SACRAMENTO – AB 1896, a bill introduced by Assembly member Joe Coto, calling for all students entering California high schools to take college prep courses, passed the Assembly Education Committee this week. 

This bill has the potential to significantly improve the number of California students who are eligible to attend college. The three primary goals of the bill are to ensure that all students: 1) have access to college prep classes, 2) graduate college ready or career ready students with maximum opportunities for success, and 3) are prepared to fill the jobs required to keep California competitive in the world market. 

San Jose Unified School District is in its seventh year of implementing a similar program and they have doubled their rate of students completing college courses.  Los Angeles Unified School District is planning to institute a similar program in an effort to prepare more of their students for college.

“If we expect California to continue to play a primary role in the world’s economy, we need to prepare a workforce that is ready to take on that responsibility.  Having only 33% of our students currently meeting the entrance requirements for the University of California is not going to supply us with the talent to keep this state competitive,” said Assembly member Coto.

For questions, please call Mike Welch (916.319.2023 or fax 916.319.2123).