Los Angeles Valley College was created and developed to meet the tremendous growth of the San Fernando Valley during the 40's and early 50's. The college was officially chartered by the Los Angeles Board of Education in June of 1949. Valley opened its doors on September 12, 1949 and was located on the campus of Van Nuys High School.

On opening day, there were 439 students enrolled at Valley College. This pioneer class was composed of 254 men and 185 women. This pioneer faculty numbered 23. Vierling Kersey had been selected to be the first director of the college. Classes were taught in five bungalows that served as the campus and the library possessed a total of 150 volumes.

The college's evening division opened in 1950 with a total of twelve classes. Valley moved to its permanent 105 acre site on Fulton Avenue in Van Nuys in 1951. The student body was housed in thirty-three temporary bungalow structures; these increased to forty-five between 1951 and 1956.

By 1952, the fall enrollment exceeded 2,300 students. Within the next two years the college had created a fully functioning counseling program and had developed a community service program.

In 1954, members of the faculty founded the Athenaeum which began to offer community programs that brought the Los Angeles Philharmonic to the campus. Internationally known speakers who came to the campus included: Eleanor Roosevelt, Clement Atlee, Margaret Mead, and Louis Leakey.

The college grew with the Valley. It soon had both an excellent transfer program, as well as a number of vocational programs, to offer residents of the San Fernando Valley.

1959 marked the completion of Phase I of the Master Building Plan. In this phase, the following buildings were included: Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Foreign Language, Administration, and the Library.

In 1961, Phase II was completed. This phase included the Music, Theater Arts. Life Science, and Cafeteria buildings. In 1963, Phase III was completed. This phase included the Business-Journalism, Math-Science, Art, and Planetarium buildings. Phase IV would not be completed until the 1970's and included the Gymnasiums, Behavioral Science, Humanities, and Campus Center buildings.

In 1969, the colleges separated from the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Los Angeles Community College District was formed. The first independent Board of Trustees was elected that year.

On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the college the Valley College Historical Museum was founded. The museum has become the only museum totally dedicated to the history of the San Fernando Valley. The museum is supported by an active Historical Museum Association which meets regularly and hosts lectures involving aspects of the Valley's history.

LAVC celebrated its 50th birthday in 1999 with a variety of events. In 2001, Valley College was granted a full 6-year renewal of its accreditation and given high praise for its educational programs. Valley College continues to be a focal point of the San Fernando Valley. The college's current enrollment exceeds 17,000 students with a faculty of over 200 full time and 275 part time instructors. Valley continues to offer a number of recreational and cultural opportunities to the community.

With the passage of Proposition A in 2001 and Proposition AA in 2003, Valley College is embarking on a plan to remodel and renovate the campus. In addition to air conditioning and new lighting, several new buildings are in the planning stages. This renovation will keep Valley College in the forefront of the San Fernando Valley Community Colleges.