Public Administration Degree Types And Career Paths
Commentary: Nursing Bachelor's Degree Programs At Community Colleges Could Be A Game Changer
As hospitals in Orange County continue to contend with high nursing vacancy rates following the COVID-19 pandemic, the California State Legislature is poised to pass Senate Bill 895, vital legislation that would make bachelor of science in nursing degrees more accessible through the creation of a BSN pilot program in 15 community college districts across the state.
We support this legislation because it promises to alleviate the statewide nursing shortage and bridge the gap between the industry's growing preference for BSN degrees and the limited space in nursing programs at public universities, by far the most affordable option for many aspiring nurses. This issue is particularly pressing in Orange County where nine hospitals have achieved "Magnet Recognition" from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, widely considered the gold standard for professional nursing practice. To qualify for Magnet Recognition, hospitals must show that 100% of nurse leaders have a baccalaureate degree or higher.
However, nursing programs at public universities in Southern California are heavily impacted. In 2022-23, less than 8% of applicants to a public university BSN program in the Los Angeles/Orange County area were accepted. This is equivalent to roughly 700 enrolled students out of more than 9,000 qualified applicants.
Those unable to secure admission at a public university often turn to private institutions, resulting in substantial student debt. For example, a for-profit institution with one of the state's largest nursing programs charges approximately $146,000 for a BSN degree. This high cost can be prohibitive for low-income communities and may explain why some communities of color are underrepresented in the nursing profession. In California, Hispanics and Latinos make up 40% of the population, but only 9% of the Registered Nurse workforce.
Community colleges are poised to help address this problem. Ten California community colleges already have an existing framework for a BSN through formal concurrent enrollment nursing programs with California State University campuses. Golden West College's School of Nursing is one of the 10, having partnered in 2023 with California State University, San Bernardino to establish a Concurrent Enrollment Program (CEP) that allows students to earn credit for both their associate degree in nursing and BSN simultaneously, significantly reducing tuition costs.
California community colleges also have a demonstrated history of success. In 2022 California community college nursing programs had an 88% overall pass rate for the NCLEX, the standardized test required for nursing graduates to become a registered nurse in the U.S. This pass rate is on par with, if not higher than, that of many nursing programs at public and private institutions. At GWC, 99% of nursing students pass the NCLEX with a score above 90%.
Finally, community colleges have the ability to build dual enrollment career pathways from high schools to offer opportunities in the field to students from many different backgrounds — this is something that community colleges are uniquely positioned to do. Traditionally, it can take nursing students up to six years to complete their bachelor's degree. Dual and concurrent enrollment programs at community colleges can reduce that time to three or four years, further reducing tuition costs. For example, GWC's "Running Start to Nursing" dual enrollment program allows high school students to start take nursing prerequisite classes for free as early as 10th grade.
We know that California's community colleges are ready to take on the challenge of graduating students with a BSN degree. The pilot program proposed by SB 895 would be a game changer for Orange County hospitals as it would help address workforce shortages, provide affordable education for underserved students and help hospitals with Magnet Recognition maintain the excellent standard of care for which Orange County is known.
Dr. Lorraine Prinsky is the president of the Coast Community College District Board of Trustees, and a professor emeritus at CSU Fullerton.
Dr. Alice Martanegara is the associate dean and director of nursing at Golden West College in Huntington Beach.
Does A Proposed $10 Billion Bond Favor Richer California School Districts?
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As lawmakers finalize a school facilities bond for the November ballot, some superintendents from low-income and small districts say the proposal leaves them with an all-too-familiar feeling: underfunded and overlooked.
"Am I mad? Yeah, I am very mad," said Gudiel Crosthwaite, superintendent of Lynwood Unified, in a low-income area in Los Angeles County. "California has a responsibility to educate its children, regardless of where they live. This bond favors larger, higher-wealth districts at the expense of districts like ours."
Lawmakers struck a deal late Saturday night on Assembly Bill 247, a $10 billion bond that would pay for repairs and upgrades at K-12 schools and community colleges throughout the state. Schools desperately need the money: The current fund for school repairs is nearly empty and the voters rejected the state's last school facilities bond, in 2020.
