Newsom sends another $58 million to the college-to-career pipeline

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — Governor Gavin Newsom announced an additional $58 million in school-to-career funding Wednesday, just hours after President Joe Biden relieved student loan debt. This disbursement comes months after approximately $162 million was sent to schools across Northern California. 

This chunk of funding is from the K-16 Education Collaboratives Grant Program, which is aimed at streamlining high school to higher education and ultimately the workplace and creating a more equitable education system. The Los Angeles Region K-16 Collaborative, Border Region Inclusive Talent Pipeline Collaborative and Inland Empire Collaborative all received $18 million to close educational and workplace gaps. 

“We’re closing equity gaps, providing more resources to help our students achieve their career goals right in their own communities, and streamlining the pipeline from K-12 to higher education to careers,” Newsom said in a statement. 

Newsom has a long history of taking on education access and quality at all levels — from pushing for universal preschool and giving first-time community college students two years free to the Cradle to Career data system. 

The Los Angeles Region K-16 Collaborative is working to improve enrollment and degree completion and opening up more opportunities for engineering, healthcare and computer science careers. The Border Region and Inland Empire Collaboratives are geared toward careers in business, technology, education, healthcare, and engineering. 

All collaboratives getting funding have to commit to seven goals, including diversifying staff, subsidizing internet access for students, crafting an equity-centered learning environment and making college more affordable. The groups must also send quarterly reports to track goal progress and explain expenditures. 

“The Department of General Services is pleased to continue funding efforts for the first phase of this innovative program and is excited to see the work that will be accomplished in these newly awarded regions,” said department director Ana Lasso in a statement, “We are looking forward to rolling out the second phase of funding for the program soon, which will provide additional opportunities to expand this program throughout all regions of the state.”

So far, the program has reached 60 counties across 13 economic regions.

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