University Doors Opening for District Students

By Lookout Staff

March 16 -- A higher percentage of public high school students in Santa Monica and Malibu were eligible to enter the California public university system than their counterparts in comparable districts and far more qualified than students statewide.

The findings, released by the district Tuesday, are based on a series of rigorous, university approved course taken by students who wish to enroll in a four-year public university in California.

White and Asian students, as well as “underrepresented (non-white and poor ) students,” from the district’s graduating class of 2002 met the requirements at rates that surpassed those of students from most of the high-achieving high schools in the region, including those in upscale communities such as Beverly Hills, Palos Verdes and San Marino.

“These results are validation of the success of the district’s efforts to raise academic achievement while closing the achievement gap,” said Superintendent John Deasy. “A rigorous curriculum and targeted support are opening college doors for all students.”

Of the White and Asian students at Santa Monica High School who took the university-approved course, 81 percent were eligible to attend State universities, while 67 percent of the White and Asian students from Malibu High School were eligible.

That compared to 79 percent of the White and Asian students in San Marino, 56 percent in Palos Verdes and 38 percent in Beverly Hills. Results from both SAMOHI and Malibu high schools far surpass the statewide college eligibility rate of 44 percent.

“Underrepresented” students, primarily Blacks and Latinos, also met or exceeded the percentage of eligible underrepresented students in other comparable schools and doubled the average eligibility rate statewide.

At Santa Monica High School, 49 percent of underrepresented students completed the requirements; while at Malibu 55 percent met that goal. Statewide, only 22 percent of underrepresented students were eligible for college.

District students who participated in the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program -- which supports students nationwide in the most rigorous college prep courses – exceeded statewide levels of college enrollment, district officials said.

“The most recent results from 2002-2003 indicate that AVID ethnically diverse students are much more likely to attend a University of California or California State University campus than all students statewide,” Deasy said.

Of the graduating class of 2002, Santa Monica-Malibu AVID students enrolled in a UC campus at a rate of 29 percent, which was double the statewide AVID rate of 14 percent and far surpasses the general statewide UC enrollment of 8 percent, district officials said.

Enrollment at a Cal State campus was 43 percent among Santa Monica-Malibu AVID students compared to 38 percent of statewide AVID students and 10 percent among all students statewide, district officials said.