ELAC Named a 2025 Pathway Champion for Outstanding Transfer-Level Math Success
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 23, 2025
News Media Contact:
Kevin Jimenez, College Public Relations Manager
(323) 265-8807 | @email
East Los Angeles College Named a 2025 Pathway Champion for Outstanding Transfer-Level Math Success
MONTEREY PARK, CA – East Los Angeles College (ELAC) has been selected as one of 40 colleges statewide to receive the prestigious 2025 Pathway Champion award from the Campaign for College Opportunity. The honor, announced today at a ceremony in Los Angeles, recognizes ELAC's exceptional achievement in creating successful pathways to higher education for students in the Los Angeles region.
ELAC earned distinction in the "Pathway Champion of Placement" category, specifically for Campuswide Growth in Transfer-Level Math Success. The college ranked among the top three California Community Colleges with the highest percentage point growth of students successfully completing transfer-level math courses between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic years.
"This recognition reflects our unwavering commitment to student success and our dedication to removing barriers that have historically prevented our students from achieving their educational goals," said Monte E. Perez, Interim President of East Los Angeles College. "Our faculty, staff, and administrators have worked tirelessly to implement evidence-based practices that ensure our students can access and succeed in courses that count toward their transfer goals from day one."
The Pathway Champion awards celebrate California Community Colleges and California State Universities that have demonstrated outstanding implementation of two transformative policies: equitable placement (AB 705 and AB 1705, Irwin), which maximizes student success in transfer-level courses, and Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT), which has streamlined the transfer process between community colleges and four-year universities.
These reforms have proven particularly impactful for Latinx and Black students, who have historically faced disproportionate obstacles in completing their degrees. At ELAC, where the majority of students come from underserved communities in East Los Angeles and surrounding areas, this achievement represents a significant step toward educational equity and economic opportunity.
"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."
Supporting community colleges is vital to California's future, as nearly two-thirds of the state's college students begin their higher education journey at these institutions. Prior to 2015, only 7 percent of transfer-intending students were able to transfer to a four-year university within two years. Thanks to implementation of ADT and equitable placement policies, current data shows 10 percent of community college students now transfer within two years and 19 percent after four years.
ELAC's recognition as a Pathway Champion underscores the college's role as a leader in student success and its commitment to serving as a springboard for thousands of students pursuing their dreams of earning a bachelor's degree and building meaningful careers.
For more information about East Los Angeles College's programs and student success initiatives, visit www.elac.edu.
About East Los Angeles College:
East Los Angeles College, founded in 1945, is one of the oldest of the nine colleges of the Los Angeles Community College District. ELAC serves the communities of Monterey Park and East Los Angeles, providing accessible, quality education to a diverse student population. The college offers associate degrees, certificate programs, and transfer pathways to four-year universities, with a strong commitment to student success and community transformation.
About Campaign for College Opportunity:
The Campaign for College Opportunity is a California non-profit bipartisan policy and research organization focused on a single mission: to ensure all Californians have an equal opportunity to attend and succeed in college in order to build a vibrant workforce, economy and democracy. For more information, visit www.CollegeCampaign.org, Facebook.com/CollegeCampaign or follow @CollegeOpp.