The community college system is falling short of one of its most important benchmarks: the number of students who transfer to a four-year college or university. It remains well below the system’s own goal, and lawmakers have taken notice.

“Although most students intend to transfer to a four-year university, few do,” wrote a group of state legislators this year as they asked the state to audit community college performance.

Set in 2017, the goal was to increase the annual number of community college students who transfer to the University of California and California State University from nearly 89,000 to more than 120,000 by 2022. In the 2020-21 academic year, the most recent data available, nearly 99,000 community college students transferred to a UC or Cal State.

The Community College Chancellor’s Office responded to questions regarding the transfer goal by forwarding a letter that former interim Chancellor Daisy Gonzales wrote to legislators in March as part of an internal negotiation regarding the audit. In it, she wrote that the goal “has not been fully achieved.”

She wrote that the UC and Cal State system rejected nearly 30,000 eligible community college applicants in fall 2020 — more than enough transfers to meet the community colleges system’s goal. She wrote there was “insufficient capacity” at the UC and Cal State campuses and asked the auditors to include equal scrutiny of those systems, since everyone is mutually responsible for coordinating successful transfers.

However, there are many ways to measure transfer. To get a clearer picture, CalMatters looked beyond the chancellor’s office goal and analyzed the raw number of students who transferred every year, which includes but is not limited to those who transfer to a UC or Cal State. Those numbers are reported by four-year institutions across the country and analyzed by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office. Undocumented students are not counted because they lack a Social Security number.

CalMatters then compared those numbers to the total number of students who, upon starting community college, said they eventually wanted to get an associate degree or transfer. It’s the methodology that most closely aligns with the state’s funding formula, which pegs the transfer numbers to the amount of money a college receives.

Of the students enrolled in a community college in California who said they wanted to transfer to a four-year university, an average of 9.9% went on to enroll at a four-year institution in 2021, the most recent data available.

There are many reasons why students never transfer. The state’s roughly 1.8 million community college students are predominantly low-income, first-generation students of color. Many students, especially older students, must juggle work, children, and for some, even homelessness while attending school.

But certain populations and colleges have a harder time with transfer than others. CalMatters found:

• Students at rural community colleges are less likely to transfer to a four-year university than students who attend school in affluent parts of Ventura County, Orange County, the San Fernando Valley, and Bay Area suburbs like San Bruno, Pleasant Hill, and Redwood City.

• Colleges separated by only a few miles show stark contrasts in transfer rates. In 2021, the most recent year available, the transfer rate at Irvine Valley College was 16.7%, but just 10 miles away, at Santa Ana College, the rate was 5.4%.

• Younger community college students were most likely to transfer, and the rates drop off the older a student gets. In 2021, students over the age of 50 were more than four times less likely to transfer than their peers between ages 20 and 24.

Rural, unprepared students face biggest hurdles

Lassen College has one of the lowest transfer rates in the state — 4.5% in 2021. It’s more than 10 percentage points below the highest performer, Irvine Valley College.

The reason is easy to see, said Roxanna Hayes, the vice president of student services at Lassen College in Susanville: The nearest four-year institution is over 80 miles away at the University of Nevada in Reno.

“It feels like we’re 2 hours from anything…when you come up to Susanville and you look around, there’s no other educational institution besides us.”

“We don’t have the sort of income that other counties have,” Hayes said. “It’s not just getting accepted to school: I’ve also got to live there and afford it.”

Among the community colleges with the lowest transfer rates, 60 percent are rural, and some are hours away from the nearest four-year institution.

Because of its proximity to numerous four-year institutions like UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton, students at Irvine Valley College come to school already familiar with their transfer options, and most students don’t have to move if they want to pursue a bachelor’s degree, said Loris Fagioli, the director of research at Irvine Valley College.

The rural-urban divide is part of the problem, but it can’t explain everything, said Darla Cooper, the executive director of the Research and Planning Group of the California Community Colleges, a separate nonprofit organization that is funded in part by the chancellor’s office. The income of the student body, the focus and “culture” of the school, and even the economics of the surrounding town or city impact the transfer rate at any community college.

In the 2014-15 academic year, Los Angeles community colleges had some of the lowest transfer rates in the state, but that’s because many of its students were coming to community college unprepared, said Maury Peal, the community college district’s associate vice chancellor for institutional effectiveness.

The colleges enrolled those students in remedial courses, which can take years to complete and can reduce the likelihood of graduation. Backed by research that shows remedial classes to be ineffective, a law passed in 2017 and another in 2022 asked colleges to start placing students directly in college-level courses. Pearl said these reforms, plus other efforts like special degrees that guarantee a transfer to a Cal State or UC, have led to an uptick in transfer rates across the L.A. colleges.

