Institution Santa Ana College State California Academic Level Associate Issue Area Academic Program Website https://www.sac.edu/pathway2lawschool Key Personnel Kristen Robinson Program Focus Discipline/Subject Overview The Pathway to Law School (PLS) program at Santa Ana College aims to increase diversity in law school entrants and the legal profession by supporting underrepresented groups. It offers a PLS certificate and an Associate Degree for Transfer in Law, Public Policy, and Society, preparing students for law school with significant academic and practical work. Goals include recruiting and supporting underrepresented students to complete the pathway to becoming attorneys, initiating dual enrollment with a local high school to earn relevant college credits, and ensuring the program effectively serves participants and leads Latino students to law school. Program Description Since its inception in 2016, the PLS program at SAC has been dedicated to building a diverse pipeline of students into the legal profession. SAC works extensively to recruit and support underrepresented students in the legal field through mentorship, experiential learning, and partnerships with law firms. The program's primary feeder high schools are in the Santa Ana Unified School District, which has a large population of low-income and first-generation students, and is 96% Hispanic/Latinx. Key practices include offering dual enrollment courses, organizing pre-law days, and developing a legal interpreting program to bridge students into higher-earning jobs in the legal field. Outcome Santa Ana College found that participants in the Pathway to Law School program are more likely to complete their degrees and transfer to four-year institutions than non-participants. In the 2022-2023 academic year, of the program participants, 73% of were Latino. Academic Success: In 2022-2023, Latino students participating in the program earned 8 awards in the Law, Public Policy, and Society Associate for Transfer (LPPS ADT) and 12 awards in the Pathway to Law School Transcripted Certificate (PLS CERT). In comparison, the previous year Latino participants had earned 8 and 10 awards, respectively. In both academic years, Latino students in the program earned collectively 67% of the awards in both categories. Transfer-Out Outcomes: Among the 78 students who earned the PLS CERT between the spring of 2017 and the fall of 2022, 7 of these students have already earned a baccalaureate degree. Of the 71 remaining students, 31 had transferred to a four-year institution by May of 2023. Learn more about Latino College Completion in California Return to Growing What Works Database
