Assemblymember Gipson leads hearing to discuss returning local governing authority
(Sacramento) - Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson), Chair of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC), is convening an informational hearing today to review the progress being made towards returning local governing authority and accreditation to Compton Community College District (CCCD).
"The state took control of CCCD more than a decade ago, and it is past time we return governing authority to the community," states Gipson. "Local control would allow those who are directly affected by the school district's decisions to have a say in what academic opportunities are provided for the community. That is the way it is done everywhere else in the state, and that is how it should be in Compton."
In 2004, the state took control of CCCD as a result of fiscal mismanagement. A few years later, Compton Community College lost accreditation. This led to the establishment of an agreement with El Camino College, a partner district, to provide accredited coursework to Compton Community College students.
The hearing, taking place on the Compton campus, will include a panel discussion about the historical context, current status, and future obstacles along the road to CCCD offering an accredited curriculum under local control.
"We are honored and applaud the actions of Assemblyman Gipson and the Joint Legislative Audit Committee to visit Compton in order to conduct the very first independent review of our progress," states Cynthia Macon from the Committee to Save Compton Community College
Gipson has also announced that he will be moving forward with a JLAC audit to address the concerns referenced during the hearing.
"It has become apparent that there is a need to clearly identify obstacles, measure progress, and ensure everyone's on the same page working towards the same goal," states Gipson. "That is why I am proposing an audit to look at issues that may have unnecessarily prolonged CCCD regaining governance and accreditation."
For more information, please visit http://asmdc.org/members/a64/district/upcoming-events .
Mike Gipson represents the 64th Assembly District. The district includes the cities of Carson, Compton, Gardena, Harbor Gateway, Lynwood, North Long Beach, Rancho Dominguez, South Los Angeles, Torrance, Watts/Willowbrook and Wilmington.
# # #