Our Publications
February 2012 | Black Students and Higher Education Profile
The Blacks and Higher Education California Profile was compiled by The Campaign for College Opportunity with data from The Institute for Higher Education Leadership and Policy (IHELP) at Sacramento State University and UCLA IDEA, UC/ACCORD. The profile documents college-going rates and completion rates for black students finding downward trends in both areas. At a time when the state is projected to have a shortage of one million trained workers with a baccalaureate degree, California must ensure that more black students graduate from high school ready for college and are successful in reaching their college goals.
October 2010 | Divided We Fail: Improving Completion and Closing Racial Gaps in California’s Community Colleges
This report, commissioned by The Campaign from The Institute for Higher Education Leadership and Policy (IHELP) at Sacramento State University and released with 15 partnering organizations, shows that college success remains an elusive goal for many students in California’s community colleges.The report tracks over six years more than a quarter of a million degree seeking students who entered a California community college (CCC) in 2003-04 and analyzes their progress and outcomes by major racial/ethnic populations.
Download the Key Findings Read the Full Report
March 2010 | Policy Brief: Some Lessons from Florida for California Higher Education Policy
The higher education policies and practices in other states, particularly those with large and diverse populations, may offer lessons for California in its efforts to increase degree production. Florida is viewed as a reform-oriented state in the area of education policy, and has participated in a number of recent national projects focused on improving student outcomes. It is the fourth-largest state in the country and, like California, has a large public higher education system that relies heavily on its community colleges. This report explores some of Florida's best practices and what California might learn from them.
February 2010 | Moving California Ahead: Increasing College Completion in the Golden State
This report explored opportunities for the state of California to utilize the proposed federal College Access & Completion Innovation Fund and The American Graduation Initiative proposed in 2009. While the federal act HR 3221: the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act did not pass, this report's recommendations suggest strategies for California to increase college-going and improve student success that can be pursued regardless of the additional funding.
June 2009 | Technical Difficulties: Meeting California's Needs in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) Fields
This report, commissioned by the Campaign from the Sacramento State Institute for Higher Education Leadership and Policy (IHELP) and co-released with Bay Area Council, finds California’s colleges and universities are not producing enough graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, which could result in a talent deficit in key industries in the state and prolonged economic woes.
Download the Executive Summary
April 2009 | California Community College Transfer: Cutting the Gordian Knot
Transfer is one of the main functions of the California Community College system, and remains one of the most complicated and confusing functions as well. This paper provides a perspective on fixing transfer—from a former California Community College statewide dean and legislative policy analyst. Transfer degrees, recommended in this report, are a crucial element of reform; but, a defined transfer-degree curriculum is only one strand in the Gordian knot, there must also be an encompassing structure for student success.
November 2007 | Closing the Health Workforce Gap in California
This study, commissioned by The Campaign and co-released with Kaiser Permanente and the California Wellness Foundation, provides a comprehensive view of the allied health workforce, including nursing. The study found that California lags behind the rest of the nation in providing an adequate health care workforce.
Download the Executive Summary Read the Full Report
February 2007 | Early Commitment to College
This report summarized the need for a program that seeks to improve educational attainment in California – Early College Commitment. Senate Bill 890, established the Early Commitment to College program that was signed into law in 2008. The premise of the program: the State of California will commit a place in college, support services and financial aid to eligible middle and high school students who sign a Save Me a Spot in College Pledge and take steps to prepare themselves for the opportunity.
Download the Executive Summary
April 2006 | Keeping California's Edge
This report, authored by Dr. Robert Fountain of Sacramento State University and commissioned by The Campaign for College Opportunity and co-released with the California Business Roundtable, analyzes the demand for highly educated workers in California through 2022.
Download the Executive Summary Read the Full Report
November 2005 | Return on Investment
This report by UC Berkeley researchers Henry Brady, Michael Hout and Jon Stiles, quantifies the potential benefits of state investment in higher education — and the cost of failing to invest. We find that the gains are substantial: for every new dollar California invests to get more students in and through college above current levels, it will receive a net return on investment of three dollars.
Read the Fast FactsDownload the Executive Summary
May 2005 | Listen Up: Californians Respond to the College-Access Crisis
The Campaign visited every major region in the state to document what Californians had to say about the challenges facing higher education with ever-increasing demand yet shrinking budgets, and their ideas for solutions. The Listening Tour took us from the classroom to the boardroom and many places in between. There was resounding agreement in every region and from all sectors that the state must develop a plan to ensure college opportunity for this growing young population. This report chronicles what we learned on the Listening Tour and includes new regional enrollment forecasts, real-life student stories, and recommendations for solutions.