District closer to permanent free college

The San Mateo County Community College District is one step closer to making college permanently free for county residents.

The district sent its Free College Report to a number of different legislative bodies, as its five year Free College Program requires.

The California legislature will review the report, which details how the free college program affects district students, alongside the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the California Department of Finance and the Governor’s Office, to consider approving Senate Bill 968, which would permanently continue the program.

California Senator Josh Becker and Assemblymember Diane Papan held a Feb. 6 press conference at the College of San Mateo celebrating the new bill’s release, showing attendees testimonies from students who benefited from the original bill, Senate Bill 893, which became active in January 2023.

Read more here.