West Los Angeles College, for instance, had a 5.4% transfer rate in 2015, among the lowest in the state. But by 2021, it was up to 12.3%, well above the statewide average.

“The fact that it’s improved is something we’re proud of, but it’s still not where we want to get to,” said Jeff Archibald, vice president of academic affairs for West Los Angeles College.

‘Swirl,’ prisons, and ‘transfer-oriented culture’ set schools on different paths

Unlike four-year institutions, which are often singularly focused on bachelor’s degrees for young adults, community colleges offer a range of educational opportunities depending on the demographics in the surrounding towns or cities, which can make it hard to compare one community college to another.

Located in Blythe, a rural town near the Arizona border, Palo Verde College has consistently had the lowest transfer rate of any community college. In 2021, just 1.1% of Palo Verde College students who indicated they wanted to transfer succeeded in doing so — but roughly half of the college’s students are in prison. Other rural colleges with low transfer rates, including Lassen College and Feather River College, also enroll a high percentage of incarcerated students relative to other schools.

Rural areas also come with different job opportunities, especially compared to the state’s highly educated coastal cities, Cooper said.

“Do the jobs where you’re located require a bachelor’s degree?” she said. “Because if they don’t, you’re probably not going to have a lot of transfer.”

In dense urban areas like Los Angeles, students tend to take classes at multiple community colleges, creating a “swirl” in the data that can mask some long-term outcomes, Archibald said.

But disparities still persist, even within the same city. Los Angeles Pierce College and Los Angeles Valley College, which are located in the San Fernando Valley, consistently outperform other Los Angeles community colleges.

The Technology Learning Center building at West Los Angeles College in Culver City on on July 17, 2023. Photo by Julie A Hotz for CalMatters

Pearl said Pierce and Valley College have developed a reputation for preparing students for four-year colleges or universities. He pointed to other Los Angeles community colleges, such as Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, which are geared towards career and technical training.

A 2008 Research and Planning Group report found that a “transfer-oriented culture” was a recurring reason why certain community colleges had higher-than-expected transfer rates. The report also said those colleges had close relationships with local high schools and four-year institutions, along with support services for students.

Although the report was done 15 years ago, the transfer rate patterns have persisted. Many of those schools profiled by the Research and Planning Group in 2008, such as Irvine Valley College, continue to outperform their peers today, according to the CalMatters analysis of recent data.

Community colleges in wealthy areas or those with high-performing high schools have higher transfer rates, too. “We know this with almost all educational outcomes, there is an economic or socio-economic driver behind it,” Faglioli said.

Pearl said Los Angeles Pierce and Valley colleges benefit from “high-performing” charter schools nearby, which can boost transfer rates if community college students start school better prepared.

Why transfer still matters

To encourage colleges to meet the system’s goal of increasing transfers to a UC and Cal State, community college officials put forward a new formula that pegged a portion of a community college’s funding to its outcomes. One of those outcomes is the number of people who transfer to a four-year institution.

But Lizette Navarette, interim deputy chancellor of the community college system, said that community colleges with low transfer rates are not getting penalized.

That’s because the new funding formula also takes into account the percentage of low-income students who meet certain benchmarks for success and the number of students who complete career-oriented programs. Navarette said rural colleges and other schools with low transfer rates have the opportunity to make up any potential gaps in state funding.

Lassen College, for example, received nearly $3 million more dollars last year than it would have under the previous funding formula, despite having some of the lowest transfer rates in the system.

However, the greatest impact of low transfer rates is not on the community college but on the student, Cooper said.

“For most people of color, most people who are low-income, community college is their only way into higher ed,” she said. “Even if what they want to pursue requires a bachelor’s degree, not everyone can go straight to a university.”

Four-year colleges and universities are selective and can be expensive, she said. While some community college students can earn more with a certificate or an associate degree than those with a bachelor’s degree, she said those students are the exception, not the norm.

Airplanes and helicopters in the Aviation Technology building at West Los Angeles College Campus in Culver City on July 17, 2023. Photo by Julie A Hotz for CalMatters

“Everybody wants to bring out Bill Gates,” Cooper said. “He didn’t graduate college….If you can be that, awesome, great, fantastic. But for most people, it’s beneficial for life.”

In the internal letter to the state auditors, former interim Chancellor Gonzales pointed to areas where the community college system has seen significant gains toward its 2017 goals. More students are completing their courses and gaining degrees, for instance.

In general, more students are transferring to a four-year college, according to the CalMatters analysis, which includes upticks in the number of students transferring to a UC or Cal State. But the progress remains less than third of the goal that the chancellor’s office set out to accomplish by 2022.

