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A-G For All

Oxnard Chapter

The Problem

Since 2015, FLA Oxnard youth have researched education inequities at their schools. Students noticed that not many of their Latino peers were enrolling in four-year colleges. The students organized and began to do their own research. 

a g for all oxnard youth mobilizing for education

The Result

After 3 years of research, training, petitions, media advocacy, meetings with District officials, OUHSD passed an A-G policy requiring all students the opportunity to take college readiness courses to be eligible to apply and enroll at a California State University (CSU) or University of California (UC) campus. This makes OUHSD the first district in the Central Coast with an A-G policy.
Oxnard youth along with staff will continue attending Oxnard School Board Meetings and see that these policies are implemented in order for students to be ready to attend 4-year universities upon graduating from high school.
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They found that only 22% of Latino students attending Oxnard Union High School District (OUHSD) schools completed the college readiness courses known as the A-G requirements. These findings galvanized students into action pursuing a policy reform that would align the A-G requirements with high school graduation requirements.

Santa Maria Chapter

The Problem

FLA youth hosted their second Community Forum “Education Equity” in Santa Maria on Monday May 13, 2019. The purpose of the forum was to educate community members about the educational system, it’s outcome, and how in Santa Maria, only 20% of graduating students are completing the A-Gs courses.

To publicize the forum, FLA staff supported the youth by going on to Telemundo, having social media presence and reaching out to organizations who had endorsed the A-G policy. FLA also invited the Education Trust – West to showcase the importance of data in policymaking.

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Youth discussed how being first generation is difficult enough for someone who wants to go to college, let alone someone who has to navigate GPAs, SATs and A-Gs. Youth also talked about how many of their parents, as much as they would like to support, they do not have the “know how” into gearing them into a four year school. Some youth also shared the misfortunate attitude that administrators and counselors have toward them “a four year school is not for you”.

The Result

These were powerful testimonies that lifted the urgency and need for an A-G policy in a city that is made of low-income, first generation students.
Students have collected over 600 signed petitions. They are looking to continue to push their A-G efforts forward and collect 400 more petitions once the stay at home order in California is lifted.