Planning Background

Glendale Community College (GCC) is the second largest college in the Maricopa County Community College District (Maricopa). Maricopa consists of 10 public colleges, two skill centers and eight satellite locations, and was established in 1962. GCC was founded in 1965.

The 1984 bond initiative provided funds to purchase a 75-acre tract at 57th Avenue and Happy Valley Road for a future educational site and a 1994 bond initiative provided a further $2 million for construction. In the Fall of 2000, Glendale Community College North (GCC North) completed construction of a satellite site on 10 acres. GCC operates this site in collaboration with the Deer Valley Unified School District. GCC also established a partnership with Arizona State University at the West campus in 1997, providing lower-division instruction through the GCC-ASU Partnership at the West campus.

Collectively, GCC, GCC North and the GCC-ASU Partnership at the West campus serve the cities of the Northwest Valley including Glendale, Peoria, Phoenix, Sun City, Surprise and others, addressing the educational needs of 34,000 students annually. GCC is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, a member of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA), and received re-accreditation for 10 years in 2002.
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