SBUnifiedBy the Santa Barbara Unified School District
Partners and collaborators since 1998, the Santa Barbara Unified School District and Santa Barbara City College are announcing additional grant funding to expand the cutting-edge dual-enrollment program that has impacted thousands of our community’s brightest students.
SBUSD and SBCC have provided more than 40 dual-enrollment courses over the past 25 years, spanning 13 academic and Career Technical Education (CTE) departments.
With the $550,000 grant that will be used from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2027, the dual-enrollment program will be expanded to include:
-
Financial: Stipends/extra pay for release time for instructors and counselors (both LEA and SBCC) to collaborate, articulate courses; stipends/extra pay for counselors for family engagement/outreach events
-
Organizational: Dual enrollment data management platform
-
Expanded learning: Professional Development for our Dual Enrollment Teachers and Counselors
The grant funding will include $250,000 toward middle college and $100,000 each for the College and Career Access Pathways programs at Santa Barbara High, San Marcos High and Dos Pueblos High.
“We are excited to continue to evolve the dual-enrollment opportunities for our students and their families. We have seen firsthand the impact it has on our community,” said Dr. Hilda Maldonado, SBUSD’s superintendent. “SBCC is an incredible partner and continues to help us challenge the status quo, making sure that we continue to expand educational opportunities that fit the lives of our students. This grant will go a long way to making sure the proper resources are available when our students need them most.”
For SBCC, it’s a continued investment in building tangible and long-standing relationships with families in the community by offering opportunities that impact lives.
“Infusing more financial commitment into this partnership is, and always will be, a major goal of ours,” said Dr. Erika Endrijonas, superintendent/president at SBCC. “We accept the challenges brought forth by our progressive community, albeit more rigorous academic opportunities or aiding students with needs or interests that require more flexibility. We are here to serve all of our community, and are grateful to have a partner such as Santa Barbara Unified as we continue to expand our collective vision.”
“We are so excited for the opportunities this grant will create for our dual enrollment students,” said Angelica Contreras, SBCC’s acting director of Admissions and Records and Dual Enrollment. “This grant will help us solidify and create thoughtful pathways for our students. It will allow us to step back and be intentional about the students we serve and what resources they need to be successful.”
Why the partnership is mission critical for our community
In 2021, SBUSD and SBCC entered into a College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) agreement to reflect their shared vision of creating an inclusive, equitable, and supportive community for all learners with comprehensive student support as the foundation.
The CCAP dual enrollment partnership agreement is consistent with the requirements of Section 76004 of California Education Code and gives students access to dual enrollment opportunities pursuant to the CCAP partnership agreement. That includes the commitment to:
-
Expand CCAP opportunities by increasing the number of students served at high schools who are a part of the existing agreement and by adding high schools within the district not currently covered by the existing agreement.
-
Expand existing CCAP partnership agreements with the community college district to include and/or strengthen pupil advising, student success support services, and outreach campaigns to promote dual enrollment. Outreach shall be focused on families and pupils who may not be college bound or who are underrepresented in higher education.
In order to increase awareness of this mission, SBCC and SBUSD organize outreach events such as Vaquero Round-Up, College & Career fairs and summer bridge programming.
The program aims to provide greater opportunities for underrepresented student groups, including socio-economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, and English learners. These student groups often do not have access to the same opportunities historically, nor do they view themselves as college-bound. The program intends to target funds in these areas to address these disparities.
Agree – the SBUSD and GUSD have been watering down GATE and AP for quite a while, so this continued investment is great.
Basicinfo805 – not sure what you mean by watering down. I know the principal at DPHS shared last year that their AP exam scores are extremely strong- much higher than state/national averages. And the IB program is top notch too. By watering down do you imply opening access to previously underrepresented students? I would hope not. I think our advanced students are wonderfully served in SBUSD with AP, IB, and Dual Enrollment options. And look at how many students matriculate all over the country to great schools. Please clarify what you mean by “watering down.”
Dual enrollment is great! Advanced kids can really get a head start on college, taking advanced Calculus, English, Stats, History, and CTE classes. My kid was able to transfer to a UC after just one year at SBCC thanks to dual enrollment.
The Middle Collegebis critical for District students who do not fit in or thrive in traditional high school. SBCC needs to return to allowing tested 5th to 10th graders enroll without a parent attending class with them. It’s ludicrous! Other CXs have kids college: SBCC is too small. With that said, academically qualified 5th o 10th students seeking math, foreign language, history, science must be allowed to enroll. Trust me. I have had to attend classes in math, foreign languages and I’ve no idea what is being taught but my kids test As. By 1-th grade. Local advanced students have 60 units to gain transfer to a CA UC as a junior and or are eligible for freshman standing at elite universities.
Happy SBUSD is doing well with high achievers with involved parents. Seems like part of the core mission of a school, but congratulations all around to everyone for doing that part (10-20%) of their job well. I could argue that those parents are about the only ones getting a valuable return on their education tax dollars and the others just get the certificate of completion the high school diploma has become, but that obviously involves much much too high expectations of overall achievement by SBUSD employees