40 Colleges Recognized for Their Work to Increase Transfer Pathways and Student Success in California
California Community Colleges and California State Universities will be honored for their work implementing equitable placement and Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) policies.
(Los Angeles, CA) – Today, October 23, 2025, at 10 AM PT, the Campaign for College Opportunity will honor 40 California Community Colleges and California State Universities (CSU) as Pathway Champions for their work paving pathways to college and economic opportunity for thousands of California students by strengthening the transfer process. Campuses will be awarded for their efforts in implementing two landmark policies: equitable placement (AB 705 and 1705, Irwin), which maximizes student success in transfer-level courses at California Community Colleges, and Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) implementation, which has simplified transfer between community colleges and CSUs.
These reforms have been pivotal as students are increasingly being supported to succeed in courses that count towards their transfer goals and placed on an expedited, guaranteed path to a four-year degree, particularly Latinx and Black Californians, who have long faced disproportionate obstacles in completing their degrees.
Supporting higher education is vital to the future of California, especially communities colleges, where nearly two-thirds of California’s college students begin their higher education journey. Historically, transferring from community college to a four-year university has been filled with systemic barriers, with only 7 percent of transfer-intending students being able to transfer within two years, prior to 2015. In the decade since, thanks to the implementation of ADT and placement policies, more students are transferring faster, with 10% of current community college students transferring within two years and 19 percent after four years. While there is room for improvement, this growth showcases the vital importance of the work that this year’s Pathway Champions are doing and presents a major solution to the looming economic challenges that California faces.
“Our multiracial democracy and economy require us to support the growing majority of diverse students to complete college and earn a degree,” said Jessie Ryan, President of the Campaign for College Opportunity. “At a time when students are increasingly questioning their place in higher education due to mounting attacks on their ability to thrive, we applaud the colleges that are courageously meeting the moment to implement the policies and practices we know transform student success and strengthen transfer in California.
2025 Pathway Champion Honorees
This year, there are 40 Pathway Champion honorees across four categories (Pathway Champion of Placement, Pathway Champion of Placement Equity, Pathway Champion of Transfer, Pathway Champion of Transfer Equity) recognizing achievement and equity in placement and transfer outcomes:
Pathway Champion of Placement
Campuswide Transfer-Level English Success – Top three California Community Colleges in supporting the highest percentage of students to complete a transfer-level English course within one year of their initial enrollment (academic year 2023-24).
San Diego Miramar College, Chabot College, and Coastline College
Campuswide Transfer-Level Math Success – Top three California Community Colleges in supporting the highest percentage of students to complete a transfer-level math course within one year of their initial enrollment (academic year 2023-24).
West Valley College, Foothill College, and De Anza College.
Campuswide Growth In Transfer-Level English Success – Top three California Community Colleges with the highest percentage point growth of students completing a transfer-level English course since the previous academic year (2022-23 to 2023-24).
Copper Mountain College, Chabot College, and Woodland Community College.
Campuswide Growth In Transfer-Level Math Success – Top three California Community Colleges with the highest percentage point growth of students completing a transfer-level math course since the previous academic year (2022-23 to 2023-24).
Los Angeles Trade Tech College, College of the Siskiyous, and East Los Angeles College.
Pathway Champion of Placement Equity
Latinx Transfer-Level English Success – Top three California Community Colleges supporting the highest percentage of Latinx students to complete a transfer-level English course within one year of their initial enrollment (academic year 2023-24).
Palo Verde College, Cerro Coso Community College, and Porterville College.
Black Transfer-Level English Success – Top three California Community Colleges supporting the highest percentage of Black students to complete a transfer-level English course within one year of their initial enrollment (academic year 2023-24).
College of the Redwoods, De Anza College, and Palomar College.
Latinx Transfer-Level Math Success – Top three California Community Colleges supporting the highest percentage of Latinx students to complete a transfer-level math course within one year of their initial enrollment (academic year 2023-24).
College of the Siskiyous, Coalinga College, and Mendocino College.
Black Transfer-Level Math Success – Top three California Community Colleges supporting the highest percentage of Black students to complete a transfer-level math course within one year of their initial enrollment (academic year 2023-24).
Los Angeles Harbor College, Santa Rosa Junior College, and College of the Canyons.
Pathway Champion of Transfer
Total Campuswide Associate Degrees For Transfers (ADTs) – Top California Community Colleges supporting the most significant number of students earning Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADTs) in the 2023–24 academic year. Colleges can only qualify once across all campuswide categories.
Bakersfield College, Pasadena City College, and Long Beach City College.
Campuswide Growth In ADTs – Top community colleges supporting the largest growth in the number of students earning Associate Degrees for Transfer between the 2022–23 and the 2023–24 academic years.
Santa Monica College, Victor Valley College, and Mira Costa College.
Campuswide ADTs As A Percentage Of All Associate Degrees – Top community colleges with the highest percentage of total Associate Degree earners who earned Associate Degrees for Transfer in the 2023–24 academic year.
Berkeley City College, Evergreen Valley College, and Chaffey College.
ADTs Relative To Campus Enrollment – Top community colleges supporting the highest number of students earning Associate Degrees for Transfer relative to 50 full-time enrolled students (FTES) in the 2023–24 academic year.
Clovis Community College, Grossmont College, and Moorpark College.
California State University Campuswide ADT Implementation – Top CSUs successfully ensuring that over half of their 2024 incoming undergraduate transfer students were ADT earners, and that of those ADT earners, over half were on a guaranteed pathway.
San Diego State University, Cal State LA, Cal State Fullerton, and Cal State Long Beach.
Pathway Champion of Transfer Equity
California Community Colleges ADT Implementation For Latinx Students – Top community colleges leading the way in supporting Latinx students to earn an ADT, with at least 65% of their Latinx associate-degree earners having earned ADTs, as well as ensuring that Latinx students earn ADTs at rates comparable to their peers.
Evergreen Valley College, Chaffey College, and College of San Mateo.
California Community Colleges ADT Implementation For Black Students – Top community colleges leading the way in supporting Black students to earn an ADT, with at least 65% of their Black associate-degree earners having earned ADTs, as well as ensuring that Black students earn ADTs at rates comparable to their peers.
Berkeley City College, Long Beach City College, and Bakersfield College.
California State University ADT Implementation For Latinx Students – Top CSU campuses ensuring that half of their 2024 incoming Latinx undergraduate transfer students were ADT earners, and of those ADT earners, over half were on a guaranteed pathway.
Cal State LA, San Diego State University, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Long Beach, Cal Poly Pomona, and Sacramento State University.
California State University ADT Implementation For Black Students – Top CSU campuses ensuring that half of their 2024 incoming Black undergraduate transfer students were ADT earners, and of those ADT earners, over half were on a guaranteed pathway.
San Diego State University, Cal State LA, and Cal State Long Beach.
To learn more about how these honorees are selected, click here.
To join the event today, 10/23, at 10am, click here.