Pathways to College Completion in the San Joaquin Valley

The San Joaquin Valley-with its young, diverse, growing population; expanding economy; and robust regional networks-could be on the verge of dramatic improvements in college enrollment and completion. For the most part, the infrastructure exists to accommodate more college students, and valley leaders as well as parents and students have expressed strong interest in college completion. The value of a bachelor's degree remains high in California, and the state's four-year public institutions-the UC and CSU systems-consistently rank among the best colleges in the nation in terms of return on investment, especially among lower-income students. Wide variation in student outcomes within the valley show what is possible, but far too many students are still being left behind. To harness these opportunities effectively, a strategic and goal-oriented approach is imperative, focusing on key transition points that significantly impact educational outcomes.

Improving preparation in High School and Community College

A key transition is from high school to college. Students should be made fully aware of all their available opportunities and feel supported in pursuing higher education. Establishing A-G pathways and making college preparatory coursework the default (or mandatory) can pave the way for a smoother transition to higher education. By fostering an environment where college-going is the norm, districts can help students better visualize their educational journeys. Cultivating a college-going culture and equipping students and families with the necessary information are pivotal. For students seeking a bachelor's degree, districts should focus on encouraging enrollment in four-year colleges.

Currently, California's Golden State Pathways Program is an example of the significant funding and momentum behind college- and career-readiness pathways and presents an important opportunity to improve college readiness and access in a number of ways. First, on the curricular front, it can do so by setting A-G as the default curriculum and embedding dual enrollment courses that meet key requirements across higher education segments (e.g., CSU Breadth or IGETC requirements). Second, on the college-knowledge front, it can support college-going by embedding college-knowledge components into the pathways experience. This can include college tours, parent workshops, and in-class support for completing college applications and the FAFSA. It is critical that colleges reach out to valley high schools in their recruitment efforts.

Community colleges are a primary point of access to higher education for the region's students. More work must also be done at this level to provide them with the opportunities, preparation, tools, resources, and information needed to successfully make the transition to four-year universities. Statewide legislation in the form of AB 705 and AB 1705 have transformed the remedial education landscape and widened opportunities for community college students to reach their educational goals. Currently, however, the share of the region's students completing key gateway courses within their first year remains low compared to the statewide average. As community colleges in the valley approach universal access to transfer-level courses, using evidence-based strategies to improve completion rates and racial equity must be the next priority. Efforts to implement effective corequisite support models, provide sufficient professional development, and deliver holistic student services and supports must be prioritized.

Expanding Freshman and Transfer Access to CSU and UC

At both UC and CSU, the share of freshman and transfer applicants from the San Joaquin Valley is lower than in the rest of the state, resulting in lower enrollment rates as well. Students may not be applying as freshmen because they are not A-G eligible. While raising A-G course completion rates might fall within the purview of the K-12 system, UC could modify their admissions process to prioritize more equitable representation. This could be done directly, by placing greater emphasis on raising admissions rates among students from underrepresented regions, or indirectly, by giving added consideration to applicants from low-income families or high-poverty schools, or among students who outperform their peers with similar disadvantages. Additionally, both CSU and UC-especially the valley campuses-could increase their engagement in early recruitment efforts by working directly with high schools to help raise students' eligibility and thus likelihood of applying.

Improving pathways is a key aspect of this comprehensive strategy. Currently, CSU Bakersfield has aimed to increase direct access to its campus by partnering with in-region high school districts through its dual enrollment program, offering students the opportunity to earn college credit for courses taken at their own high school site. UC Merced has actively engaged to improve local freshman and transfer pathways, most notably through its partnerships with Merced Union High School District and the Fresno-Madera K-16 Collaborative. Regarding the latter, UC Merced is involved in multiple initiatives -including with the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium-to streamline transfer through collaborative curriculum alignment, providing increased outreach and direct academic support to community college students. Such regional coordination and program alignment should be prioritized to streamline the transfer process. Additionally, expanding initiatives like Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) can provide a structured and efficient route for students transitioning from community colleges to four-year institutions. The ADT provides students with a clear curricular pathway to qualify for transfer to California State University campuses.

