UC’s Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships programs continue to help educationally disadvantaged students prepare for college, according to a report last month that evaluates the programs using a rigorous methodology.

The programs enable more students to complete a college preparatory curriculum, pass the state’s high school exit exam, and enroll in college. They reach a total of more than 116,000 students at 746 K-12 public schools and 109 community colleges in California. 

In April 2005, UC adopted a new accountability framework for the programs. It established three-year and five-year goals for the programs and measured several outcomes. The following are sample results:

Students in the Early Academic Outreach Program completed a college preparatory curriculum at a rate of 73 percent, and Puente participants at 53 percent, compared to a statewide rate of 34 percent.

Tenth graders in the Puente program passed the English and math exit exams at a rate of over 90 percent, compared to around 60 percent for disadvantaged students statewide.

Approximately 66 percent of MESA, Puente, and early outreach participants enroll in college following high school graduation, compared to 46 percent of graduates statewide.

Using the new framework, UC was asked to provide the governor and Legislature with a performance report on the programs. It is hoped this report will prompt the continuation of the annual $17 million in state funding. UC President Robert C. Dynes says, “These programs make a vital contribution, and this report provides an important measure of accountability for the public’s investment in the programs.”

The report summary is available at <www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/academicprep_summary04-05.pdf>.