Berkeley

The Statewide College Promise: An Important Investment in the Future of California

Published

8 years ago

July 31, 2017

By Jowel C. Laguerre, Ph.D., Chancellor, The Peralta Community College District

Toward the end of his administration, President Obama introduced the investment idea of free college tuition for students attending a community college. This aspiration has fueled a community college “movement,” which, at the Peralta Community College District alone, has inspired the Peralta Promise, the Oakland Promise, the Alameda Promise, and the Berkeley Promise. But there is much work to do. Each Promise cannot guarantee at this time a tuition free education, but it has guaranteed a commitment and strategy to help young people into and through a two-year college – including a tuition-free first year – along with realizing their desires to transfer to four year colleges.

Already some funds were set aside last year for the California Promise. Grants were given to a few community college districts to support, start, or grow their Promise programs. A current bill will ensure that more funds be made available to more fully implement the various promises to increase student access to an affordable college education, whether training for a career or preparing to transfer to a four-year university. One can measure the effectiveness of local and state Promise funding simply by listening to the many stories about how students’ and their families’ lives have been forever changed.

Critically, a statewide Promise will provide for greater access. It’s no secret that as the cost to attend California’s public universities continues to rise – and more students and their families rely on community colleges to save tens of thousands of dollars. The current Promise programs are very limited in their reach and offer access only to a few students. For various reasons, some students may not even be aware of the existence of the Promise programs. It’s our job to make sure they are informed about their college opportunities, for them and as an investment in the future of our communities.

The “Oakland Promise” has been one of the most heralded programs in the nation and is the most comprehensive I have seen, aiming to ensure every Oakland student from kindergarten through high school is able to attend college. Yet, some people are not aware that such an initiative exists. One possibility would be to couple the Promise program with the Board of Governors Fee Waiver, a program very well known among community college students. Coupling these programs will benefit both and better inform students of their options for attending – and completing – career training or university preparation at community colleges.

Finally, many colleges throughout the state are raising money for the College Promise programs they have started. The Peralta Colleges commitment will be to continue to do so. Just as the Oakland Promise shows, a college promise should be more than a tuition promise. College puts many demands on students, from food and housing to books and clothing, which the Promises should aim to address.

In these uncertain times, California should not be left behind by having a largely underfunded Promise program. I appeal to the legislature, Governor of California, and all our communities to gather together the will and the means to generously support our most precious resource and investment in our future generations: education.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Related Topics:Education Jowel Laguerre Opinion Peralta College District

Up Next

Opinion: Institutional Racism Is Real In Oakland

Don't Miss

Oakland’s Summer of Innovation Gallery Walk and Ceremony, Aug. 3rd

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Bay Area

Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley Celebrates 90th Anniversary

Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., who has served as Progressive Missionary’s pastor since September 1977, said the church also delights in the fact that it has hosted only five pastors in its 90-year history, including Pastors James E. Moore, H. A. Green, F. Douglas Farrell, and Edward Stovall, who served for 37 years.

Published

1 week ago

May 16, 2025

Oakland Post

Progressive Missionary Baptist Poster. Dr. Earl C. Stuckey, Sr., Pastor of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in Berkeley with his wife, Kay Frances Stuckey.

By Oakland Post Staff

The Progressive Missionary Baptist Church of Berkeley is celebrating its 90th church anniversary on Sunday, May 18 at 10 a.m. at 3301 King Street in Berkeley.

The celebration will feature Pastor Darnell Manuel of the Union Baptist Church in Vallejo as guest speaker, along with many other special presentations.

Those who wish to share in Progressive’s history can purchase a 100-page full-colored souvenir book for $25.

The church boasts a number of notable people who either regularly attended or became members of the church since its inception, including former Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, Oakland mayoral candidate Loren Taylor, and one of the organizers of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, Helen J. H. Stephens.

Pastor Stuckey often remarks how longevity flourishes at the church — it boasts 13 centenarians (people who have reached 100 years or more). Currently, it has one centenarian who is still surviving, Mrs. Dorothy Chambers, and 14 members who have reached 90 years or more.

Recently, on Feb.17, the pastor and his wife Kay Frances, celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Faces Around the Bay: Author Karen Lewis Took the ‘Detour to Straight Street’

“My life has been a roller-coaster with an unlimited ride wristband! I was raised in Berkeley during the time of Ron Dellums, the Black Panthers, and People’s Park. I was a Hippie kid, my Auntie cut off all our hair so we could wear the natural styles like her and Angela Davis.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Karen Lewis. Courtesy photo.

By Barbara Fluhrer

I met Karen Lewis on a park bench in Berkeley. She wrote her story on the spot.

I got married young, then ended up getting divorced, raising two boys into men. After my divorce, I had a stroke that left me blind and paralyzed. I was homeless, lost in a fog with blurred vision.

Jesus healed me! I now have two beautiful grandkids. At 61, this age and this stage, I am finally free indeed. Our Lord Jesus Christ saved my soul. I now know how to be still. I lay at his feet. I surrender and just rest. My life and every step on my path have already been ordered. So, I have learned in this life…it’s nice to be nice. No stressing, just blessings. Pray for the best and deal with the rest.

Nobody is perfect, so forgive quickly and love easily!”

Lewis’ book “Detour to Straight Street” is available on Amazon.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Golden State Warriors Program Is Inspiring Next Generation of Female Engineers

Breaking down barriers and biases that deter young girls from pursuing STEAM subjects is essential for creating a level playing field and ensuring equal opportunities for all. By challenging stereotypes and promoting a culture of inclusivity and diversity in STEAM fields, experts believe young girls can be empowered to pursue their interests and aspirations without limitations confidently. Encouraging mentorship, providing access to resources, and celebrating girls’ achievements in STEAM are all crucial steps in creating a supportive environment that fosters success.

Published

2 months ago

March 23, 2025

Oakland Post

Front Row: UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team Back Row: Girls, Inc. Participants. Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

The Golden State Warriors and e-commerce giant Rakuten are joining forces to inspire the next generation of female engineers through Building STEAM Futures, part of The City Calls campaign.

Organizers say the initiative is founded on the idea that science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) are crucial fields for innovation and progress, and empowering young girls to pursue careers in these areas is more important than ever. Studies consistently show that girls are underrepresented in STEAM fields, resulting in a gender disparity that limits potential and hinders diversity.

On Saturday, March 8, International Women’s Day, the Warriors and Rakuten hosted 20 middle school girls from Girls Inc. of Alameda County at Chase Center’s Above the Rim for a hands-on bridge-building experience. The young girls from Girls, Inc. of Alameda County had an opportunity to design, build and test their own bridge prototypes and learn the fundamentals of bridge construction from the Engineering Alliance and the UC Berkeley Steel Bridge Team.

This STEAM experience for the girls followed the first session in January, where they took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Golden Gate Bridge, learning about its design and construction from industry experts. The City Calls campaign, tipped off with the unveiling the Warriors’ new bridge-themed City Edition jerseys and court design earlier this year.