California Gov. Newsom signs bill allowing Mexican residents near border to get in-state tuition

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Friday that will allow some students living in Mexico near the border to receive in-state tuition at certain community colleges, his administration confirmed on its website.

The bill was one of many listed in a "legislative update" news release. "Governor Gavin Newsom took his final actions of the 2023 legislative season today," the Friday release said. "The desk is clear."

The bill, introduced by Assemblymember David Alvarez, D-San Diego, affects low-income students living within 45 minutes of the California border.


"There are students who might actually be U.S. citizens but happen to be living in the Baja region because of the cost of living," Alvarez told The Los Angeles Times. "So there are some students who find themselves in that situation who don’t have a California residence because families can’t afford to live here."

 

Hm. Interesting. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Here in New Mexico our public primary and secondary schools must educate any age appropriate student who appears. Down in Deming and Columbus there's daily school bus traffic to the border at Palomas, Chih. But those parents don't pay our taxes.

The kids are usually dual nationals. It's probably in the national interest to provide a decent basic education. OTOH, Mexican schools aren't necessarily bad or even inadequate.

 

In California, schools teach any child. Teaching some kids who shouldn't be there is the price we pay to help protect those kids. It's not their fault.

I'm fine with extending community college coverage to Mexico, provided it is for US nationals and citizens only.

 

I went back to my old community college a couple years ago. This was the first time I'd been back there in about 45 years or so. It was much smaller and not nearly as impressive as I remember when I was going there. :-D

I'm a big fan of community college. It is low cost and focuses on lower division instruction more effectively than at least UC Berkeley. I also support coverage for US nationals and citizens going there even if they live in Mexico. Living in San Diego I know it's very common for US citizens to live in Mexico because it's so much cheaper. The kids are generally hardworking and have dreams of being able to afford to live in the US on their own.

 

Yup. I'm sure reciprocities could be identified.

 

Perhaps? It's a pilot program that is planned to run until 2029.

quote:
A similar law passed in 2015 allows some Nevada residents living near the California border to attend Lake Tahoe Community College at in-state tuition rates.

https://www.voanews.com/a/california-to-give-some-mexican-residents-near-border-in-state-community-college-tuition-/7311192.html#:~:text=Gavin Newsom speaks during an,12, 2023.&text=SACRAMENTO, Calif. —-,California Gov.,rates at certain community colleges.

I know plenty of folks that moved to California just to get the in state tuition rates. Multiple fellow students at the community college that I went to were in that category. When they transferred to a University then they would only have to pay in state tuition costs. It is a nice savings but it is not free tuition. I think they only have to live here for two years to get in-state tuition rates. So most folks doing a 4 year degree end up getting the in-state tuition rate for half of their school anyway.