On the heels of a new progress report on its Promise Program, the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) is expanding the student success program to all first-time, full-time California high school graduates enrolling at the district’s colleges this coming fall.
With new state funding and continued donor support, the San Diego Promise Program will provide two fully funded years of college in addition to comprehensive support services — including counseling and tailored academic advising — to help students attain a certificate or degree, or transfer to a four-year college or university.
“What we’re incorporating for next year for our greatly expanded program is the requirement that the students who participate in the promise program complete a college readiness class,” said Dr. Lynn C. Neault, vice chancellor of student services for SDCCD. “It’s a three-unit class that includes education planning, time management, financial management and study skills, helping give students the tools they need to create a path, stay on the path and complete the path.”
SDCCD officials conducted and analyzed research on promise programs around the country to develop the structure of their own program in 2016.
“We looked at the programs and took what we believed were the best elements of all of them,” said Neault. Some of the components included using a “cohort model” for student support, having students participate in community service and setting a completion goal for students.
The district is looking to offer “wrap-around” services from community-based organizations in its program structure as the Promise Program builds out, Neault said.
The third year of the San Diego Promise Program will cost an estimated $1.86 million for the 2018-2019 year and be funded by state and non-state funds. This will allow the district to support 3,500 or more students through the program, district officials predict.