Everyone agrees on the need for money to fix dry rot and build new science labs. But some superintendents, as well as the civil rights law firm Public Advocates, had been pushing for a more equitable way to distribute the money. Currently, the state doles out facilities funding through 50-50 matching grants, which means that districts that can raise a lot of money locally — typically, higher-income areas — can get more state money.
Public Advocates has threatened to sue California if it doesn't adopt a wider sliding scale for distributing the money. The current deal does include a sliding scale, but it's only from 60% to 65%, not the 5% to 90% that Public Advocates wanted. Under the deal's scale, the state's wealthiest districts would only get slightly less than its poorest.
Also under the current proposal, schools could get more money if they hire union contractors for their construction projects. That gives an edge to urban areas where union labor is easier to find.
Brooke Patton, spokeswoman for the State Building and Trades Council of California, said hiring union workers would benefit any school project because the workers are highly trained and efficient. Union projects also include apprentices, who may be from the local community.
"Not only does California end up with new school facilities, but also a new generation of workers who can afford to live in California and contribute to our economy for years to come — a worthy investment of public funds," Patton said.
The bill still needs to pass both houses with a two-thirds majority and be signed by the governor this week. To go into effect, it needs approval from a simple majority of voters in the fall.
'It's a compromise'While the bill doesn't satisfy every need for California's schools, it's better than nothing, some education advocates said this week.
"It's not perfect; it's a compromise," said Derick Lennox, senior director at California County Superintendents, which represents school administrators and is supporting the bill. "(The bond) takes incremental, important steps toward equity that will do a lot of good."
The bill includes some help for smaller and low-income districts, such as providing extra money to hire project managers and expanding the number of districts that qualify for hardship funds. It also sets aside 10% of the money for small districts.
The California School Boards Association is also supporting the bill, along with a companion bill, AB 2831, sponsored by Assemblymember Josh Hoover, a Republican from Folsom, that would provide more relief for small and low-income districts if the school bond passes in November.
"We're more than sympathetic to the needs of small districts," said association spokesperson Troy Flint. "But times are tight, and we feel it's crucial to get a school bond on the ballot. … It's not what we need, but it's what we could get. Now we have to focus on getting it passed, for the health and safety of California students."
Old heaters, outdated kitchens, no ACTrinity County Superintendent Fabio Robles said that some of the schools in his county are so dilapidated that any money is welcome. Passing local bonds is almost impossible, he said, because the county is so poor. So schools are almost totally reliant on the state for repairs.
In Lewiston, the gym has no air conditioning and the kitchen dates from the 1950s, Robles said. At Van Duzen Elementary, a small K-8 school in the mountains, the heater is 40 years old.
"Would a 5-90% sliding scale have been better? Yes. But what's being proposed now will be a big help to us," Robles said. "I'll take that any day of the week."
In Lynwood, Superintendent Crosthwaite said he's tired of low-income students having to put up with broken air conditioners and leaky roofs while their more affluent peers enjoy state-of-the-art facilities. His district, for example, is going to ask voters this fall to approve a bond for $80 million. Across town, Pasadena Unified is moving forward with a $900 million school facilities bond. If the state offers matching grants, Pasadena will get even more money.
Meanwhile, students in Lynwood Unified lack basic facilities, he said. A middle school only has a blacktop, no green space. An elementary school lacks hot water. The district doesn't have enough performance spaces or science labs.
"Our kids think this is normal. It should not be 'normal,'" Crosthwaite said. "In California we call ourselves progressive, but we need to take a hard look at how we allocate our resources."
LAO Recommends Evaluation Practices For Community College Programs In State Prisons
A report published Monday by the Legislative Analyst's Office provides an assessment of the California Community College's in-prison education programs.
The report's authors found the programs to be anecdotally positive by both staff and students, particularly those offered in person. They also found that "students sentenced to death or life without the possibility of parole represent a slightly higher share of CCC enrollment compared to their share of the overall CDCR prison population." The statistic is based on a snapshot of about 8,500 incarcerated students attending CCC courses during the spring of 2023.
The authors recommend a number of evaluations and data collection be implemented by both the community colleges and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or CDCR. It includes the following, among others:
A copy of the report can be found at this link.
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