April 09, 2020
Christina Jimenez
cjimenez@cccco.edu
T 916.322.4004
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley issued the following statement on the Department of Education’s allocation of emergency funds for students:
“I urge our colleges to act swiftly to distribute these funds, nearly $300 million in aid, to students with the greatest need so that they may continue their educational goals. The CARES Act provides colleges with significant discretion on how to award this emergency aid to students, which is what the California Community Colleges sought in this legislation. This flexibility allows these funds to cover the cost attending college, including food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and child care related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In future emergency aid legislation for education, we urge the Department of Education and Congress to prioritize public institutions of higher education, especially community college who will play a key role in connecting displaced workers to career training opportunities and will be on the front lines of economic recovery efforts.”
The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 115 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; degree and certificate pathways; and basic skills education in English and math. As the state’s engine for social and economic mobility, the California Community Colleges supports the Vision for Success, a strategic plan designed to improve student success outcomes, increase transfer rates and eliminate achievement gaps. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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