In five rural California counties, community college access is lacking | Opinion

California’s Community College system is a national leader in providing affordable, high-quality education, but access remains uneven across the state.

While many areas benefit from a strong network of community college districts, five rural counties — Amador, Alpine, Mariposa, Modoc and Sierra — are left wholly or mostly outside such districts. Expanding education access to these counties will improve educational opportunities and economic growth, raising the overall quality of life for students and residents.

Community colleges play a vital role in rural areas, serving as economic engines, offering job training and fostering entrepreneurship, contributing to diversified economies and new job opportunities. Apprenticeship programs and training certificates also allow rural communities to fill middle-skill jobs, including those in forestry, healthcare, agriculture and education.

A key benchmark for California’s Community College system is providing students with the resources to successfully transfer to four-year institutions. A recent CalMatters article found that 60% of the community colleges with the lowest transfer rates are in rural areas, often hours from the nearest four-year institution. In comparison, Irvine Valley College in Southern California boasts the highest transfer rate, at nearly 17%.

Geographic isolation and limited transportation options in rural counties create substantial barriers to higher education access. In mountainous counties like Mariposa, where I serve as a county supervisor, commuting to distant community colleges remains time-consuming, expensive and hazardous — especially during inclement weather. Given these challenges, it’s no surprise that across the five unserved counties, the college-going rate is 50% for high school graduates (compared to the California average of 62%).

Futhermore, according to the California State University Enrollment Data Dashboard, of the 428,271 California students enrolled into a CSU, only 340 of them came from any of the five, unserved counties.

As students seek educational opportunities beyond their hometowns, the resulting talent drain deprives rural economies of skilled workers and entrepreneurs, contributing to economic stagnation and diminished prospects for future generations.

Despite the advantages, there are barriers to expanding the number and reach of California’s Community College districts.

One of the most pressing obstacles is the budgetary constraints and limited tax revenue potential that often characterize these regions. California allocates state funding to community college districts based on student enrollment, student success metrics and participation in specific programs. The Student Centered Funding Formula, while aiming to improve funding, can actually pose challenges for expanding community college education in rural areas due to low enrollment, limited resources, geographic isolation, economic disparities and transportation issues.

Addressing barriers to higher education requires collaborative innovation, including exploring solutions like new funding models and public-private partnerships, alongside leveraging techniques including hybrid learning, dual enrollment and mobile classrooms to expand access.

Recent legislation, Senate Bill 1222 and Assembly Bill 240, supported by the Rural County Representatives of California and education and community organizations, sought to provide modest resources to study rural community college access and provide policy recommendations for the five rural counties mentioned above. While these bills were ultimately unsuccessful, they underscored the need for continued advocacy, bringing together policymakers, educators, community leaders and students to address this important issue.

Investing in community college access in unserved rural areas is critical for bridging the educational divide. By expanding pathways to higher education, we can provide rural students with the opportunities they deserve and help revitalize communities that have been underserved for too long. Policymakers and stakeholders must prioritize this issue and work together to develop solutions that will benefit all of California.

This story was originally published June 5, 2025 at 6:00 AM.