When President Obama announced his America’s College Promise plan in 2015, he envisioned a country where qualified students could attend community college regardless of cost. The Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles is helping to make that vision a reality for thousands of LAUSD high school grads.

Starting in 2017, LA College Promise will make it possible for responsible students who don’t already qualify for state tuition aid to attend one free year of community college. The Fund is working with LAUSD and the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) to finance this exciting project.

The money we raised from LA’s business and philanthropic sectors will help LACCD guarantee a cost-free year for roughly 7,000 LAUSD graduates in 2017. So far, we’ve raised $1.75 million for the program, covering more than half the costs of the first year. Looking ahead, the LA Community College District and its Foundation will raise enough funds for an endowment to make LA College Promise permanent. Mayor Garcetti launched the program alongside Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom and Dr. Jill Biden on September 14, 2016.