A spokesperson for the Community College Chancellor’s Office said the system will deliver a new transfer goal “in the coming weeks.”

###

Data reporter Jeremia Kimelman contributed to the reporting for this story. 

Adam Echelman covers California’s community colleges in partnership with Open Campus, a nonprofit newsroom focused on higher education.

CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

Carvel Robert (Bobby) Hartman passed into the presence of the Lord Jesus on July 17, 2023 at the age of 93, and was reunited with his wife, Gloria. A few years out of high school, Carvel happened to be out driving around one afternoon and saw Gloria walking down the street. He asked her if she needed a ride. They were married four months later on June 21,1950 and were married almost 73 years when Gloria passed away on May 17, 2023.

Carvel was born in Eureka on September 29, 1929 to Henry and Estelle Hartman. He was the youngest of four children. When he was 6 months old, the family moved to Yokum, Texas due to his father’s bout with double pneumonia. When Carvel was 11, the family moved back to Eureka. Carvel graduated from Eureka Senior High School in 1947.

Carvel came to know the Lord as his personal Savior when he was in his late 20’s. He had a quiet faith but it was a strong faith.

Carvel and Gloria had four children: David Hartman, Dennis Hartman, Rebecca Younger, and Randall Hartman.

Carvel was known to be a quiet person, and his family was somewhat surprised when recently he told them that, when he was in his teens, he sang in a boy’s chorus with his brother, Bud, and they performed around the Eureka area. Carvel was a sheet metal worker and excelled at his trade. While in high school, he went to work for the railroad. In 1950, he went to work for Georgia Pacific, which later became Louisiana Pacific. He was employed there until 1983. In 1984, Carvel went to work for (then) Orie and Mac, which later became O&M Industries. He retired from there in 1998, although he worked for them part time for several years after his official retirement. Carvel was highly respected in his work and he especially enjoyed his co-workers at O&M.

Carvel loved his wife and his family dearly and his family has many memories of time spent with him. For many years, he loved watching the 49ers, and Sunday afternoons you would find him watching the games, many times with his grandchildren. There was breakfast out with the family at Stanton’s, Chalet, and Adel’s. Carvel and Gloria bought property at Cook’s Valley in 1992. The family spent many weekends there and a few of their memories of Carvel include shooting his guns, drinking his hot coffee in the 90 degree weather, running Ollie, his tractor, and cutting firewood.

Carvel had many hobbies throughout his life. He was an avid photographer and had his own darkroom when the family lived in Samoa. His love of photography was passed on to his daughter, Rebecca. He was also a woodworker and built the kitchen cabinets in their own house, as well as his children’s. He loved to fish and taught his children and even their friends. His son, Randy, especially remembers time on the river with his dad. Carvel fished many of the rivers in (very) Northern California. Whenever Carvel got together with his brothers-in-law Larry and Jimmy, be it at home or even at a campground, they would often be found working on a car, whether it needed fixing or not.

He was very clever with his inventions. His older sons, David and Dennis, remember as young children wanting a double decker bike to ride, the kind that required a ladder or roof to get onto. Carvel welded two bicycles together and figured out how to hook up the chain and steering and they had great fun.

He was always ready to teach his children and his grandchildren, whether it was woodworking, fishing, tying flies for fly fishing, working on cars, or shooting his guns, among many other things.

Carvel was a constant and faithful husband, provider, helper, teacher and friend… and hummer.

Carvel is survived by his children, David Hartman (Lee) of Eureka, Dennis Hartman (Daphne) of Medford, Oregon, Rebecca Younger (Kevin) of Nampa, Idaho, and Randy Hartman of Topeka, Kansas. He is also survived by his grandchildren, - Kevin Hartman, Gwen Hartman, Sharie Cook, Matt Hartman, Connie Hartman, Angela Hansen, Jay Younger, Jennifer Pearsall, Randy Hartman, Jr., Aubrey Kolbeck, Trisha Delp and Stephanie Bivens. He is also survived by 12 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Carvel was predeceased by his parents, Henry and Estelle Hartman, his brothers, Henry (Hank)Hartman, Warren (Bud) Hartman, and his sister, Gloria Bacheler.

The family would once again like to thank Karen of Visiting Angels for her kind and faithful care of both Carvel and Gloria in the last months of their lives. The family appreciates that David stayed at the house with them and cared for them towards the end.

A Celebration of Life for Carvel and Gloria will be held on August 5, 11 a.m. at First Covenant Church in Eureka. The family hopes that you will come and join them in remembering their parents. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to Visiting Angels, Eureka, CA or Hospice of Humboldt.

