West Valley-Mission
Community College District Free Community College

Two students studying and laughing

Overview

The Board of Trustees of the West Valley-Mission Community College District adopted a resolution on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, to use local funds to waive tuition and enrollment fees for its students. In a monumental step, the Board also decided to waive costs related to parking, health fees, and childcare, effective January 1, 2023.

This resolution authorized Chancellor Brad Davis and Chief of Staff Cade Story-Yetto to collaborate with local lawmakers on crafting legislation that would allow the District to use unrestricted general funds to provide fee waivers to students residing within its boundaries.

Shortly thereafter, Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) introduced AB 3158, legislation enabling West Valley-Mission Community College District (WVMCCD) to waive tuition fees for all students living in its service area. This bill builds on the successes of the San Mateo County Community College District's Free Tuition program, which Berman also supported. The bill has now passed both the Assembly and Senate and is awaiting the Governor's signature.

"I am excited to join forces with West Valley-Mission Community College District to eliminate tuition fees for their students," said Assemblymember Berman. "Two-thirds of California's community college students struggle with basic needs insecurities such as food and housing, a reality mirrored in WVMCCD's student population."

Berman continued, "AB 3158 gives our local community college district the authority to put significant financial resources back into students' pockets, ensuring they don't have to choose between taking the extra class they need or affording groceries or rent. I applaud the leadership at West Valley-Mission Community College District for doing everything they can to support their students to achieve their higher education dreams."

Addressing the Bay Area's escalating living costs, this legislation aims to alleviate the burden of state-mandated tuition fees. WVMCCD, funded through local property taxes, has successfully balanced its budget in recent years without imposing student fees, largely due to the District's College Promise Scholarship.

Chancellor Bradley Davis shared that while over 5,000 students have enrolled in the program, operationally it has proven challenging for students and staff. This bill will simplify the process and dramatically expand access to free tuition. "While our Promise Program has been a huge step in the right direction, making it operational has been a complex and costly endeavor. This bill will streamline the process, making free education a reality and empowering our staff to focus on what they do best: nurturing the minds and talents of our students," Chancellor Davis said.

Board President Anne Kepner added, "In an effort to eliminate barriers preventing students from achieving their educational goals, the Board recently allocated resources to waive student health and parking fees, provide free childcare for students, and approved a pilot program to waive tuition for students living in our service area. We are grateful Assemblymember Marc Berman will champion a bill allowing us to expand our free tuition program."

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, WVMCCD has seen a resurgence in overall enrollment. With new bachelor's degrees and workforce development programs on the horizon, the District is set to broaden its impact with more comprehensive educational pathways. Chancellor Davis remarked, "This bill comes during a renaissance of opportunity for our district, underscoring our commitment to inclusivity and educational enrichment. It is a testament to our belief that unrestricted access to education is a fundamental right, pivotal in unlocking every student's potential."

AB 3158 is sponsored by West Valley-Mission Community College District and has garnered support from local legislators, including State Senator Josh Becker as a principal co-author, and Assemblymembers Evan Low and Gail Pellerin as co-authors.

Endorsements

Outdoor patio with fountain


"The total cost of attending college is deterring many students from achieving their academic goals. When you consider the total costs of college including food, housing, and health care, in addition to tuition and books, we are crippling students and undermining their ability to succeed in the classroom. Many students are struggling to make ends meet, working multiple jobs and relying on food pantries to eat and friends’ couches to sleep. I’m grateful to the students we have heard from and look forward to working with them to address the issues they raised," said Assemblymember Marc Berman, who chairs the Assembly Select Committee on the Master Plan for Higher Education in California

-Assemblymember Marc Berman

"As we witness a troubling trend of increased housing and food insecurity among our young adults, higher education continues to be unattainable for so many," says Senator Dave Cortese who serves on the California Senate Education Committee and championed guaranteed income for unhoused students. "I am grateful for the leadership and partnership of the West Valley-Mission Community College District Board of Trustees as we work to create a path for our local students to access education, employment, career advancement and lifelong success."

-Senator Dave Cortese

Two students studying

Fact Sheet

  • State law requires community colleges charge $46 per unit, or almost $1,500 per year for a full-time student.
  • California Education code 76300 requires each Community College District to collect tuition and enrollment fees for students enrolled in courses.
  • Recently, the West Valley-Mission Community College District worked with legislative partners on SB 629, which would amend the education code to waive tuition and enrollment fees for students residing within district boundaries.
  • The District endeavors to enact legislation what would permit the same.
  • Upon the change in law, the district would be permitted to waive (or charge reduced) tuition and enrollment fees and use its local funds to provide students with free community college courses on each of our two campuses.
  • The West Valley-Mission Community College Board of Trustees is required to adopt appropriate and necessary resolutions relating to qualifications for students who would be eligible for reduced fees.
  • This change to the California Education code would also reconcile any concerns relating to potential gifts of public funds.
  • This program would not increase state funding for the District or commit the State to allocate any additional resources.
  • The resolution grants the District flexibility to determine all eligibility requirements.
  • The resolution authorizes the Chancellor to work closely with state legislators on authoring, introducing and championing legislation that uses District unrestricted general funds to provide fee waivers to residents of the District.
  • The WVM Board of Trustees must establish a framework and adopt policies to determine eligibility and students must demonstrate financial need (as determined by the District).
  • Students must reside in the WVMCCD boundary, thus preventing any real or perceived competition with neighboring community college districts.
  • WVMCCD must publicly provide financial impact information to a public Board meeting showing that the District has the funds to reduce fees for students and the District is prohibited from receiving reimbursement from the State.
  • We will incorporate the U.S. Department of Education’s definition of a student’s Total Cost of Attendance (COA) which includes:
    • COA is the estimate of tuition and fees, cost of room and board (or living expenses), cost of books, supplies, transportation, loan fees, and miscellaneous expenses (including a reasonable amount for the documented cost of a personal computer), allowance for childcare or other dependent care, costs related to a disability, and reasonable costs for eligible study abroad programs.
    • This resolution would authorize the District to use local unrestricted general funds, in addition to funding received under the California College Promise, to help students with total cost of attendance. The bill would define total cost of attendance for a student attending WVMCC as including the student’s tuition and fees, books, and supplies, living expenses, transportation expenses, and any other student expenses, and any other student expenses use to calculate a student’s financial need for purposes of federal Title IV student aid programs.
  • 50% Law Qualifications
    • The Fifty Percent Law of Education Code Section 84362, requires all community college districts, regardless of their base aid status, to spend at least half of their "current expense of education" budgetary dollars on "salaries for classroom instructions". As defined in the Education Code, faculty salaries, classified staff salaries, employee benefits, books, supplies, and equipment replacement account for "current expense for education" and fifty percent of this amount is to be spent on salaries for classroom instructors or faculty.
    • A district must provide fifty percent of its current expenses of education funds for faculty salaries or receive an exemption by the California Community College (CCC) Board of Governors. A district, who does not comply nor receives an exemption by the CCC Board of Governors, would be in violation of the Fifty Percent Law and the CCC Board of Governors would withhold apportionment funds of a determined amount until the CCC district adheres to the Fifty percent Law.