Coalition 

The strength of the Campaign’s work is built on a core philosophy that the power of a bi-partisan and statewide coalition of business, education, faith-based organizations, labor, community, and civic leaders can inform and influence positive change in California higher education.  The Campaign engages in coalition building to ensure that California honors its historic commitment to higher education and produces the one million additional graduates California businesses will need by 2025.

We acknowledge the importance of a college education to transform a person's life; equally important is the public benefit that producing a more educated citizenry provides each and every one of us. In fact, for every dollar California invests to get more students in and through college above current levels, it receives a net return on investment of $4.50. 

Every one of our achievements is a result of the engagement of our coalition in critical activities.  Our coalition partners are engaged in mobilizing support for statewide legislation, co-hosting events and engaging the media to increase public awareness, co-sponsoring critical research to increase awareness about the challenges and opportunities facing California higher education, and implementing key programs and best practices meant to increase college access and improve outcomes for students.

Policy Endorsers
Hundreds of individuals and organizations have been an integral part of supporting and passing legislation to strengthen our higher educational system and ensure that students have the opportunity to go to college and successfully achieve their higher education goals. See a list of our sponsors and the legislation they endorsed.

Divided We Fail Research Co-Releasers
The Campaign recently released a report entitled ‘Divided We Fail: Improving Completion and Closing Racial Gaps in California’s Community Colleges.’ The report, authored by the Institute for Higher Education Leadership & Policy (IHELP) at Sacramento State University and co-released with 15 partnering organizations, shows that college success remains an elusive goal for many students in California’s community colleges. Read a complete list of co-releasers.

One Million More College Graduates by 2025 Campaign (1MM)
The Public Policy Institute of California projects that by 2025, the state will be one million baccalaureate degrees short of meeting the economic productivity demands of our economy.  Critical workforce shortages in the health professions and in science, technology, engineering and math, are at stake. . More than 1,000 Californians across the state have joined the 1MM Campaign and signed the pledge calling on Governor Jerry Brown to put forward a statewide plan to increase college access and student success so we can produce one million more college graduates. Learn more about the 1MM Campaign, and view a list of influential Californians who’ve signed the pledge.

“Save Me a Spot in College” Partners
The “Save Me a Spot in College” scholarship contest was a program sponsored by the Campaign over the course of 5 years (2005-2010), engaging middle and high school students to think about and plan for college. Partners not only encouraged students to apply to the scholarship contest, they committed to building a college going culture on their middle and high school campuses, in after-school programs, and at the community centers where they worked. We are proud that despite the discontinuation of the scholarship contest, these hundreds of partners statewide continue to work with students to ensure they receive the education they deserve and have the opportunity to go to college and be successful.