The San Diego Community College District and San Diego Unified School District governing boards’ held their annual joint meeting on March 16.

The two districts outlined mutual goals for the current academic year and beyond, focusing on strengthening pathways and eliminating equity gaps.

Today at 4 p.m.: SDCCD Board of Trustees will hold a meeting and appoint Carlos Turner Cortez as the new chancellor. Click here to watch the live stream.

The dismantling of structural racism and improving the lives of students of color is on the top of the priority for both districts, officials said.

“What I like most about our joint efforts, and about our joint meetings, is that everything we do is about students,” said SDCCD Chancellor Constance Carroll in her opening remarks. 

The joint meeting was the last one to include Carroll, who announced that she will be retiring in June after her 17-year tenure, and Superintendent Cindy Marten, who is leaving the District to become the next deputy U.S. Education Secretary.

The joint district board’s future goals include collaboration, data research, outreach and parent engagement, and disaggregation of LGBTQ data. 

“Everything about students involves equity, inclusion and diversity,” Carroll said. “That is why our two districts are at the very top of their game.”

The districts are working on expanding early college credit opportunities for high school students, as well as expanding the Dreamer Center to provide support to undocumented students.

Another goal the districts have outlined is college recruitment outreach starting at the elementary school level.   

Geysil Arroyo, who was appointed to the SDCCD board of trustees in February and who is a public health professional, said the importance of mental health support discussion needs to happen.

“We need to make sure that we have students that are healthy, communities are healthy,” Arroyo said. 

She asked the district’s board members to consider the impact of the pandemic on students.

Richard Barrera, who represents District D on the SDUSD Board, congratulated and welcomed chancellor designate Carlos Turner Cortez, who has been selected as the next SDCCD chancellor.