###

In loving memory of Timothy Harold Handley
March 15, 1966 - July 16, 2023

Tim Handley was taken from us all on July 16, 2023 while doing what he loved - riding his motorcycle on Highway 299. He was a precocious child with sparkling blue eyes and a thirst for adventure from a young age. Tim’s early years were spent in Sunny Brae before his family moved to Eureka, where he attended Zane Middle School and later graduated from Eureka High School in 1984.

Following a brief period of service in the U.S. Marine Corps, Tim returned to Eureka, where he found love, married Katy and became the proud father of Lacie and Mick. Tim’s family grew with Zachary and Andrew, bringing immense joy to his life.

Throughout his life, Tim worked in various local mills, logging companies, and roofing firms. But his true passion lay in the outdoors, where he found solace and happiness. Tim loved his time spent at the lake with his friends and he cherished the moments he spent fishing and camping with his children, creating lasting memories together. His love and enthusiasm for motorcycles drove him to spend many days riding bikes and quads with his boys.

Tragically, Tim’s life was cut short, but it comforts us to know that he was enjoying an activity he cherished most, riding his Harley. Those who knew him will remember his infectious sense of humor and big belly laughs that could brighten the darkest days.

Tim is now reunited with his beloved mother, Linda Handley, and his stepmother, Joyce Handley, who preceded him in death. He leaves behind a loving family to cherish his memory, including his father: Harry Handley, his children Lacie (Mike), Mick (Rochelle), Zachary (Amnisty), and Andrew (Angel); sister: Debbie Bidaburu (Aitor), and stepsisters Bonnie and Jennifer. Vickie Combs and her son Zach held a special place in Tim’s heart for the last 17 years. They were a significant part of his life and they, too, will forever carry his memory in their hearts.

Additionally, he leaves behind cherished grandchildren Malia, Louis, Owen, Waylon, Bennet, Calliope, as well as his nieces Matea and Isabela, and nephew Joseba, and his cousins: Curtis, Mike, and Karen. Countless friends will also deeply feel the void left by his departure.

A service to celebrate Tim’s life will be held on July 29, 2023 at 1 p.m. at Paul’s Chapel in Arcata, followed by a gathering at Redwood Park. We welcome all who knew and loved Tim to join our family in commemorating the wonderful life he lived. Please feel free to contribute food and drink at this gathering. We have also started a GoFundMe if anyone would like to donate to help with expenses.

Let us remember the happiness he brought into our lives and carry his spirit of adventure and laughter in our hearts. May he rest in peace, knowing he was deeply loved and will be sorely missed.

###

Bertha Ann Britschgi
Nov. 25, 1932 - July 16, 2023

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Bertha Ann Britschgi on July 16, 2023. Born to Mary and Otto Collenberg of Humboldt County, she touched the lives of many throughout her life when she worked in the benefits and accounting department at LP and volunteered at St Mary’s and will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Bertha’s life will be celebrated in accordance with her wishes:

Viewing:

Monday, July 24, 2023
Paul’s Chapel 1070 H St, Arcata, CA 95521
Viewing: 4:00 pm
Rosary: 6:00 pm

Funeral Services:

Tuesday, July 25, 2023
St Mary’s Catholic Church 1690 Janes Rd, Arcata, CA 95521
Service: 10:00 am

Graveside Internment: (Immediately Following)

Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Sunset Memorial Park 3975 Broadway St, Eureka, CA 95503

In lieu of flowers, our family kindly requests that you consider contributing in memory of Bertha Britschgi to support St Mary’s or your local animal shelter to honor her love of animals.

Bertha is survived by her loving daughters, Ann Wriker and her husband Rick; Kathy Reed and her husband Jeff; five grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren; her nephew Dan Collenberg and wife Karan and nieces Toni Collenberg, Reba Johnsen and Joslynne Blasdel.

Preceded in death by husband Carl Britschgi, Tony & Lavina Collenberg (brother & sister-in-law), Sabina Blasdel (sister), Randall Collenberg (nephew).

She leaves a legacy of warmth, kindness, and cherished memories forever in our hearts.

May she rest in peace.

###

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of our mother, Mary Greene, on June 23, 2023 at the age of 90. Mary was born December 10, 1932 and resided in Fortuna.

Born Mary Ludtke, she lived all of her life in Humboldt County. She lived a long and good life here.

She met the love of her life, Robert Greene, in high school at Eureka High. They were married in 1950 and had four daughters: Debbie, LIsa, Cindy and Susan.

