Join the Conversation

Protecting OUR Quality Education

Thank you to the Over 900 residents who participated in our recent Community Educational Priorities Survey.

We are listening and we want to make sure everyone has a chance to participate in this important community conversation. Residents have told us maintaining our local affordable higher education is one of their top priorities. Because the cost of attending University of California and State University systems has become so expensive, many more students are starting their education at community colleges.

• Modesto Junior College and Columbia College are committed to ensuring local students have access to a high-quality education they can afford.
• Furthermore, Modesto Junior College and Columbia College ensure that lower- and middle-income students who can’t afford the high price of a university still have an opportunity to succeed in college and careers.
• Our local community colleges train the nurses, healthcare professionals that serve medical needs, firefighters, first-responders that keep us safe and the skilled workers who fuel our economy.

Residents also identified the following higher education priorities:

• Remove hazardous materials like asbestos, lead pipes, and mold.
• Upgrade career-training facilities, equipment so students are prepared for in-demand careers in advanced manufacturing, auto tech, welding and skilled trades.
• Upgrade science labs so students are prepared for in demand careers in fields like nursing, biotech and health sciences.
• Provide the classrooms, facilities and technology necessary for supporting high quality instruction in science, math, engineering and technology.
• Expand Emergency Medical Training (EMT) facilities to train firefighters, paramedics and the public safety specialists our communities need.

Please join the conversation by participating in our online survey.