Frequently Asked Questions

Allan Hancock College is a vital local resource that offers students of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to learn skilled trades, gain new career skills, and access affordable higher education. With the cost of attending California public universities more than six times that of community colleges, nearly 50 percent of our local high school graduates every year rely on Hancock for higher education and job training.

Allan Hancock College trains local nurses and healthcare workers who serve our medical needs, firefighters and first responders who keep us safe, and skilled workers like veterinary technicians, auto mechanics and welders who fuel our economy. We are proud to provide low-cost, high-quality education, job training, and community learning options for all residents, helping build a well-trained workforce to meet the needs of local businesses and our community.

The college is over 100 years old, and many classrooms, labs, and career training equipment, as well as technology and facilities, need ongoing maintenance and upgrades. Deteriorating electrical systems, plumbing, and roofs need repair or replacement. Local funding for these repairs will ensure students and veterans have access to an affordable, high-quality education and the opportunity to succeed in college and careers for generations to come.

The Allan Hancock College Board of Trustees is considering placing a bond measure on the November 2026 ballot to address facility needs and help ensure local students and veterans have access to affordable, high-quality education and job training in safe, modern facilities. Funding from the measure could be used to help address the most urgent facility improvements needed at Hancock. A bond measure would also qualify Hancock for $38 million in state matching funds that would otherwise go to other community colleges.

If approved by local voters, locally controlled funding from the measure could be used to fund essential projects, including:

• Removing hazardous materials like asbestos and mold from older buildings
• Upgrading classrooms, career-training facilities, and equipment so students are prepared for in-demand careers and skilled trades
• Building a University Center to offer four-year bachelor’s degrees locally in nursing, sociology, and business in partnership with Cal Poly and Cal State Channel Islands
• Providing classrooms, facilities, and technology needed to support high quality instruction in math, science, engineering, and technology programs
• Repairing and replacing deteriorating plumbing, heating, ventilation, gas lines, sewer lines, and electrical systems where needed

Allan Hancock College serves thousands of military veterans returning from service who need additional help. A potential funding measure would maintain the Veteran’s Center which provides job training, job placement, counseling, and support services to military veterans and their families.

By State law, any potential bond measure would require strict fiscal accountability protections, including:

• All funds are controlled locally and stay in our community to improve Hancock facilities; no bond funds could be taken away by the State or used for other purposes
• The establishment of an independent citizens’ oversight committee, annual audits, and public spending disclosures
• No money could be used for administrators’ salaries or pensions
• A detailed project list outlining the specific use of funds

No final decision has been made regarding the cost of the measure at this time. The Allan Hancock College Board of Trustees is carefully evaluating options to ensure any proposal is fair to local taxpayers while providing the funding necessary to meet the College’s most pressing facility needs.

The cost of bond measures is based on the assessed value of properties. The assessed value of a property is based on the original purchase price and may not increase by more than two percent a year, while the market value tends to grow faster. Assessed value is usually much lower than market value, especially for long-owned properties. This assessed value is what bond measure cost is based on.

Yes. All funds would be locally controlled and would benefit Allan Hancock College only. No funding could be taken away by the State or used for other purposes.

No final decision has been made; the Allan Hancock College Board of Trustees is considering placing a potential bond measure on the ballot in the November 2026 election.

A potential bond measure would need to be supported by 55 percent of those who vote on it in order to pass.