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Center for Advanced Learning reports full enrollment, credit gains and new industry partnerships
Summary
The Center for Advanced Learning reported May 7 that its programs are operating at capacity for Gresham‑Barlow student slots, that students earned more than 2,800 college credits last year (an estimated $337,000 in tuition savings), and that new industry and university partnerships are expanding work‑based learning opportunities.
GRESHAM, Ore. — The Center for Advanced Learning (CAL), the regional career and technical education campus serving students from Gresham‑Barlow and neighboring districts, told the Gresham‑Barlow School Board on May 7 that it continues to expand college‑credit opportunities and industry partnerships while operating at capacity for district slots.
Jessica Gallagher, CAL director, presented the school’s annual report and highlighted program enrollment and outcomes. CAL enrolls roughly 500 students on average; for 2025‑26 the district’s allocation to CAL is fully subscribed and the district has a waiting list. Gallagher said about 275 of those students are from Gresham‑Barlow and the largest single program for Gresham‑Barlow students is health sciences, with around 143 eleventh‑ and twelfth‑grade students enrolled.
On academic outcomes, Gallagher reported CAL students earned more than 2,800 college credits last year, which she estimated produced about $337,000 in tuition savings for families. "Cal students earned over 2,800 college credits last year with a tuition savings of over $337,000," Gallagher said; many students graduate with 20–30 college credits from dual‑credit agreements, she added.
Gallagher also showcased new and ongoing employer and postsecondary partnerships: CAL’s Tech Lab invited speakers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s cyber unit, selected students intern with local nonprofit Free Geek, and CAL has a new relationship with Portland State University’s electrical engineering and computer science department to create additional dual‑credit opportunities.
The school described a continuous‑improvement plan and a set of shared schoolwide agreements called the "Big 6" focusing on respect, support, safety, trust, and shared expectations. Gallagher said CAL is shifting from alignment to operationalizing its practices and expanding work‑based learning through internships, simulations and guest speakers.
Board questions and capacity: Board members asked whether programs are full and how CAL plans to sustain growth. Gallagher said Gresham‑Barlow spots at CAL are full for 2025‑26 with a projected overall enrollment near 550 students; CAL has had waiting lists for four consecutive years. She said the building and staffing model is under continuous review and that partnerships with industry and Metro East and local colleges help extend training and sustainability.
Ending: The report was informational and no board action was required. Board members praised CAL as a district and regional asset and requested continued updates on capacity and partnership expansion.
