California’s community colleges are gateways to opportunity, helping students achieve upward mobility and fueling the state’s economy. Yet for decades, they’ve been funded at levels far below public and private universities—forcing colleges to do more with less and making it harder to support students through completion. With the ‘hold harmless’ provision ending, the 2025–26 year marks the first real test of whether the Student Centered Funding Formula can deliver the equitable funding California’s students deserve