#NNPA BlackPress

Legislation Encourages Community College Students to Graduate

PRECINCT REPORTER GROUP NEWS — Community colleges statewide are moving on new legislation that aims to get students through their coursework more efficiently, graduated, and onto career paths faster than ever before. Under the newly implemented legislation, procedures are changing this fall to serve more students entering community college with access credit for “transfer-level” courses in math and English, reducing the need for remediation classes.

Published

7 years ago

October 29, 2019

Precinct Reporter News

Photo by: Maleka Ali | Twenty20

By Precinct Reporter News

Community colleges statewide are moving on new legislation that aims to get students through their coursework more efficiently, graduated, and onto career paths faster than ever before.

Under the newly implemented legislation, procedures are changing this fall to serve more students entering community college with access credit for “transfer-level” courses in math and English, reducing the need for remediation classes.

“Community colleges have been mandated with AB 705. It gives us an opportunity to rethink and re-imagine the ways that we deliver programs to students to optimize their learning experience,” said Dr. Stephanie Lewis, Dean of Mathematics, Business & Computer Technology.

The statewide policy passed two years ago to focus on concerns of equity. Under the former system, many students amassed more credits than were necessary to transfer to a four-year institution, with most of those credits coming from remedial courses.

Some students lingered in remediation for up to three years.

Today, all 115 statewide community colleges are restructuring how they deliver courses in both English and math. Guidelines can differ slightly from college to college, depending on local populations and cultures.

The big takeaway is that students now have the right upon entering community college to go directly into college transferable math or English.

In the long run, the state’s goal is to offer fewer remediation courses at community colleges. Eventually, middle and secondary schools are expected to make headway to meet the skill sets needed for all students to graduate high school and be college prepared.

Students are no longer required to take placement tests and can jump right into the college-level courses, but that approach is not a one-size-fits-all. Some students may need extra help, which is also available.

“The buffer or cushion is that community college will still have some remediation courses, but not to the level that they historically have had,” Dr. Lewis said.

From an equity standpoint, she said students will benefit by going straight into the transfer-level coursework. However, struggling students will have the right to access remediation help.

SBVC, as well as other colleges, have adopted the “co-requisite” model for students entering college transferable math or English, who are not up to the required skill set. Those students can tap an array of supportive resources concurrently with their transfer-level coursework to catch up on studies and information they may have forgotten, or missed, along the way.

Dr. Lewis said she is encouraged about the bigger picture, and how the new approach will be more efficient to help students achieve a higher level of college readiness.

“It’s an opportunity to change former notions of how students learn,” she said.

This article originally appeared in The Precinct Reporter News Group.

Precinct Reporter News

Posts by Precinct Reporter News

Up Next

Mother Fights for Police Body-Cam Footage of Son’s Death

Don't Miss

Minority women businesses energized at first IGNITE! Alabama

Precinct Reporter News

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”
The post The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.” appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

By Jana Lang Propel Youth Reporter

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) and Youth Alive! came together on Aug. 21 to share with their community all that Black August means to them.

Held on EOBA’s patio at 816 98th Ave. in Deep East Oakland, the two organizations hosted their second annual Black August Experience, featuring a food tasting, financial literacy and mindfulness workshops, and voter registration with the League of Women Voters Oakland (LWV).

Black August is known as a time to uphold the legacy of prisoners who protested their conditions by fasting, fighting, and educating themselves on the economic and political circumstances that contributed to their incarceration.

According to its website, “EOBA is a multi-service youth and community development hub that goes far beyond the ring. While rooted in the discipline of boxing, for nearly 40 years EOBA has also integrated robust programs in workforce development, food justice, afterschool enrichment, financial literacy, mentorship, and wellness.”.

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Through Coro California, another leadership organization serving young people across the state for 80 years, they gained a broader understanding of Black August.

EOBA Executive Director Dawna Williams spoke about how much she learned about Black August from the youth who created it. “I let them educate me,” she said. Instead of talking about prison reform and mass incarceration, Williams and youth interns found that Black August meant so much more. “We would have done a disservice if we had just focused on who the people were and what their situation was…We tried to take their message from back in the day and make it relevant to the young people today. What do they need to know?”

Youth interns created and placed posters around the patio to help participants understand how traditional Black foodways, civic engagement, financial literacy, and the power of education are relevant to Black resistance today.

An EOBA member described Black August with Youth ALIVE! as “a whole vibe. “This year we added the Fun Zone for the kids, because you really cannot go wrong with a Fun Zone. I also loved seeing everyone chillin’ in the outdoor lounge, catching some Vitamin D and just enjoying a Friday evening together.”

The food tasting, a popular event from last year, featured traditional Black foods such as black-eyed peas, johnny cakes, and fried chicken. Led by Williams, the tasting included a talk about how these traditional foods were made and why they are forms of Black resilience.

The “‘Plate of History’ was a favorite of the online writers. “Fun, educational, and did I mention delicious? Our Taste of History cook, Angela Southall, served up some good eats while connecting food to history and culture.”

The writer also commended the “League of Women Voters Oakland for their civic leadership and for getting our young people informed, ready, and registered to vote.”

Overall, it was a “good Friday event in East Oakland,” the writer said.

Upcoming Black August events: Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The websites for East Oakland Boxing Association, Youth Alive! and CORO are sources for this report.

Jana Lang is an Oakland resident, teacher, gardener and poet participating in the Propel News Initiative.

The post The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.” appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts

Is your home EV charging setup ready? Dealerships may not warn you about critical outlet and circuit needs. Find out before you plug in!
The post EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

Dealerships won’t tell you: charging this big battery at home isn’t always simple. Verify your outlet capacity, circuit, and setup before assuming level one or basic outdoor outlets will suffice.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/A9Cd2SspoaQ

#AutoNetwork

The post EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts

Don’t get tricked at the dealership! Learn essential car buying secrets to secure the best deal and avoid hidden traps.
The post Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

Before stepping into a dealership, secure bank pre-approval for your financing rate. Then, get the out-the-door price in writing. Never discuss monthly payments until that number is fixed. Test road noise and rear visibility yourself. Decline add-ons with a simple ‘Not today’. Check backseat space with your tallest household member.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/maAOBjO1puY

#AutoNetwork

The post Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.