Mayors Unite to End Poverty Through City and K-16 Partnerships

HAYWARD, Calif., Oct. 30, 2023— Mayor of Hayward Mark Salinas, The Northern California College Promise Coalition (NCCPC), The Education Trust-West, and California Volunteers will host the third Mayors' Circle this Thursday, Nov. 2, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Chabot College in Hayward.

This invitation-only Mayors’ Circle is an opportunity to engage mayors and public officials in collaborating across city and county lines to improve economic mobility for our most marginalized youth and families.

“The purpose of the meeting is twofold,” says Hayward Mayor, Mark Salinas. “First, it’s to convene Mayors from Bay Area cities with preschool systems, K-12 districts, and with colleges and universities. Secondly, the NCCPC is seeking support from Bay Area mayors to build and strengthen preschool to college pathways that move children and students through a well-articulated Bay Area education system. I can’t recall a time when Bay Area mayors and education professionals convened such a meeting with educators to produce policies in this important public policy environment.”

In the spirit of NCCPC’s philosophy that “together, we go further,” the coalition recognizes that strong collaboration across city and county lines is crucial to impacting systemic change for marginalized and under-represented students as they pursue their college aspirations and subsequent work life. Mayoral support has always been critical to the coalition’s success. Local municipal leaders can play a significant role in leading collective work to support the educational and career opportunities for the present and future of our region.

Cities and counties will be invited to commit to one or more calls to action, the most notable of which will be to adopt a resolution to become an Education City.  Mayors spur change by supporting and convening regional K-16 collaboratives; supporting Pre-K and Kindergarten through College pathways; committing to city-wide outreach for one or more local and statewide programs such as CalKIDS; and partnering with one or more NCCPC members that are serving students in the community.

The Education City Initiative is new to the region. By adopting a resolution to become an “Education City,” leaders commit to work towards a community where all residents have access to quality educational opportunities and cradle-to-career support so they can achieve their life goals. These cities will be invited to work alongside educational and community partners to support the academic success and future employment of students in their community. These students are the next generation of our region, and it is critical for them to be successful in their educational journey and to gain opportunities for economic mobility. Participants will be provided with tools to create an Education City Plan that addresses universal access and affordability, career pathways, and comprehensive and coordinated care.

“Strategic collaboration between cities, employers, higher education institutions and funders is vital for the success of our students, the majority who identify as BIPOC, marginalized, underrepresented and underserved,” notes Janae Aptaker, Vice Chair of NCCPC’s Steering Committee and DEI University & Early Career Partnerships Manager for Blue Shield of California, a major supporter of the event.

It is a critical time to come together across the region. The State of California has invested billions of dollars over the past five years to build equitable career pathways, improve skills training and hands-on experiences, and provide universal and affordable access to education. However, the resources, programs and tools provided by the State of California are only effective if they connect with communities they are meant to serve, and there is an urgent need to align and integrate systems and interest-holders spanning K-12, postsecondary education, community organizations, workforce, labor, business, and local government. The Mayors’ Circle is an opportunity for mayors across Northern California to dialogue on how we can leverage powerful leadership—including our Mayors, city partnerships, funding partners, and college completion non-profits—to multiply our impact towards our collective vision to increase college completion and educational equity for all students in the region. 

About the Northern California College Promise Coalition

The Northern California College Promise Coalition (NCCPC), a fiscally sponsored project of the West Contra Costa Public Education Fund, is a regional effort to bring together leaders, practitioners and resources and share leadership over the shape of college success efforts in the region. Founded in 2019 by 11 member organizations, the coalition has grown to 60 member organizations, and elected officials and agencies. NCCPC was formed to solve the problem of a lack of efficacy that individual member organizations and agencies encounter when working alone.

To partner with NCCPC and join the movement to increase educational equity in Northern California, please visit norcalpromisecoalition.org for more information.