Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA)

Results: Of MESA high school graduates who are African American, Latino American and American Indian, 41 percent are eligible for admission to a UC campus. This eligibility rate is much higher than the statewide rate of 6 percent for graduates from these groups. 77 percent of MESA students successfully completed Algebra 1 before the 10 th grade Of MESA seniors, 54 percent completed A-G requirements, compared to the state average of 34 percent. And 74 percent of MESA seniors took the SAT or ACT, compared to 36 percent of non-MESA participants in the same schools. Of MESA high school graduates, 54 percent went on to postsecondary education as math, science or engineering majors. Of the MESA seniors who went on to postsecondary education, 81.8 percent went on to four-year colleges and universities compared to the state average of 47 percent. Of the MESA high school graduates who went to college directly after graduation, 28.5 percent went to the University of California 21.4 percent went to the California State University 24.6 percent went to the California Community Colleges 4.3 percent went to independent California universities or colleges 5.7 percent went to other institutions, mostly out-of-state universities or colleges Of those MESA community college students who transferred to four-year institutions, 98 percent entered these colleges and universities as math or science majors. Of the California MESA community college students who transferred to four-year institutions, 45 percent transferred to the University of California 47 percent transferred to the California State University 6 percent transferred to independent California universities and colleges 2 percent transferred to out-of-state universities and colleges. California MESA is the model for similar programs in over a dozen other states. A national HP initiative used MESA as its model for a national community college initiative designed to increase the number of engineers and computer scientists who are African American, Latino American, American Indian, or women.

Target demographics: K-12, community college and university-level students from historically underrepresented populations. For K-12, students who meet one or more of the following eligibility criteria: (1) first in family to go to college; (2) lack of access to adequate science lab and study space at school/campus to engage fully in these core subjects; (3) lack of access to highly qualified math and science teachers; (4) lack of adequate study space at home or outside the school/campus setting; (5) enrolled in free or reduced price lunch program; (6) prior or concurrent enrollment in similar program(s).

Direct beneficiaries per year: Approximately 20,000

Geographic areas served: California + 16 other states nationally