CSUDH and LAUSD Commit to College Preparation and Access with Renewed Partnership

On March 24, CSUDH and Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) signed a new partnership agreement focused on increased college preparation, access, and success for students from LAUSD Region South, which serves the communities closest to the university campus.

Director of the Center for Innovation in STEM Education (CISE) Kamal Hamdan noted that LAUSD and CSUDH have already been strategic partners for many years, and that the new agreement was akin to a renewal of vows.

“This agreement is about holding ourselves and each other accountable for making a better future for deserving young adults,” he said. “It’s about offering hope and opportunity.”

The initiative guarantees admission to all CSU-eligible graduates of all Region South high schools into their first-choice major at CSUDH. It will increase STEAM-based instruction to create college and career-ready graduates, and explore the possibility of dual enrollment coursework to provide college credit to Region South high school students. The agreement also stipulates that each high school within Region South will designate a counselor or designee to assist with recruitment, admissions, and enrollment activities.

CSUDH President Thomas A. Parham remarked that “today speaks to the reality of what we have been building together— anchored in the commitment of helping, nurturing, and supporting the next and current generations of students.

“There’s a difference between endorsement and advocacy,” he said. “We are actively working, engaging, and trying to make a difference to transform the lives of students.”

Representatives from LAUSD also shared their excitement about the venture. LAUSD Deputy Superintendent Karla Estrada noted that “when the LAUSD family comes together with the Toro family, nothing is impossible.

“This is where we make dreams happen for our kids and community.”