California Enacts Nation’s First Black-Serving Institution Designation

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Starting January 1, California has taken a historic step to support Black students in higher education with the enactment of SB 1348, a groundbreaking law creating the nation’s first official Black-Serving Institution (BSI) designation. Authored by former State Senator Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood), this law aims to transform the educational landscape by acknowledging and supporting colleges and universities committed to fostering Black student success.

“California has long been a leader in social and educational equity, and SB 1348 represents another bold step toward ensuring Black students have the support they need to thrive,” said former Senator Steven Bradford. “This designation is about recognizing the systemic barriers that have held Black students back and empowering institutions to breakdown those barriers, providing a pathway to success for generations to come.”

The BSI designation will be conferred or bestowed to institutions meeting rigorous criteria, including:

• Maintaining a Black student population of at least 10% or 1,500 students.
• Implementing robust Black student success programs aligned with institutional missions.
• Demonstrating a clear allocation of resources to support these efforts.
• Establishing measurable key performance indicators to track Black student achievement during the five-year designation period, with renewals contingent on meeting these benchmarks.

“The historic Black-Serving Institution designation recognizes colleges committed to breaking down systemic barriers and creating environments that advance equity in access, success and support,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Sonya Christian. “We are deeply grateful to the Legislature and Senator Steven Bradford for championing this transformative legislation, which strengthens our system’s ability to provide the opportunities and support needed for educational and economic success across our diverse communities.”

The California Community Colleges system, the nation’s largest higher education network, will play a leading role in the BSI initiative. Currently, 39 California community colleges meet the eligibility criteria to apply for the designation, alongside other public and private nonprofit colleges in the state. The initiative will be overseen by the California State University Statewide Central Office for the Advancement of Black Student Success, located at California State University, Sacramento, and an eight-member governing board will evaluate applications and award the designation.

To amplify awareness of the BSI designation, the I CAN Campaign—a statewide initiative promoting California’s community colleges—will release a special two-part episode of the EDUCATE. ELEVATE. podcast. The BSI podcasts will reveal how community colleges across the state are working tirelessly to earn the designation and help Black students achieve parity in their education programs. Podcast guests include Dr. Luke Wood, president of newly designated Black-Serving Institution, California State University Sacramento, and Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson, Chancellor of Peralta Community College District, where all four of its campuses have been deemed eligible to apply for the designation.

The Black-Serving Institution podcast series will explore the importance of BSIs and highlight the California Community Colleges’ role in fostering equity and opportunity for Black students. BSI episode 1 will launch January 16 followed by the launch of episode 2 on January 30.

For more information about California Community Colleges or the BSI designation, visit us on YouTube to view the EDUCATE. ELEVATE. podcast.  The first of the two episodes is slate to be live on Jan. 16.

About the California Community Colleges

The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; and degree and certificate pathways. As the state’s engine for social and economic mobility, the California Community Colleges supports Vision 2030, a strategic plan designed to serve our students, our communities and our planet. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges website or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X (Formerly Twitter).