Oceanside CA— Twenty Community Colleges were selected to participate in the California Guided Pathways Project, a venture designed to substantially increase the number of students who earn a certificate or degree at a California Community College by leveraging the significant investments California has made in student success. The colleges, selected through a competitive application process, will design and implement structured academic and career pathways for all incoming students by 2019.
“I am confident that this project and the twenty participating colleges can positively impact the future of California,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor, Eloy Ortiz Oakley who serves on the project’s advisory committee. “I look forward to leading a series of system-wide efforts to implement the Guided Pathway model throughout the California Community Colleges.”
Guided Pathways provides a framework for colleges to help students who face barriers to completing a college education. By creating structured educational experiences, pathways support each student from the point of entry to the attainment of high-quality post-secondary credentials and employment in a chosen field.
The project, which was launched in December of 2016, is funded by College Futures Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, the Teagle Foundation, and participating colleges. The California Guided Pathways project was inspired by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Pathways Project to support increased certificate and degree completion within the California Community Colleges.
The other 19 colleges selected to participate in the California Guided Pathways Project are:

• American River College
• Butte College
• Cabrillo College
• College of the Canyons
• Cosumnes River College
• Chaffey College
• Cuyamaca College
• Los Angeles Trade Tech College
• Long Beach City College
• Modesto Junior College
• Norco College
• Reedley College
• Rio Hondo College
• Riverside City College
• San Joaquin Delta College
• Santa Ana College
• Santa Barbara City College
• Southwestern College
• Yuba College

Over the next three years, colleges will send teams to institutes where they will receive guidance and structured time to create clear pathways to high-quality credentials and develop the change management strategies needed to accomplish this goal. College teams will be made up of five people including the president and a faculty leader. Each college will also receive support from a team of pathways coaches and information on complementary reform efforts in California that can help support specific facets of their work.
“We look forward to supporting the 20 colleges participating in the project,” said Dr. Rob Johnstone, project director. “We hope that by developing an expanded network of practitioners developing guided pathways, we can support other colleges and partners interested in adopting the student-centered approach to education planning.”
Institute materials will also be available to all California Community Colleges interested in implementing a Guided Pathways approach.
The Guided Pathways model helps colleges clarify paths to student end goals, helps students select a program and stay on the path, and ensures quality learning. Pathways include specific course sequences, progress milestones, and defined learning outcomes. For more information, please visit www.CAGuidedPathways.org.