Calbright College is on the cusp of a transition. The all-online community college, launched in 2019, could cement its place in California’s higher ed landscape with an infusion of state funds. But if that funding doesn’t materialize, significant layoffs loom, and staff worry the cuts could undermine the institution’s mission.
Calbright was created to cater to the needs of the state’s adult learners with free, self-paced certificate programs, and state lawmakers gave the institution seven years to ramp up offerings and develop and implement a unique competency-based model. That launch was supported with $100 million in one-time start-up funds and $20 million in ongoing state support. (Amid the pandemic in 2021, the state reduced the college’s annual funding to $15 million and took back $40 million in unspent funds.)
In its first seven years, lawmakers set benchmarks for the college, including enrolling students by the last quarter of 2019, developing business and implementation plans, designing and validating 16 programs by July 2023, and achieving accreditation by spring 2025, among other milestones.
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