To impact college enrollment rates, and subsequently college attainment throughout the United States, particularly among low socioeconomic status students, college enrollment outcomes must become a priority at the state, district, and school levels. Central school district offices across the United States face demands by educators and policymakers to ensure that students are prepared for college. The way in which central district offices respond will likely be influenced by the availability of resources. Drawing on institutional theory, this exploratory case study examines how one central district office's funding practices and resource allocations influence college preparedness and enrollment in California. The researchers interviewed central district leaders and high school administrators (N = 10) to explore their perceptions of financial strategies and barriers that impact college preparation and enrollment rates, particularly in California, a state that ranks 40th in college enrollment. The analysis illustrates the resource challenges from the perspective of school administrators that interfere with preparing students for college, such as a limited authority to use site-level funds to hire qualified teachers to meet the instructional needs of their students. Further findings revealed that despite fiscal resources dedicated from this central district office to remove funding barriers that typically interfere with low-income and minority students' access to college, districts must move beyond the core curriculum to ensure that students are ready for college.