California Community College Board of Governors Approves Shasta College Tehama Campus for Educational Center Status

REDDING, CA  –  During the November 2025 meeting of the California Community College Board of Governors (BOG), Shasta College’s petition for its Tehama Campus in Red Bluff to be recognized as an “educational center” was approved. An “educational center” is the official designation for a state-approved offsite operation of a California Community College district that is managed by a parent college. The main differences between educational center status and a local outreach center include specific enrollment goals and expansions in instructional offerings.

Currently, the Tehama campus offers instruction in 20 certificate programs and 8 associate degree programs, serving over 4,000 students or greater than 800 full-time equivalent students (FTES). Shasta College anticipates reaching the educational center status target of 1,000 FTES by 2029, at which point the state will provide additional funding to support Tehama’s operations.

This petition marks the third attempt by the college to achieve educational center status for the Tehama site. The district attributed this year’s successful BOG resolution to the introduction of new programs at the Tehama site, particularly Career Technical Education (CTE) programs, as well as ongoing efforts to expand dual enrollment pathways in local high schools.

Located on a 40-acre site in South Red Bluff, the Tehama educational center has been offering programs and services to the area’s 65,520 residents for over 15 years. The campus site was acquired through Tehama County’s Measure A, a $12 million general obligation bond approved by local voters in 2002, which funded the purchase of the site and the initiation of construction. A separate bond, Measure H, passed in 2016, financed the construction of a new Student Services Building on campus, bringing the total number of main buildings to four, including classrooms, laboratories, offices, and other spaces.

District Superintendent/President Dr. Frank Nigro expressed his excitement upon hearing the news of the BOG decision, stating, “This is a welcome recognition of the incredible amount of work that our talented faculty, staff, and community members have put into bringing higher education to the Tehama area. Receiving center status acknowledges the unique challenges of providing higher education in a geographically remote, rural region.” Dr. Nigro reflected on the years of effort required to achieve this recognition, saying, “We could not have reached this milestone without the wonderful community partnerships and local advocacy to enhance the college-going culture, supported by organizations like Expect More Tehama, our K-12 regional partners, and the many businesses and public partnerships. My deepest thanks go to our Shasta College team, led by Dr. Kevin O’Rorke, Billy Miller, and all the dedicated educational faculty and staff at the Tehama educational center.”

The recognition of the Tehama educational center status is another significant milestone in the district’s over 75-year history as a leader in higher education in far Northern California. This successful effort reflects Shasta College’s ongoing commitment to the tri-county region.