Equity in the Time of Need, Best Practices and Recommendations for California’s College Basic Needs Centers

As recent legislation requires all California Community Colleges to develop basic needs centers, understanding the learnings from those colleges that have been at the forefront of this work is essential. The best practices and recommendations for the community college sector presented in this report emerged from a year-long community of practice that included seven community colleges from across the state. This effort yielded insights that can serve as guideposts for developing a healthy infrastructure and strategic partnerships to effectively meet the basic needs of student populations. The report also includes key recommendations to support the ongoing work of addressing college students’ basic needs to promote academic success and retention.