Photo: Cindy Schultz

Jessica Ramlakhan, 37, has a goal: She wants to become a psychologist and open a private practice with flexible, family-friendly hours to help troubled teenagers. But until two years ago, between family and work, she hadn’t managed to make it through even one full semester of college.

A new program by New York’s public university system hopes to reverse this trajectory for struggling students—and for the higher education system more broadly.

A revolution is in the making at California’s community colleges: No more grades, no more sitting through lectures or seminars, no more deadlines. In a pilot program taking shape across eight of the state’s community colleges, the only requirement for some associate degrees will be “competency.” 

Students who prove they have the relevant skills can earn that degree.

Photo: Corrie Boudreaux

Brianna Chavez, 27, was in elementary school when she decided to become a nurse. Today, she is a 2023 graduate of El Paso Community College with an associate of applied science degree in nursing. 
 
Chavez says her EPCC degree plan gave her a solid foundation for this career, which will be in high demand locally, regionally, and nationally for years to come. It's also the kind of outcome that will benefit the college and its Texas counterparts now that the state has launched a new funding formula for community colleges.