Introduction

The Center for Educational Partnerships (CEP), on behalf of the University of California, Merced, has established a strong presence throughout the San Joaquin Central Valley, having secured over $22 million through June 30, 2026. In Kern County, as part of the Kern Regional K-16 Collaborative, UC Merced's efforts focused on student-centered initiatives, dual enrollment, and transfer pathways. As part of the Central San Joaquin Valley K-16 Partnership, the CEP prioritizes student-centered services with a concentration on transfer readiness. Additionally, the CEP's engagement with the Sierra K-16 as a technical service provider provides access to a homegrown live project management system and data analysis and evaluation services. Finally, the CEP spearheads the "WE Will!" initiative. K-16 Workforce and Education Collaborative on behalf of K12, postsecondary, and industry partners in Merced, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin counties.

WE Will! The Northern San Joaquin Valley K-16 Regional Partnership

The WE Will! Collaborative seeks to increase the number of under-resourced high school students who transition to and through a community college to a four-year institution or into the workforce by:

• Increasing offerings, participation, and course completion in Dual Enrollment and FAFSA/CADA for the region's TK12 student population;
• Increasing the number of students participating in quality Work-based Learning (WBL) experiences in the health and education industry sectors; and
• Improving TK12 college and career readiness by increasing a-g completion rates, a-g approved course offerings, and CTE Health and Education Pathway completion rates.

– UC Merced (Fiscal Lead)

The WE Will! Data Tool originated from a collaborative initiative aimed at addressing systemic barriers and bridging educational gaps for students in under-resourced schools within Merced, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin Counties. This tool streamlines the subaward process, including proposal submissions, review, and reporting. The tool offers an array of features for reviewing submitted applications and tracking project metrics of the awarded partners. With administrative access to each partner's application submission, the data tool alleviates the logistical burdens of maintaining a large pool of applications. For applicants, the data tool provides a structured way to submit both their applications and quarterly reports. Finally, a dashboard displays aggregated data in a more digestible visual format, allowing for easy tracking of the project's progress.

Central San Joaquin Valley K-16 Partnership

A Collaboration of the Fresno-Madera K-16 Collaborative and the Tulare-Kings College & Career Collaborative (The Partnership): The Partnership was created to strengthen the region's education, leadership, support, and impact on the 300,000+ K-16 students and adult learners it serves. The aim is to eliminate intersegmental silos and unite partners to build relationship infrastructure for future work. By braiding approaches and resources, the partners are confident there will be a significant increase in filling the LMI-supported job talent pipeline and ensuring that individuals personally thrive.

– UC Merced & UC San Francisco (Partners)

Kern Regional K-16 Education Collaborative Grant

The Kern K-16 Regional Education Collaborative seeks to prepare students for the global economy by dismantling long-standing economic barriers in local communities, focusing on removing obstacles to student success and enhancing educational outcomes. By streamlining K-16 pathways in Education, Healthcare, and Engineering/Computing, the goal is to meet the region's needs, expand and diversify opportunities for students, and encourage future economic growth.

– UC Merced & UCLA (Partners)

Sierra K-16 Collaborative

Workforce Ready, Future Engaged: The Eastern Sierra K-16 Collaborative is part of a statewide strategy to strengthen education-to-workforce pathways and ensure that education, vocational, and workforce programs work in partnership to address barriers in education and employment.

– UC Merced (Partner)