Community colleges: baccalaureate degree program: Southwestern Community College District.
The bill is positioned as a direct response to workforce projections indicating the creation of over 25,000 jobs in South San Diego County by 2033, many of which will require baccalaureate degrees. By allowing SWC to provide aligned baccalaureate programs, AB 664 aims to fill these labor market needs while promoting educational equity in a region that already faces substantial educational barriers. The bill intends to enhance the educational infrastructure in an area identified as a 'college desert', which lacks sufficient academic offerings to meet local workforce demands.
Assembly Bill 664, introduced by Assembly Member Alvarez, aims to expand access to baccalaureate degree programs within the California Community Colleges system, specifically targeting underserved areas like South San Diego County. The bill recognizes the lack of a public university offering such programs in Chula Vista, the largest city in California without a public university, which has limited higher education options for over 585,000 residents. By authorizing the Southwestern Community College District (SWC) to offer a limited number of baccalaureate degrees, the legislation seeks to address critical gaps in educational access and workforce needs in the region.
Notably, AB 664 proposes to develop these baccalaureate programs in a manner that does not compete with existing local educational programs, focusing instead on filling gaps identified in regional workforce analyses. This aspect of the bill seeks to ensure that any new programs developed are collaborative with current public postsecondary institutions, aimed at minimizing unnecessary competition and maximizing resource efficiency. However, debates may arise regarding the feasibility of establishing new programs without affecting existing institutions, as well as concerns over funding and resource allocation.