The Central Coast K16 Regional Collaborative is a multi-county, intersegmental effort focused on creating equitable, career-connected educational pathways across the Central Coast of California. Anchored by UCSB’s Office of Education Partnerships, which serves as the grant’s administrative backbone, the Collaborative brings together K-12 districts, community colleges, public universities, and industry leaders to strengthen transitions from high school to college and into high-demand careers. To learn more about the Collaborative, click here.
In the Southern Subregion, the Collaborative supports three major pathway initiatives:
Expands access to STEM fields through dual enrollment, academic planning, and culturally responsive student support. UCSB’s MESA and Data Science Summer Bridge programs provide mentoring and hands-on experiences that build persistence and career readiness. There are 18 partners in this pathway, and they span across the counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura.
Aligns K-14 career technical education programs with four-year engineering degrees and workforce opportunities in sectors like robotics, nanotechnology, and sustainable manufacturing. Key partners include Allan Hancock College, SBCC, Cal Poly SLO, and companies such as Kyocera-SLD Laser and UCSB Nanofab.
Builds equitable healthcare education pipelines in partnership with institutions like CSU Channel Islands, Ventura College, Cuesta College, and major healthcare employers. Focus areas include nursing, allied health, and health services management, with targeted outreach to low-income and first-generation students.
Together, these efforts are driving systemic change by eliminating barriers, promoting social mobility, and equipping students from underserved backgrounds with the tools to thrive in California’s evolving workforce.
Get Involved/Contact the Collaborative
If you would like to learn more or get involved, please follow this link to the Central Coast K-16 Regional Collaborative website, where you can sign up for the newsletter.
Contact: If you would like to learn about the project in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, or Ventura counties, please contact Southern Central Coast K16 Collaborative Coordinator, Isaac Castro, Ph.D. at UC Santa Barbara in the Office of Education Partnerships.