ABSTRACT
Underrepresented minority students-including African Americans, Latinos, Filipinos and Native Americans, as well as the states poorest students-are not achieving at the same levels as their white suburban middle-and upper-class counterparts (Darling-Hammond 2004; Orfield 1999). In order to achieve a more democratic and socially just California, unequal racial and class educational attainment outcomes must be addressed (Oakes et al. 2007). The University of California (UC) admissions policy provides an important opportunity to work towards greater access and equity for the state’s children. Yet, since 1996, when the UC implemented race-neutral policies, there has been a substantial decline in the proportion of entering students who are African American, American Indian, and Latino (OPSAS 2003). The student body at the world’s largest public institution of higher education does not reflect the state’s racial and class composition (Diversity 2007).
