Central Unified schools in Fresno create new path for automatic admission to UC Merced
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Hi readers! It’s Julianna with the Education Lab, and this is the Jan. 31 edition of our weekly newsletter.
Part of why the Ed Lab first formed in 2019 was to tackle issues with lower educational attainment and college-going rates in the Central Valley. So anytime we hear about efforts toward improving access to higher education in the Valley, our ears perk up.
That’s why even though this one item on Central Unified’s agenda last week about a new “automatic admissions” program with UC Merced was on the consent agenda and didn’t receive separate discussion before it was unanimously passed, we were interested.
You read that right: If you’re a student or family member of a student in Central Unified, you could soon be eligible for automatic admission to UC Merced.
There are two key steps to qualify, according to UC Merced’s site:
Make sure you’ve completed the A-G courses required for UC admission with a weighted GPA of 3.5 and no grade lower than a C in these classes by the end of your senior year.
Submit your “University of California Undergraduate Application for Admission and Scholarships” during the priority filing period in the early fall.
Other “recommended” criteria include completing the application for the guaranteed admissions program during the summer of your senior year. Applications for students who would start college in Fall 2024 will be open May 1 through July 31.
UC Merced also suggests students complete three out of four years of English and all three years of required math by the end of junior year.
The program is intended to create a clearer pathway to higher education for Central Valley students.
“We hope our participation in the program decreases pressure on students during the admissions process,” said Central Unified Board President Naindeep Singh in a text to the Ed Lab.
He added that the district’s goal is also to help “radically” increase students’ options and interest in the UC system.
Central Valley students’ UC enrollment rates – as well as overall college-going rates – have historically lagged behind other regions of California. UC Merced was created with this in mind, and with the hope of improving access to both the UC system and higher education in general.
In Central Unified specifically, the college-going rate in the 2019-20 school year – the most recent for which California Department of Education data is available – was 69.2%, which was above both Fresno County’s rate of 66% and the statewide rate of 64.2%.
Of those college-bound Central Unified students who remained in-state, a majority – just over 70% – went to community colleges. The second most common in-state destination was the CSU system, where about 17% of students went. The remaining Central students were split almost evenly between private colleges and the UC system, with only about 3% attending each.
The ranking between types of in-state destinations for higher ed are mirrored across the state and county, although the proportions differ. For instance, the statewide rate of college-going students who attend UCs is higher than in Central at about 12%.
Central isn’t the only district partnering with UC Merced on the automatic admissions program, although it is one of only a handful in Fresno County so far. The program first launched in March 2021 with Merced Union High School District, according to UC Merced spokesperson Juan Flores.
Now, 13 more districts, counting Central, have followed suit.
UC Merced’s program is too new to give us much data to review and assess it with. Despite that, UC Merced’s director of admissions, Dustin Noji, shared preliminary data from Merced Union High’s inaugural year.
Of 500 juniors in the district who met initial qualifications, 202 applied to the automatic admissions program, 169 were deemed eligible, 114 went on to apply to UC Merced, and 58 ultimately enrolled this academic year.
While it should be years before data out of UC Merced’s program can be properly analyzed, at least one 2018 study has indicated that automatic admissions programs helped encourage more applications from low-income students to flagship universities in Texas.
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MORE FRESNO-AREA EDUCATION NEWS
A Clovis Unified school was the only in the Valley — and one of just 19 in California — to receive the 2023 California Exemplary Arts Education Award from the California Department of Education, according to a media release.
Reyburn Intermediate School received the honor given to programs committed to equity and provide all students access to standards-aligned arts education.
The school offers a variety of visual and performing arts programs, as well as a special collaboration between the school’s special education and drama departments for students with Autism.
“While many districts and communities fight to save their art programs,” said Reyburn Principal Ryan Eisele in the release, “Clovis Unified School District and Reyburn Intermediate School have consistently invested in the arts so students may explore new opportunities.”
Madera Unified is hosting an in-person job fair at the Madera Workforce Assistance Center on Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to noon, according to a media release from the district.
Some of the district’s current job openings include athletic trainer, bus driver, and cafeteria playground aide.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their high school diplomas, the release said.
The Fresno County Academic Decathlon will be back in person this year on Saturday, Feb. 4, at Sunnyside High School in the gym, according to a news release from the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools.
Multiple teams of students will participate in academic competitions covering anything from economics to social science, and the theme of this year’s event is the American Revolution. Participating students are eligible for up to $8,000 in scholarships.
The final round of the competition at 3 p.m. and subsequent awards ceremony at 5 p.m. are open to the public.
The winning team will go on to compete in the statewide decathlon March 24 through 26 in Santa Clara.
Six Central Valley community colleges will partner with 21 high schools in the region next fall to provide dual enrollment math classes for Black and Latino students who otherwise lack access to rigorous math courses, according to a press release.
The project is funded by a $4 million federal grant that was awarded to the educational nonprofit College Bridge out of Los Angeles County.
The participating community colleges include Cerro Coso, Columbia, Madera, Reedley, Taft and West Hills College Coalinga. The participating high schools will be identified in February.
“This DE Math Bridge project is an innovating high school intervention that will close equity and attainment gaps in college math and college completion at the 21 Central Valley rural high schools within the six colleges’ service areas,” said College Bridge founder and president Lynn Cevallos.
STILL WANT MORE EDUCATION NEWS? HERE’S WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING
Critics say Florida aims to rewrite history by rejecting African American studies
“Florida’s department of education, under the leadership of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, rejected an Advanced Placement course on African American studies. The decision is leading to a wave of backlash across the country — from other state lawmakers to labor unions and even a potential lawsuit.” | NPR
Alabama school cancel Black History Month author visit after parent complaint
The school initially informed the author the abrupt cancellation was due to a failure on his part to submit proper paperwork. Officials later told him the real reason had to do with a parent complaint. | AL.com
Why This Teacher Will No Longer Pay for the ‘Privilege’ to Wear Jeans
Next year, my hard-earned cash will stay in my pocket. | Education Week
Most homeless students are doubled-up. What does that mean? | Quick Guide
Many California students live doubled-up with other families and friends. | EdSource
That’s it for this week’s newsletter. Like what you read? Forward it to someone else you think might get something out of it!
