California is home to the fifth-largest population of Black people in the United States, approximately 2.8 million individuals. However, when Black Californians seek access to the state's colleges and universities, they face undue bureaucratic and financial barriers. This Equity Alert explores a legislative proposal to create a California Black-Serving Institutions (BSI) Program intended to improve how Black Californians experience and succeed in higher education. The proposal and the potential benefits are discussed, followed by critical considerations to strengthen the effectiveness of the designation and improve the ways colleges and universities in California support Black student success.