- Simone Braithwaite
- Simone.Braithwaite@asm.ca.gov
SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Kevin McCarty’s bill that creates a simplified, streamlined transfer pathway for California Community College (CCC) students to University of California (UC) campuses, has been signed by Governor Newsom.
The Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) program, created a partnership between the CCC and California State University (CSU), and guarantees CCC students admissions to a CSU so long as they meet the academic requirements.
Only six of UC’s nine undergraduate campuses offer transfer admission guarantees (TAG) in select majors meeting specific requirements – a program different than the ADT. UCLA, UC San Diego, and UC Berkley do not provide any programs like TAG or ADT, and are the most selective campuses in the UC system. Currently, UC does not offer a system wide guarantee program, creating confusion and posing barriers to students hoping to transfer to the UC.
“AB 1291 starts to tackle a long-standing goal in California: to simplify and streamline transfer paths for hardworking, qualified community college students wishing to attend a UC or a CSU,” said Assemblymember McCarty. “This bill gets UC into the game with universal transfer pathways and will increase economic opportunity and prosperity for all Californians to help our state economy thrive.”
“I am proud that 27 percent of University of California undergraduates begin their educational journey at a California Community College and go on to thrive on our campuses,” said UC President Michael V. Drake, M.D. “The University is committed to attracting and supporting transfer students, and we look forward to continuing to partner with transfer advocates such as Governor Newsom, Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, and others in the state legislature on streamlining the transfer process.”
AB 1291 does the following:
- Requires UCLA to declare at least eight majors to participate in the ADT program by the 2026-27 academic year, and 12 majors, including four science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) majors by 2028-29.
- Requires at least five UC campuses to declare at least 12 majors by 2028-29.
- Asks the Legislative Analysis Office (LAO) to review and report on the success off the roll-out of the ADT program at those UC campuses and its effect on students. This will let the UC know of any lessons learned and allow them to successfully implement the ADT program UC-wide.
- Includes intent language making the ADT accepted UC-wide by the 2031-32 academic year.
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Kevin McCarty represents California’s 6th Assembly District, which includes the city of Sacramento and parts of unincorporated Sacramento County. McCarty serves as Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance. Website of Assemblymember Kevin McCarty: https://a06.asmdc.org/