Our capacity-building academies are designed to support colleges across the California Community Colleges system.
Why?
Colleges are advancing multiple, interconnected initiatives in service of equity and student success. Sustaining this work requires institutional capacity across people, data, and systems that extends beyond short-term planning or compliance.
What?
The academies are designed to support colleges in moving complex, equity-centered initiatives from planning to sustained practice by strengthening implementation, coordination, and long-term institutional capacity.
How?
Through team-based engagement, in-person convenings, and ongoing coaching, college teams apply structured learning to real institutional priorities, supporting effective implementation while building the conditions needed to sustain change over time.
Leading from the Middle Academy: Leading Change Through Shared Leadership
The Leading from the Middle (LFM) Academy is a 15-month leadership development experience for cross-functional college teams. Through sustained learning, coaching, and applied campus work, teams build the shared leadership capacity colleges need to implement complex initiatives and sustain equity-centered, student-focused change over time.
Recommended Team Members: Academic and counseling faculty, classified professionals, researchers, directors, and mid-level administrators
Number of College Teams Served: Up to 10
2026–27 Cohort Dates: August 2026–November 2027
Application Deadline: To be announced
Learn more about the LFM Academy
Math Equity In Action Academy
The Math Equity in Action (MEIA) Academy offers one year of facilitated support to colleges to implement and evaluate their AB 1705 implementation efforts focused on improving student learning experiences and outcomes in math.
Recommended Team Members: Math faculty and counselors, classified professionals, and mid- and executive-leader administrators
Number of College Teams Served: Up to 15
2026–27 Cohort Dates: May 2026–April 2027
Application Deadline: March 20, 2026
Learn more about the MEIA Academy
Strategic Enrollment Management Program: Supporting the Student Journey
Grounded in Vision 2030, the Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Program offers college teams one year of coaching, support, and professional development as they design and implement practices to enhance strategic enrollment efforts to improve the student experience from entry through completion.
Recommended Team Members: Cross-disciplinary teams of faculty, support staff, and administrators
Number of College Teams Served: Up to 15
2026–27 Cohort Dates: June 2026–May 2027
Application Deadline: February 17, 2026
Learn more about the SEM Program
Vision-Aligned Reporting Academy: Simplified Metrics for System Change
In partnership with WestEd, the Vision-Aligned Reporting (VAR) Academy offers 18 months of guided engagement to support colleges in transforming their data collection systems and processes related to student success initiatives to improve alignment with statewide priorities, and more effectively help underserved students succeed.
Recommended Team Members: VAR Lead, a data/research representative, at least one administrator (Dean/Director or above), faculty members, classified professionals, and/or managers representing student services and academic programs
Number of College Teams Served: Up to 10
2026–28 Cohort Dates: June 2026–January 2028
Application Deadline: February 20, 2026