Background

For better or for worse, events, trends and policies in California often influence the rest of the nation. This may be due to the fact that, with over 30 million people, California is the nation's most populous - and most diverse - state. Or it may owe to the state's prominence in the fields of media, communications and information science. Certainly California's role as gateway to the Pacific Rim, a region whose geo-political, demographic, economic and cultural realities will shape the next century, is also a critical factor. Whatever the explanation, developments in California often carry great significance for the rest of the nation.

In the area of higher education, California has been a trendsetter. Many other states learned from or modeled California's statewide system of coordinated higher education. The California Master Plan promised universal access to quality higher education. In the process, it became one of the engines that drove the state's economic growth and prosperity. Today California presents a different model with the passage of legislation to ban affirmative action in higher education. The rest of the nation watches to see what consequences for educational equity and for the state's future trajectory will be associated with this critical change in California's system of higher education. Early evidence suggests that Black and Latino student access and equity in higher education have been negatively affected by these changes.

Highlights

CHOICES seeks to address the problem of persistently low college attendance and graduation rates among California's African American and Chicano/Latino high school graduates.

CHOICES adopts a view that is simultaneously general and specific. In the general sense, the research themes are cross-cutting, incorporated and reflected in each stage of the educational process model. However, at the same time, the content, emphasis, and themes addressed will vary by the specific educational stage in question.

The project team aims to develop a lifespan model that will identify, describe and document differences in school/campus climate across institutional contexts and the impact these climates have on educational outcomes.

In addition, CHOICES aims to understand how the social, political, cultural and economic status of individuals, families and communities are related to improved academic experiences and outcomes for African Americans and Latinos in California and the nation.

CHOICES will identify commonalties between African American and Chicano/Latino students' educational experiences in California and those in other states. This study will develop policy alternatives to improve college CHOICES and educational outcomes for African Americans and Chicanos/Latinos.