The California Legislature today approved a historic bill that would allow a limited number of community colleges to grant four-year degrees. Senate Bill 850, authored by Marty Block (D-San Diego) would establish a pilot program with 15 community colleges offering bachelor’s degrees in select workforce majors.

Having been approved unanimously by the legislature, Governor Jerry Brown will now decide if California joins the 21 other states that allow community colleges to grant four-year degrees. Unlike previous bills, however, SB 850 enjoys bi-partisan support and is widely touted as a way for the state to address its need to be competitive in areas of high workforce demand. Governor Brown has until September 30 to act on the bill.

Under the bill, bachelor’s degrees could only be offered as early as January 2015 in areas where public universities do not offer such a program, cannot accommodate student demand, or do not have the interest. These include program areas such as dental hygiene, radiologic technology, health information science/infomatics, and automotive technology. The California pilot will allow the legislature to explore this possibility and study the results in a thorough report before making a full commitment that the other states have made.

San Diego Community College District Chancellor Constance M. Carroll served on the state’s baccalaureate study group and has chaired the statewide coalition that provided advocacy for the passage of SB 850.

“One of the top missions of the California community colleges is workforce education,” said Chancellor Carroll. “In cases where businesses, healthcare organizations, and other industries now require a bachelor’s degree at their entry level, it is imperative that community colleges step forward to ensure the competitiveness of our students. That is a win-win proposition for our students, for employers, and for the economy.”

“This will be a game changer for California’s higher education system and our workforce preparedness,” Block said. “It is landmark legislation that reinforces the focus of our community colleges on job training even as California faces a major skills gap in our workforce. I am appreciative of Chancellor Carroll’s assistance and leadership on this issue.”

Community college graduates are finding a growing number of professions that once required a certificate or an associate degree now require baccalaureate-level preparation before they can be hired. With the state’s public universities either being too crowded or failing to offer bachelor’s degrees in these fields, many students are being challenged in trying to secure the education they need.

Several studies have found that the number of those with a bachelor’s degree would have to increase almost 60,000 each year by 2025 to meet employer demands. One study, by the Public Policy Institute of California, concluded that 41 percent of jobs in the state will require a bachelor’s degree, but just 35 percent of working-age adults will have one.

Because of its importance to the California economy, SB 850 is supported by community colleges, by the California State University system, by veterans organizations, and by many chambers of commerce, including the California Chamber of Commerce.