2013

FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ

Chancellor, Los Angeles Community College District

LOS ANGELES COLLEGE PROMISE

The American community-college system was envisioned to be the most egalitarian higher education institution in the world. But its potential has yet to be fully unlocked for all of this country’s residents—opportunity is still distributed disproportionately.

Students are graduating from high school at higher rates in recent years. While that is very good news, the college-going rate has generally stayed the same, especially for historically under-enrolled populations. Here in Los Angeles, where I administer a community college district of nine schools, for every ten students who graduate high school, only six go on to college. We all should find that rate unacceptable and a threat to our democracy and economic well-being.

In 2015, the Obama administration unveiled America’s College Promise, a program designed to make the first two years of community college tuition-free for students nationwide. It was an incredible commitment to make sure that anyone, no matter their background, could further their education.

We moved quickly to make the promise a reality here in L.A. With support from key donors like The Broad Foundation, Los Angeles College Promise was able to offer one year of tuition-free education to all graduates of the city’s public high schools at any of the community colleges in our district. To that end, in 2017 we wrote a letter of admission to every single graduating senior, congratulating them on their success and informing them they were welcome to attend any of our colleges. Many students had never dreamed of receiving a letter of admission to college. It was really a letter of affirmation signaling that they were welcome here and “college material.” And we accepted them all, without exception and without apology.

In the first year, enrollment in the program soared past our expectations; instead of three thousand, just over four thousand students took advantage of Los Angeles College Promise. Fifty percent of our students live at or below the poverty line. Their resources are limited, and the idea that they could go to one of our colleges tuition-free is a powerful concept and incentive.

But it’s not just about the tuition. It’s about supporting everyone, including those who are undocumented. It’s about encouraging them from their first day until their graduation. And it’s about ensuring that all attend and complete college. We’re consciously fostering a climate of care and concern. Our students tell us they feel safe and supported on our campuses, and we want to keep it that way.