The passage of a $475 million bond last Tuesday, will allow the Los Rios Community College District to meet the massive enrollment growth anticipated over the next decade. “We will be able to finish off our five new college centers and modernize and expand our four existing colleges,” Los Rios Chancellor Brice Harris said Wednesday.

Measure M received 57 percent of the vote. It required approval of 55 percent of voters for approval. Los Rios Community College District spans Sacramento, Yolo and El Dorado counties, as well as parts of Placer. The district is expected to grow from 88,000 students to 120,000 by 2016, Harris said. Los Rios is already the second largest community college district in California, following the enormous Los Angeles Community College District.

In July, the trustees were a little nervous about placing the large bond measure on the ballot. The housing market, economic changes and concerns about the community’s fear of just not having enough money to make it made the trustees think twice about the measure. Today they are thankful they did.  Because of the bond’s success at the polls, Harris said he believes voters understand the role of community colleges in providing affordable education and job training opportunities.

“More people are relying on community colleges to provide access to higher education,” Harris said.

Other, more non-traditional students including laid-off workers seeking retraining, and career minded individuals that are want to modernize and increase their skill set are attracted by certificate programs and online courses.

Measure M will provide funding for classroom and facility improvements and construction at American River, Cosumnes River, Folsom Lake and Sacramento City colleges. The bond funds will also allow the district to complete its plans to buy land and begin construction of satellite campuses in Davis, West Sacramento, Rancho Cordova, North Natomas and Elk Grove. The Rancho Cordova campus has plans to be built along Folsom Blvd.