This resource presents key insights from interviews and focus groups conducted by Capitol Impact between May and October 2025 with a range of stakeholders, including students, families, educators, and employers. It highlights several challenges faced by priority student populations, particularly low-income, first-generation, and students of color. Key barriers include transportation issues that limit access to education, lack of centralized student support services, and the financial strain of affording college. Many students struggle to balance work and academic commitments, with insufficient financial aid adding to the pressure. To address these challenges, the report recommends expanding college readiness resources, improving financial aid guidance, addressing transportation barriers, and strengthening career pathways through mentorship and work-based learning opportunities. These actions aim to increase student success and equity in education.

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.

This resource presents valuable insights from interviews and focus groups conducted by Capitol Impact between May and October 2025 with a wide range of stakeholders, including students, families, educators, and employers. It highlights key challenges in dual enrollment, including inequities in access for underserved students, isolation in online courses, and logistical barriers like transportation and inconsistent resources. Administrative barriers, such as misaligned policies and systems, also disrupt program success. To address these issues, the report recommends strengthening K-12 and community college partnerships, offering family-centered orientations, integrating career pathways, and addressing equity gaps for priority student groups.

This resource outlines critical insights and actionable recommendations gathered through interviews and focus groups with diverse stakeholders, including students, families, educators, and employers. Conducted by Capitol Impact between May and October 2025, the findings highlight several key themes essential to building strong career pathways. Notably, the importance of early career awareness and guidance is emphasized, as well as the need for stronger employer-education partnerships to ensure alignment between industry needs and educational outcomes. Additionally, the report underscores the significance of addressing equity challenges to expand opportunities for underrepresented students in STEM fields, advocating for mentorship, skill-building, and access to resources to help close gaps and support long-term career success.

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.

Career pathways maps serve three key functions: aligning programs and services, connecting educational achievements with certification and employment, and helping students navigate their options based on their interests. This toolkit is designed for community colleges, K-12 partners, and ideally, four-year institutions to map strong, seamless career pathways. By providing clear pathways, these maps help students progress through college, earn valuable credentials, and secure jobs that support their families. Included in the resources are an example case study, sector-specific pathway maps, and blank templates for your use.

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.

The aim of this informational session is to explore the Sacramento K-16 Collaborative data sharing agreement and pilot project. The meeting details an in-depth look at the Primary MOU and Secondary Data Agreement, with specifics to security and governance frameworks, and describes how to have additional institutions join.

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.