K–16 Partnerships - UC Davis Aligns Education and Workforce

Oct 15, 2026

K–16 Partnerships explores how the University of California, Davis functions as a Regional K–16 Education Collaborative partner across three California regions, using a collective impact framework to analyze required development and sustained commitment. The brief links low college completion in California to siloed education segments and limited coordination, and explains how intersegmental partnerships can reduce fragmentation and strengthen student access and persistence. It highlights related state efforts and policy mechanisms supporting alignment and workforce participation, including grant initiatives and statewide programs.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Policy Context: Intersegmental Partnerships

K–16 Partnerships UC Davis Aligns Education and Workforce Alexandria Hurtt, Sherrie Reed, and Casey Duyan This brief explores the role that the University of California, Davis, plays as a Regional K–16 Education Collaborative partner in three California regions and examines its actions and activities through a collective impact framework, offering a unique lens through which to consider the development and ongoing commitment required of such partnerships. Although college enrollment rates have slowly risen over time, too few students complete a degree program in California. As such, improving college completion rates is a focus of numerous education policy and practice efforts across the state. This includes the Regional K–16 Education Collaboratives Grant Program, which aims to support pandemic recovery and address persistent social and economic inequities in higher education and workforce participation through the development of regional intersegmental partnerships statewide. March 2026 Introduction Improving college enrollment and completion rates has profound benefits for both individuals and society at large, as higher education not only is key for individual mobility but also fuels economic growth. Although 4-year college enrollment rates have slowly risen over time, too few students complete a degree program.1 For example, in California, evidence indicates that only about 30 percent of high school graduates earn a degree or certificate within 8 years.2 As such, improving college completion rates is a focus of numerous education policy and practice efforts across the state, includingthe articulation of a statewide target for college completion;3 blueprints for education recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, K–16 alignment, and career-focused education, among others; and funding to align K–12, higher education, and the workforce. Efforts related to K–16 alignment include the Regional K-16 Education Collaboratives Grant Program, which aims to support pandemic recovery and address persistent social and economic inequities in higher education and workforce participation through the development of regional intersegmental partnerships statewide. This brief explores the role that the University of California (UC), Davis, plays as a Regional K–16 Education Collaborative partner in three regions of California, offering a unique lens through which to consider the development and ongoing commitment required of such partnerships. This unique lens is a result of the expansive geographic area served by UC’s northernmost campus and the numerous institutional differences that UC Davis navigates as a multiregion partner. Moreover, UC Davis is one of only two UC campuses currently engaged in more than one collaborative, with its partnerships in three regions spanning 22 of California’s 58 counties, including urban, suburban, and rural locales as well as several tribal communities. Policy Context: Intersegmental Partnerships Prior research indicates that several factors can affect degree attainment for students.4 These include institutional factors, which shape many of the policies, practices, and overall context of students’schooling experiences. In California, one reason for low educational attainment rates may be the siloed nature of the state’s public education segments, including its K–12 schools and three public higher education systems—UC, California State University (CSU), and California Community Colleges (CCC)—and the limited coordination across these systems. Potential misalignment with local workforce needs may also be a factor. Because each education segment serves a distinct population of students and is beholden to different accountability structures, each segment acts independently;5 this independence can lead to fragmentation, which, in turn, may negatively affect the pathways available to students and the processes that allow them to access and persist in higher education.6 As such, one key to imp

FAQs

Why does improving college completion matter in this brief?

It emphasizes that completing college programs benefits individuals’ mobility and drives economic growth. Despite rising enrollment, too few students finish degrees in California.

What problem does the brief identify in California’s education system?

It points to the siloed nature of K–12 and public higher education segments and limited coordination across UC, CSU, and CCC, which can fragment student pathways.

How do intersegmental partnerships help address these challenges?

They support communication to target systemic issues, align perspectives and commitments, and formalize collaboration. The brief also notes that partnerships often become more effective over time as trust, knowledge, and resources grow.

Oct 15, 2026

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