GIVE IN-STATE TUITION TO NEARBY MEXICAN STUDENTS

Abril Hernandez had a dream of becoming an engineer. Southwestern College in Chula Vista offered a program she needed to land that career. However, one thing stood in her way: the border. She lived in Mexico and couldn’t afford the cost of an American education or San Diego’s sky-high rents.

Luckily, her father lived in Chula Vista, which gave her a place to live and the ability to study at Southwestern College. Without her father’s residency, she would not have been able to pursue her dream.

Stories like Abril’s underscore the need for increased binational educational collaboration in the San Diego-Tijuana area. Our region — and its local workforce — is binational. Local educational opportunities should reflect that.

This is why we are supporting Assembly Bill 91, which would allow students living within 45 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border to attend California community colleges in San Diego and Imperial counties.

San Diego County has a robust $250 billion to $300 billion annual economy, but the fact of the matter is that the region is facing the same staffing shortages plaguing California and the nation. This is especially true in fields like nursing, emergency services and behavioral health.

Increasing the number of students attending local community colleges would lead to more students getting degrees and more skilled workers in our local economy.

According to the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp., San Diego County must double the number of people with postsecondary education by 2030 to meet the demands of its local economy. That would require approximately 20,000 new skilled workers each year.

We live in a dynamic border region with a high demand for skilled workers, and Assembly Bill 91 will give more students the opportunity to pursue higher education.

The legislation would establish a fiveyear pilot program allowing low-income students who reside within 45 miles of the California-Mexico border to be eligible for in-state tuition rates at all San Diego and Imperial Counties Community College Association campuses located within 25 miles of the border. These colleges could each accept up to 200 eligible students under the program.

The bill was introduced last month and will be heard at the Assembly Higher Education Committee in coming months. We are proactively reaching out to stakeholders and building a broad coalition of supporters in advance of that.

Southwestern College has been working to increase binational and international student opportunities for years. Last spring, it signed an agreement with the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California to explore study-abroad programs and give students the opportunity to attend school while paying in-state tuition.

Assembly Bill 91 would give Southwestern College a unique opportunity to create similar opportunities for students living in Tijuana. As the only public institution of higher education in South County, Southwestern College plays an important role in the local community. It is also currently working on partnerships with local fouryear universities to bring expanded educational programs to the area.

This bill would allow more students the freedom to pursue professional and personal goals and also bolster the local economy with additional and badly needed workers.

Many San Diego companies already rely on employees who commute across the border. Each day, thousands of people cross the border into the U.S. to work or attend school.

Creating additional avenues for education to people living in Tijuana and other border regions in Mexico would increase the available workforce in San Diego.

The bill would also be a boon to students who may face tough choices. Often, students living on both sides of the border are faced with choosing either to support their family or pursue higher education.

Since South County lacks a four-year university, many students don’t have the option to pursue an undergraduate degree. Exacerbating the problem is the high cost of living in the San Diego region, which can often make securing housing impossible.

Abril, the student who wanted to become an engineer, is currently attending Southwestern College. Initially, she lived on both sides of the border and didn’t have the support or stability that comes with having a consistent place to call home. She eventually relocated to Chula Vista with her father, but many students in Tijuana don’t have that opportunity. Living between two homes is no way for any student to live or thrive.

Passing Assembly Bill 91 would mitigate many of these problems. Students living in Mexico could attend the college while paying in-state tuition — and potentially access a four-year degree through Southwestern College’s partnerships.

Since Southwestern College is physically much closer to the border, students could also save time commuting to and from school.

Eventually, these students would enter the local workforce, where they would contribute to San Diego County’s thriving economy and ensure that our area remains an international player for years to come.

Together, we can build a vibrant region where students don’t have to choose between education and family and where businesses can compete and grow.

We call on local elected officials to lend their support to this legislation and for the broader public to advocate for the bill.

Eventually, these students would enter the local workforce, where they would head off a worker shortage and boost San Diego County’s economy.