California State University Poised to Drop Proposal Requiring 4 Years of Math for Applicants

California State University–Fullerton on Aug. 28, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

After six years of deliberation, the California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees recently signaled that it’s likely to drop a proposal for a fourth-year math or science requirement for applicants, with some critics saying that the proposal could discourage low-income students from applying to the university.

At a meeting last month, CSU officials recommended that the board reject the proposal, citing a November study (pdf) that shows nearly all CSU applicants already take a fourth year of math or science in high school.

“CSU does not plan to pursue a change to our admissions requirements,” Nathan Evans, vice chancellor of academic and student affairs, said during a Nov. 15 meeting. “Instead, we anticipate employing multiple strategies ... to strongly recommend and incentivize the completion of an additional quantitative reasoning course to prepare students for the full range of academic professions.”

During the meeting, CSU officials also expressed concern over learning gaps caused by the COVID-19 pandemic—pointing to this year’s Smarter Balanced Assessment state exam scores showing two out of three students didn’t meet California’s math standards.

The proposal for the additional high school math and science courses was introduced in 2016 as a way to raise academic standards and boost graduation rates and was supported by former Chancellor Timothy White.

A person walks on the California State University Long Beach campus before the return of students for Fall classes in Long Beach, Calif. on Aug. 11, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

In July 2019, more than 50 groups—including The Education Trust-West, Educators for Excellence-Los Angeles, and the Southern California College Access Network—signed a letter opposing the proposal, claiming that it disproportionately affects low-income students.

“Without evidence demonstrating that the proposed admission change will improve existing inequities without causing additional harm to already underserved communities, any movement forward with the proposal is premature, lacking in evidence, and will potentially further discriminate against low-income students of color in the admission process,” the letter reads.

The groups also stated that the change would make CSU, the state’s largest university system, further incompatible with its high school diploma requirements.

Currently, California requires two years of math, science, or “qualitative reasoning” courses for a high school diploma; CSU requires three years of such courses for admission.

“College admissions requirements are already out of sync with high school graduation requirements,” the letter reads. “Following CSU’s logic, one might expect all high schools and districts to have fully aligned with the current college admissions requirements. ... Some have, but some have not.”

The board will vote on the proposal in January. If approved, the requirement would take effect in fall 2027.