San Francisco Examiner
By Madeleine Beck
A $2 million grant could allow a total of 2,500 San Mateo County students to attend community college for free in the coming year.
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors President David Canepa on Monday announced the $2 million county grant to expand the Promise Scholars program, adding another 500 incoming students.
“This is just the first step … what I’d like to see is down the road, every community college student in San Mateo County having the ability to receive – through the Promise Scholars – the ability to have free community college,” Canepa said.
The Promise Scholars Program offers up to three years of scholarship and comprehensive support services for first-time, full-time community college students. It also provides fee waivers, textbook credit and monthly transportation incentives...
State Sen. Josh Becker applauded the expansion of the program Monday, adding that “investments like this are about improving equity and access to critical education and job training opportunities that are not readily available for all students graduating from under-resourced schools.”
Becker has introduced legislation, Senate Bill 659, that will allow community college districts flexibility to waive or reduce student fees, such as enrollment fees, by using existing local funds as approved by community college districts’ respective governing boards.
"Together, my bill and this investment will expand free college for up to a historic 6,000 students at San Mateo Community College District by the 2022-23 school year,” Becker said.