The University of California's Outreach Task Force has issued a draft report for public review that recommends in order to improve student college preparation, UC undertake a major expansion of its academic outreach to the state's K-12 schools, creating long-term partnerships with selected high schools and their associated junior high and elementary feeder schools.

Under the plan, which results from more than a year of meetings and research by the 35-member task force, each UC campus would work intensively with a group of partner schools which would be selected based on significant educational disadvantage, such as low numbers of college-bound students or limited college preparatory courses. UC partner schools also would be chosen based on their potential for improvement and their willingness to participate in collaborative efforts with the university.

UC is inviting public comment on the plan. During the comment period, the report will be available over the World Wide Web. It has also been distributed to more than 40 educational organizations statewide and to every school principal in California.

The task force was established by the UC Board of Regents following its adoption in July 1995 of a new admissions policy that eliminates the use of race, ethnicity and gender.

1st appeared 5/21/97