Assemblymember David Alverez introduced a bill that would expand educational opportunities for low-income Baja California students.
Assembly Bill 91 will allow low-income students who reside within 45 minutes of the California-Mexico border to attend local community colleges without paying nonresident tuition.
“We live in a dynamic border region where we need to educate more students to fill the jobs required for growth,” said Assemblymember Alvarez in a statement. . “This bill will allow low-income residents who live close to the border to attend local community colleges.”
The bill would, in any academic year, prohibit more than 200 students at each SDICCCA college from being exempted from payment of the nonresident tuition fee.
According to the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, San Diego must double the number of people with post-secondary education by 2030 to meet the demands of the local economy. That equates to approximately 20,000 new skilled workers each year.
“Southwestern College is the cornerstone for affordable and accessible higher education opportunities in the South County” Southwestern College Superintendent/President Dr. Mark Sanchez said in a statement. “Expanding affordable access to low-income, binational students will make a significant contribution to our region’s binational workforce and economy.”
The bill is supported by the San Diego and Imperial Valley Counties Community College Association (SDICCCA), which includes Southwestern College.
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