1. (a) Students who are “socially, economically, and educationally disadvantaged,” are first generation students, whose parents do not have a baccalaureate degree or higher level of education in any country, and who fall into one of the following categories:

   1. (1) students whose high school graduation or math performance rates are red or orange on the California Department of Education's Graduation Rate Indicator Dashboard;
   2. (2) up to 10 percent of students per college who are qualified by special circumstances and approved by the college district MESA project director and their supervising administrator;
   3. (3) students who are recipients of the California promise grant, PELL grant, Cal grant, California Dream Act, Federal Work Study, Cal Fresh, GI Bill or another need-based/subsidized Financial Aid;
   4. (4) students who participate in the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services program, the Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education program, the CalWORKs Program, or the federal TRIO Program;
   5. (5) students whose household income is at or below 150% of federal poverty guidelines; or
   6. (6) students who are current or former foster youth.
2. (b) “Four-year higher education institution” means a four-year baccalaureate degree offered at the University of California, the California State University, or an independent institution of higher education, as defined in Education Code section 66010.
3. (c) “MESA” means Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement programs established at community colleges to help underserved and underrepresented students majoring in calculus-based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics academic fields who seek to transfer to four-year higher education institutions.
4. (d) “STEM majors” means students pursuing calculus-based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics academic fields as evidenced by their declared field of study in their education plan.

The following definitions apply to this subchapter, unless otherwise specified:

Note: Authority cited: Sections 66700 and 70901, Education Code. Reference: Sections 70901, 70902, 78210, 78222 and 88682, Education Code.

History

1. New section filed 9-18-2025; operative 10-18-2025. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Education Code section 70901.5 (Register 2025, No. 42).