Calbright is a new kind of college, designed to be different. That’s why, at the end of each fiscal year, the California State Legislature has Calbright College prepare a “Milestone Report” detailing how this unique project is going: Are we living up to the state’s goals to support California’s “stranded workers”?
The good news from this year’s Milestone Report is that Calbright continues to meet or exceed every standard and benchmark the State Legislature set for us.
The big news this year is: Calbright is growing.
Over the last fiscal year Calbright’s student body grew by 60%, and the number of certificates it awarded to program graduates grew by 114%. At the end of June 2024, Calbright’s student body hovered at 4,500 students, and the College had awarded 411 graduating certificates that year – the most in its history.
Those students are among the most diverse of any college, truly representing California. As of June 2024:
- 90% of Calbright students are 25+ years old (compared to 45% across the CCC system); with a median age in the late 30s. The average age of a Calbright graduate at the time they completed their program is 40 years old.
- Nearly 70% of students identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color
- 31% of students identify as Hispanic,
- 22% identify as Black (more than triple the CCC rate), and
- 19% identify as Asian.
- 30% are parents or caregivers (compared to 10% across the CCC system).
- 42% of students are unemployed, 53% work one job, and 6% work two or more jobs.
- 52 of California’s 58 counties are represented by the student body, including 34 of the state’s 40 rural counties.
Calbright’s success is proving that higher education can innovate and change – especially when it comes to serving a wide range of communities, primarily those who have been left behind by traditional institutions. If you build a college that is accessible and meets people’s needs, they will enroll.