Broadening Regional Coordination and Collaboration

Further development of regional-rather than local-college promise programs is recommended. To streamline admissions, UC Merced has implemented its Merced Automatic Admissions Program (MAAP) aimed toward local high school students, and its Merced Promise program in partnership with Merced College. Through MAAP, UC Merced has partnerships with 32 high schools and districts, guaranteeing admission-with currently no restrictions on majors-for students meeting the program criteria. Through Merced Promise, the campus plans to develop a "Program Mapper" to narrow information gaps and accelerate progress towards degrees, increase opportunities for community college students to participate in research and courses at UC Merced, and increase outreach to middle and high school students. There is only one UC campus in the region-because efforts like this are so key, a broader scope is necessary.

The state's CSU campuses have similarly increased engagement within the region, most recently evidenced by Fresno State's new Bulldog Bound Guaranteed Admissions Program for students at nearby partnering school districts. The program-which includes 35 high schools and districts-aims to support students and families with admission preparation as early as ninth grade. It plans to offer various benefits including early financial aid estimates, help with career and academic major preparation, and dual enrollment opportunities. Granting priority enrollment to four-year universities and creating regional referral pools for CSU can enhance accessibility and streamline the transition process for students.

More broadly, wider coordination focused on local economic needs is critical. A promising example of this is a recent collaboration between Merced, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus counties through WE Will! The Northern San Joaquin Valley K-16 Regional Partnership, which was recently awarded millions in state funds to help spearhead efforts to streamline college and career pathways in high demand in the region. The collaborative is expansive, including UC Merced, Stanislaus State, community colleges, high school districts, county offices of education, economic development agencies, local and regional employers, and other education and workforce partnerships. More narrowly, UC Merced's SJV PRIME+ BS/MD pathway is a concerted effort to educate and support the region's future physicians, focusing on high school students "who are committed to pursuing a career in medicine and are dedicated to serving the San Joaquin Valley's unique needs." The eight-year program involves a partnership between UC Merced, UCSF Fresno, and UCSF, highlighting the promise of statewide collaboration in advancing regional equity.

Supporting Place-Bound Students

Widening pathways and broadening regional outreach and coordination could help address information gaps and perceptions that higher education is not accessible. However, more work will be needed to address the additional factors that influence students' decisions to apply to four-year universities.

Many students in the San Joaquin Valley that apply to and attend college tend do so within the region, signaling that they are either place-bound and/or have strong preferences for staying close to home-perhaps due to a combination of financial, family, work, transportation, and housing constraints, among others. The UC and CSU systems should expand upon their outreach and coordination efforts to broaden opportunities-higher education must make sense for students throughout all localities within the San Joaquin Valley. Such efforts could include developing and leveraging new satellite campuses to widen access throughout the region; providing enhanced aid, housing, and transportation options and supports to address place-bound constraints; and making concerted efforts to offer tight-knit collegiate environments, acknowledge student's cultural values, and instill a cultural sense of belonging. The Central Valley Project at UCLA provides a great example of the latter and highlights the importance of engaging universities inside and outside of the valley in this effort.

Raising Persistence and Graduation Rates at Four-Year Institutions

In addition to enrollment, an emphasis on college completion is paramount. The early years of college are particularly crucial, and efforts should be concentrated on fostering persistence during this period. While differences in graduation rates at UC and CSU may partly stem from regional disparities in academic preparation in high school and community college, they nevertheless expose the need to expand the region's focus from solely ensuring equitable representation in access towards holistically ensuring equitable representation in completion. Achieving this requires a deliberate effort from the state's public four-year institutions to ensure students from the San Joaquin Valley are supported throughout their educational journey to and through earning a college degree.

Increasing Program Evaluations and Data Sharing

To inform and refine these efforts, robust data, evaluation mechanisms, and flexibility are indispensable. Regularly assessing progress and adapting strategies based on feedback and outcomes will be instrumental in achieving meaningful results. Support for regional data sharing and evaluation is critical. The state should play a central role in coordinating these efforts, ensuring that relevant stakeholders have access to comprehensive and up-to-date information. This collaborative approach will enable continuous improvement and the identification of effective strategies for enhancing college access and completion in the San Joaquin Valley.

The San Joaquin Valley has the potential to become a model for advancing college-going and completion by strategically addressing key transition points, fostering a culture of higher education, and leveraging regional collaborations for sustained success.

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