who are interested in pursuing a Master’s degree in English with a specialization in Rhetoric can receive a $14,400 grant from the Kern K16 Collaborative and CVHEC and a $3,978 (20%) “employee tuition reduction” per student because of National University’s partnership with CVHEC.
Jessica Gladney, program coordinator for National, said interested high school English teachers may learn more about the program and apply by attending information sessions available through individual OnDemand appointments to fit their own schedule.
Additionally, mentors are assigned to each of the 15 students to counsel them during the course of their postbaccalaureate degree studies as well as help access adjunct hiring pools at the local community colleges.
The Kern Master’s Upskill Program is part of an $18 million statewide competitive grant in June 2022 to improve student progress from high school to postsecondary education and ultimately into the workforce under KCSOS, which serves as the administrative agent for the Kern K-16 Collaborative.
CVHEC was awarded $1.7 million to produce, over three years, up to 100 qualified dual enrollment teachers to teach English and Math. Tom Burke, a CVHEC regional coordinator and chancellor-emeritus of the Kern Community College District, was appointed the consortium’s Kern Masters Upskilling Program lead.
Burke recently reported that in the past academic year since the Kern program’s inception, 48 students earned their master’s degrees: 32 English master’s degrees have been conferred in three cohorts to date with nine still in progress and 16 math master’s degrees have been conferred from the first of three cohorts. (In the math program, cohort two currently has 11 students on course to graduate in May 2025 while cohort three commenced this current fall semester with 22 master’s candidates scheduled to complete requirements in spring 2026).
He added that this newly-funded fourth Kern English cohort, combined with the first three, will increase the number of high school teachers with a English master’s degree in Kern County by 56, just a little over half of the intended goal.
“We are appreciative that the Kern K-16 recognizes the success and value of CVHEC’s Master’s Upskill Program that inevitably supports dual enrollment opportunities for our students and professional advancement for our high school teachers,” said Burke.
KCSOS spokesperson Kimberly Graham said Kern K-16 approved the additional funding for the CVHEC Upskilling project “to support the formation of an additional cohort because it addresses limitations the first three cohorts faced in achieving maximum participant outcomes.”
She calls it a strategic move because increasing the number of qualified high school teachers who can teach dual enrollment English courses aligns with the overarching goal of the Kern K-16 program as well as a long-term strategy for educational equity and success in the region.”
“The Kern K-16 program aims for greater educational access and equity, and the continued investment in the CVHEC project will support this by upskilling teachers and expanding dual enrollment opportunities for students,” said Graham who is the chief leadership support officer for the KSOS Local, Regional and Statewide Systems of Support.
“Adding a fourth English cohort contributes to the educational development of the region by preparing students for college-level coursework earlier in their educational paths.”
She added that by collaborating with National University, the project ensures that high school teachers receive flexible and rigorous online master’s degree programs, making them eligible to teach at the community college level.
The consortium has also implemented the program in two Central Valley K-16 regions: the Fresno/Madera K-16 Collaborative where the program was first launched in 2021 with a $1,830,500 grant and this fall with the WE Will! K-16 Collaborative in the North Valley under two $400,000 state grants.
It includes the CVHEC Mentor Program pairing each enrolled high school teacher with an English or math professor from a local community college district to help navigate the process to becoming an adjunct community college faculty member and provide other support along the way.
In Kern, the Mentor Program coordinators are Dr. Liz Rozell (math) and Dr. Vikash Lakhani (English). Burke said the program is currently recruiting for math mentors. English mentors will be recruited in the spring. They receive a $2,000 stipend.
For questions about enrollment, please contact Jessica Gladney at jgladney@nu.edu or 310.968.5805.
For questions about CHVEC and its Master’s Mentor Program, Burke may be contacted at tburke5@att.net.
https://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MA-in-English_Info-Meetings_Flyer_NU_2025crp-sm.jpg8982500Tom Uribeshttps://cvhec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/CVHEC-Logo-Primary-Color-Medium-e1728590737483.pngTom Uribes2024-11-15 11:05:442024-11-15 12:59:19Kern Master’s Upskill Program launches new English cohort