Mom loved gardening and traveling. She traveled abroad with several girlfriends and had many great times. She also loved going to their cabin in Mad River, where she was quite the angler. She was known by her cabin neighbors as “Mad River Mary.” She was also a huge Giants fan and attended many Giants games with family and friends.

She is preceded in death by her husband Robert Greene and daughters Susan Ekin Greene and Deborah Greene.

She is survived by her daughters Lisa Ransford (Michael Ransford) and Cindy Smith of Fortuna, grandchildren Natalie Huston, Chris Huston, Emily Ekin, Kaylee Ekin, four great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews

If you would like to make a donation in Mary’s name, please consider the American Cancer Society or the charity of your choice. There are no plans for services at this time.

###

###

PREVIOUSLY: Smokers Fund California’s Early Childhood Programs. What Happens When They Quit?

The following was submitted by First 5 Humboldt:

A recent CalMatters story highlighted the funding challenges facing First 5 organizations throughout California, and we at First 5 Humboldt wanted to share some local context about how declining revenue is affecting us here in Humboldt County, and how we are adapting in response.  

First 5 Humboldt is a local public agency working to improve the health, early learning, and well-being of young children and their families in Humboldt County since 1998. That’s when California voters approved Proposition 10, creating a First 5 organization in every county with funding from significant new taxes on tobacco. 

This “sin tax” approach has helped accomplish two very different and important goals: reducing the use of tobacco and funding local programs to support young children and families. Unfortunately, this approach also created a declining funding source for First 5 Humboldt and our fellow County First 5’s statewide, and that decline has now accelerated.

First 5 Humboldt funds are under local control, with a nine-member Commission appointed by the Board of Supervisors determining — with parent and community input — how funds should be spent. Current programs include over 20 free weekday, evening and weekend Playgroups throughout the County for families with young children, which include early developmental screening; local parenting education and support services, including a partnership with Open Door Community Health Centers; supporting local child care providers with training, mentoring, and stipends to support quality care and stabilize child care availability; helping fund children’s services in the County Library network; advocating for children and families in local and statewide policy; helping support families at risk of substance use disorder; working with and coordinating local home visiting programs; raising awareness of the effect of trauma on young children and how to counteract it; and providing small grants to local organizations that serve young children and their families.

First 5 Humboldt’s annual revenue from Proposition 10 has declined more than 60 percent from its peak in 2000 and is projected to drop another 28 percent over the next four years.

In response to declining revenue, First 5 Humboldt has worked to access state and federal grants to bring in outside dollars to support local services to children and their families. Over the last seven years, the organization has moved from being solely funded by tobacco taxes to now relying on grants to fund about 50 percent of its work.  

While First 5 Humboldt’s efforts at grant writing have been mostly successful, grant funding is unpredictable, short term (one to three years), and targeted to very specific projects or programs defined by the funder. 

Unfortunately, we are having to reduce our support for family services. Over the last several years, First 5 Humboldt has had to reduce or eliminate financial support to Family Resource Centers, young children’s dental programs, Humboldt County Office of Education programs focused on early childhood mental health, and our own staff support of Playgroups. 

We have reduced our annual community investments by over $300,000 in recent years and will have to continue reducing our investments and our staffing on the current trajectory.  During the first several years of Prop 10, the founding Commission set aside funding to be used during the declining revenue years. The current Commission is creating a plan to expend those dollars in a way that will soften the blow to local families and programs over the next few years, despite the coming cuts in services. 

Supporting the health and wellbeing of our youngest citizens is both the right thing to do for our state’s children and families and a prudent investment in our future. Proposition 10 has served Californians well, but its success in reducing tobacco use is seriously undercutting the investment in young children and families that Californians support. 

Knowing that 90 percent of a child’s brain development occurs before age 5, the state needs to find a sustainable solution for providing services and supports to these most vulnerable California residents.

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On July 23, 2023, at about 7:51 p.m., a Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputy on patrol in the Eureka area observed a vehicle fail to fully stop at a stop sign. The deputy conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle near the intersection of Harris Street and Sequoia Avenue, and contacted two adult males.

During the investigation, the deputies learned that one of the men, later identified as 26-year-old Benjamin Ervin James Dimmick, provided deputies with a false name. Once properly identified, Dimmick was found to have a local misdemeanor warrant and a felony warrant out of Mendocino County for his arrest. During a search of Dimmick, deputies located nearly 2 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Upon being placed under arrest, Dimmick physically resisted deputies in a failed attempt to flee.  

Dimmick was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of false identification to a peace officer (PC 148.9(a)), possession of a controlled substance (HS 11377(a)) and resisting arrest (PC 148(a)(1)), in addition to a warrant charge of resisting arrest (PC 148(a)(1)).

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.