San Diego Community College District

The governing boards of the San Diego Community College District and the San Diego Unified School District invite the public to attend a March 17 joint meeting that will focus on promoting student success from pre-kindergarten through college.   

The meeting is set to begin at 5 p.m. at Kearny High School, 7651 Wellington St., 92111.

The SDCCD and San Diego Unified educate more than 230,000 students combined.  The SDCCD is the second-largest community college district in California and San Diego Unified is the second-largest K-12 system in the state.

The meeting’s purpose is to better coordinate curriculum between the two districts.  Specific topics will include building on successful early/middle college high school programs and aligning mathematics and English courses to boost college readiness.

Also to be discussed is Assembly Bill 86, which provides grants to community colleges and secondary school districts to develop regional plans that better serve the educational needs of adults, including courses required for a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate, citizenship and English as a second language (ESL) classes for immigrants, and short-term career technical education programs with high employment potential.

“The partnership between our two districts has already made an important difference in opportunities for K-12 students who are preparing for higher education,” said Constance M. Carroll, SDCCD Chancellor.  “Whether these students intend to pursue an associate degree, a bachelor’s degree or a career in the near future, our very practical initiatives provide exactly the instructional pathways they need.”

San Diego Unified Superintendent Cindy Marten agreed.

“Whether our students are engaged in the Maker Movement at Qualcomm’s Thinkabit Lab or participating in our robust dual enrollment college programs with the San Diego Community College District, the world of college and career has never been more accessible, available and attainable for all students in San Diego Unified,” added Superintendent Marten.

The meeting comes as state legislators work on a 2015-16 budget proposed by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr., that calls for substantial increases in education funding.  The Governor’s budget provides a $1.1 billion increase for the California Community Colleges, of which the SDCCD would receive approximately $35 million.  The proposed spending plan would increase the average per-pupil spending in the San Diego Unified from $9,361 this year to $9,667 for 2015-16.

The March 17 meeting will mark the fourth joint session since 2011.