About CSSO

Welcome to CSSO

CSSO opened in 2015 as a non-profit corporation 501(c) 3 with the purpose of creating educational resources for Opticians & Optometric Assistants. Development of online ABO Review improved the ABO national exam passing rate to 89% in 2020.

CSSO provides sustainability for optician colleges in California supporting tools and resources of students, instructors, equipment, tools, and equipment. We continue to discover new instruction methods to help Opticians & Optometric Assistants

California State Society for Optician 5-year Plan

Pre-Apprenticeship Program: Launching a dispensing optician pre-apprenticeship to introduce students to careers in opticianry. We aim to attract underrepresented groups and individuals with disabilities to help combat industry staff shortages and diversify the field.

Degree Program Expansion: Launching the Chabot College two-year Associate of Science in Optical Technology degree to enhance education in optics, patient care, and consumer protection while pursuing COA accreditation. We plan to introduce additional degree programs once this process is fully established, and we will work to ensure all training pipelines meet state consumer protection and dispensing mandates.

Recruiting Goals Objectives: We are focusing our recruiting on two key groups:

University Students: Those exploring careers in optometry, ophthalmology, marketing, or regional management who want a direct, hands-on healthcare path through an earn-as-you-learn model.
Underserved and Underrepresented Individuals: Local high school students and job seekers looking for a stable, licensed career with clear advancement opportunities.

National Dispensing Optician Standards: Building quality instruction through National Apprenticeship Dispensing Optician Standards by introducing career pathways in every state, which includes reviewing potential two-year degree programs.

World of Optics Museum: Designing a new museum for educational outreach to showcase the history of optics and the opticianry profession. We aim to bridge the gap between academic skills and industry employment, seek museum accreditation, and attract underrepresented groups and individuals with disabilities to work in the museum.