East Los Angeles College
East Los Angeles College has implemented the development of academic programming, which is meant to assist traditionally underrepresented or struggling students, no matter their background.
ELAC’s goals as an Achieving the Dream Institution include:
- Increasing awareness of the educational opportunities available and expand access to vocational, transfer, basic skills, and lifelong learning programs among all populations in the service area, including those that have been traditionally underserved by institutions of higher education
- Strengthening basic skills instruction, particularly in the areas of mathematics and English language arts, to assist learners in acquiring the knowledge to function effectively as citizens, workers and lifelong learners
College leaders are particularly interested in using Achieving the Dream's guidance to develop services to support ELAC’s efforts to increase the number of underrepresented students attending their college by targeting key populations, such as African-American and male students. To develop the potential of each student, the college will provide access to innovative teaching methods, alternative modes of course delivery, the latest in educational technology, and comprehensive support services with the help of Achieving the Dream.
East Los Angeles College (ELAC) was established in June 1945 by the Los Angeles City Board of Education. The college opened its doors for the Fall 1945 semester boasting 19 faculty members and 380 students, most of whom were World War II veterans. ELAC has an international, multicultural student body that complements the 14 communities comprising its primary service area. ELAC operates in a city that has a poverty level that is 15% greater than the California average and 27% greater than the national average.
The student body of ELAC, which was 35,720 in Fall 2009, is predominantly Hispanic, comprising 64% of the total student enrollment, with a fairly large representation of Asian students (13%). The ethnic makeup of the student body has remained generally unchanged over the past five years, and the student body represents a great deal of diversity in primary spoken language: approximately one-quarter of students report Spanish as a primary language and an additional 10% report Chinese. The college student body is 62% female, showing a strong under-representation of males. For first-time, full-time students in the Fall 2009 semester, the overall retention rate was approximately 75%, and 78% of the total undergraduate enrollment was part-time.
The Achieving the Dream Model
Achieving the Dream community colleges commit to our Student-Centered Model of Institutional Improvement. Based on four principles, the model frames the overall work of helping more students, particularly low- income students and students of color, stay in school and earn a college certificate or degree.
Each college approaches the work differently, but Achieving the Dream’s five-step process provides practical guidelines for keeping the focus where it belongs and building momentum over time. Throughout the process, Achieving the Dream coaches offer customized support and help each college’s core team implement data-informed programs and policies that build long-term, institution-wide commitment to student success.
