David Alvarez, member of the California State Assembly from the 80th district has introduced his first bill (AB 91) at Assembly 91 regarding the school sector and the binational enrollment of students.

Assemblymember David Alvarez introduced his education project which will allow low-income students within a 45 mile-radius in the California-Mexico border to enroll in local community colleges.

We live in a dynamic border region where we need to educate more students to fill the jobs required for growth… this bill will allow low-income residents who live close to the border to attend local community colleges.

The assemblymember’s project looks to resolve local economy’s demands. According to the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, the number of people with post-secondary education must be doubled by 2030, which is equal to around 20,000 new skilled workers.

For students who reside in Tijuana and are interested in applying for this pilot program, they must fulfill the following requirements:

• Not to be a US resident and to have at least 1 year of residency (before enrollment) within a 45-mile radius in the California-Mexico border.

• Prove that you are low-income.

• Enroll in lower division courses at a [b]SDICCCA college in California (located within a 25-mile radius in the California-Mexico border).

These are the colleges where you will be enrolled in, in case your application is accepted:

• Cuyamaca College

• Grossmont College

• Imperial Valley

• San Diego City College

• San Diego Continuing Education

• San Diego Miramar

• Southwestern College

It should be noted that each college will have limited capacity to receive students that apply to this pilot program. This capacity will be of 200 available spots.

For his part, Dr. Mark Sanchez, president of Southwestern College has said that to expand affordable access to new enrollments would produce more prepared students that can significantly contribute to the economic development on both sides of the border.

Southwestern College is a significant piece of the education development in the south of the county. The project proposed by David Alvarez represents a significant change to revitalize the region’s economy, based on the education of workers who are better prepared.