California Competes Policy Priorities

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Reimagining Higher Education to Serve All Californians

Californians with postsecondary degrees have consistently fared better than those without college credentials, and that was especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, because of their sustained employment, college-educated Californians have helped buoy the state’s economy.

An inclusive economic recovery and future resiliency depend on strengthening the education-to-employment pipeline in several important ways. We urge state and institutional leaders to focus on these interconnected goals:

  • Align higher education and workforce by engaging employers, leveraging regional approaches, and focusing on producing career-ready students;
  • Enable postsecondary access and success for adults through flexible pathways, versatile teaching and learning methods, and increased affordability;
  • Expand quality online education opportunities with effective pedagogy, improved cost structures, and broadband access for all;
  • Fuel improved coordination and cohesiveness across all stakeholders in the higher education ecosystem, including through the Cradle-to-Career Data System to promote evidence-based policymaking.

Read more about these priorities: Reimagining Higher Education to Serve All Californians.

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