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This resource provides key insights from interviews and focus groups conducted by Capitol Impact between May and October 2025, involving students, families, educators, and employers. It highlights several challenges in the transfer process, such as complex and inconsistent systems, unclear requirements, and inadequate advising support. Transfer students often face additional barriers as they transition to four-year institutions, where they may be assumed to need less support despite their unique challenges. To improve the process, the report recommends enhancing K-12 outreach, funding community college transfer centers, standardizing course equivalencies, and increasing support for transfer students through mentoring, workshops, and tailored resources. The resource also emphasizes the importance of building community and improving institutional coordination to reduce transfer fatigue and ensure successful student outcomes.

The Comebacker Campaign Social Media Guide is designed to help you share the campaign and encourage adult learners — especially from BIPOC communities — to re-enroll and complete their degrees or certificates. This guide includes ready-to-use materials such as a 3-page overview, photos, videos, radio audio, and suggested text in English and Spanish, all tailored for various social media platforms. By sharing these assets, you’ll help raise awareness and inspire action, supporting adult learners on their journey toward higher education and achievement.

This quarter’s policy brief by Capitol Impact focuses on the Recovery with Equity recommendation adopted by the Sacramento K-16 Collaborative to make college more affordable. The brief analyzes how state policy and programs are addressing the cost of college as well as the implications and opportunities for the Sacramento K-16 Collaborative to make access to college more equitable and affordable for all learners. Considerations are presented for each Sacramento K-16 Collaborative workgroup, as well as opportunities for Collaborative advocacy.

The Sacramento K-16 Collaborative partnered with Career Ladders Project (CLP) to conduct five virtual focus groups, engaging a total of 40 students. The purpose of these focus groups was to gain insights into the specific challenges faced by adult learners, first-generation students, and students of color on their transfer journey. This report presents key themes that emerged from the focus groups, offering perspectives to inform and enhance the institutions’ practices and processes. By centering student voices, these findings aim to help the Sacramento K-16 Collaborative in making meaningful improvements to support students navigating the transfer process.

This initial section of the policy brief outlines the state-level initiatives that influence education and workforce policy. Additionally, it includes a concise overview of student outcomes in higher education state-wide, highlighting areas of both growth and concern. By comprehending both student outcomes and these system-wide initiatives, the Collaborative can leverage potential opportunities for regional projects while also addressing any foreseeable challenges.

An overview of Los Rios’ Graduation Acceleration Initiative that aims to improve the student experience from application to graduation and transfer.

This initial section of the policy brief outlines the state-level initiatives that influence education and workforce policy. Additionally, it includes a concise overview of student outcomes in higher education state-wide, highlighting areas of both growth and concern. By comprehending both student outcomes and these system-wide initiatives, the Collaborative can leverage potential opportunities for regional projects while also addressing any foreseeable challenges.

Sharing Best Practices to Inform Action Plans

Sharing Best Practices to Inform Action Plans.

This first section of the policy brief provides an overview of the state-level initiatives in play that will impact higher education policy. In addition, a brief overview of trends in the field offers insight into areas of concern and opportunity. Understanding the current system-wide initiatives allows for the regional projects of the Collaborative to take advantage of potential future benefits as well as attempt to mitigate any identifiable concerns.

The aim of the analysis is to provide decision-makers in the Transfer Pathways Workgroup of the Sacramento K-16 Collaborative with data regarding transfer steps and systems across the K-12 districts, community colleges, and 4-year universities partnering in the Collaborative in order to enable workgroup action. Indeed, this Analysis is intended to deliver insights regarding exemplars and areas of opportunity in transfer supports and services to spur targeted and strategic uses of Collaborative funds to improve equitable transfer student outcomes across the region.