Despite attempts by Legislature to eliminate Calbright College, Newsom advisor indicates support – Ed Source
Assembly unanimously voted to eliminate online college, Senate to discuss next week
Calbright College, the state’s exclusively online community college, appears to have support from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office despite attempts by the Legislature to eliminate its funding.
Lande Ajose, Newsom’s senior policy adviser on higher education, said: “We remain supportive of Calbright, and we’ll continue to even as there has been some critique.”
There is research that shows adult students need to be able to access distance learning, and it isn’t something they want to go away, Ajose said. “So we’re very supportive of Calbright and think that it has a lot to offer for the state.”
Ajose made the comments Wednesday during a webinar event with the Campaign for College Opportunity, in which she discussed the new state budget and the governor’s higher education priorities.
Calbright is a free, self-paced alternative to traditional colleges intended to serve adults between the ages of 25 and 34 who lack college degrees or need additional skills to qualify for higher-paying jobs. The college uses a competency-based education model, which assesses students based on the skills they learn and not the amount of time spent in a class.