California Competes

California Competes is an American nonprofit policy organization seeking to increase access to college and improve college graduation rates.[1] Created in 2011 by civic and business leaders in California, the group has labeled the state's higher education system dysfunctional and called for better coordination and planning for the future needs of the state's economy.[2] The group's work has included advocating for a more robust statewide education data system and for greater financial supports for parents in college.[3][4] [5] Prior research had revealed that lower-income areas of the state were being shortchanged in the support they were receiving for community colleges.[6]

One of the group's first reports faulted a California Community College regulation for contributing to costly stalemates between campus stakeholders.[2] After the statewide community college chancellor refused to consider a change to the regulation, California Competes filed a lawsuit asking a judge to throw out the rules as inconsistent with the law enacted by the legislature.[7] The lawsuit was not successful.[8]

California Competes is governed by a council that was chaired for the group's first several years by Bob Foster, mayor of Long Beach.[9] The staff are led by executive director Su Jin Gatlin Jez. Her predecessor, Lande Ajose, left in 2019 to to become higher education advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom.[10] The group's first director, Robert Shireman, left to join the Century Foundation in 2015.[11]

References
  1. Smith, Ashley A. "California's higher education leaders see an opportunity in crisis". EdSource. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  2. Blumenstyk, Goldie (June 7, 2012). "'Dysfunctional' Higher-Education Policy Is Called Threat to California Economy". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  3. Ajose, Lande; Lempert, Ted (2018-12-21). "Opinion: Data will define 'cradle to career' educational success". The Mercury News. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  4. Wood, Sarah (February 3, 2020). "New Report Reveals Financial Barriers for Student Parents in California - Higher Education". Diverse Issues in Higher Education. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  5. "COMMENTARY: California needs a better education data system but who will manage it?". EdSource. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  6. Dulaney, Josh (2013-11-19). "California Community Colleges fail to reach poor communities, report says". Press Telegram. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  7. Baron, Kathryn (December 13, 2012). "Academic senate influence challenged at community colleges". EdSource. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  8. Baron, Kathryn (November 7, 2013). "Judge upholds shared governance at community colleges". EdSource. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  9. "California Competes Welcomes Julia Lopez to Leadership Council". California Competes. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  10. Gordon, Larry (February 7, 2019). "CA Gov. Newsom's higher ed advisor to tackle access and financial aid issues". EdSource. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  11. Lederman, Doug (July 13, 2015). "Bob Shireman's New Perch to Work on Education Issues | Inside Higher Ed". www.insidehighered.com. Retrieved 2020-12-24.


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