High school seniors from several Orange County districts are receiving early confirmation of their eligibility to attend California State University campuses through the CSU Direct Admission Program, which offers qualified students automatic admission to 16 participating universities.
The Santa Ana Unified School District announced this month that 1,393 seniors with GPAs of 2.5 or higher who have completed their A–G coursework were identified as CSU-eligible and received acceptance letters to 16 participating campuses in November.
This program, launched as a pilot in Riverside County and expanded ahead of the statewide rollout required by state Senate Bill 640, automatically admits seniors who meet CSU’s minimum eligibility requirements.
Santa Ana Unified is one of the least four Orange County districts participating, along with Capistrano, Garden Grove and Los Alamitos unified, according to district communications and reporting from Spotlight Schools.
“We’re celebrating a truly life-changing moment for our students,” said Dr. Rebecca Pianta, Santa Ana Unified’s coordinator of college and career readiness, in an Instagram reel announcing the initiative. “Thanks to the dedication of our school counselors and higher education coordinators, 1,393 seniors were confirmed as CSU-eligible and received official acceptance during the week of Nov. 12.”
Students must still complete a Cal State Apply application, finalize financial aid steps and submit required documents to enroll. The state university system notes that impacted campuses or majors may have additional requirements.
More information on the program is available on the California State University website.
Here are the other stories we’ve been following this week:
- In his latest column, County Superintendent Dr. Stefan Bean highlights OCDE’s new Innovation Funding Initiative, which will award up to $525,000 per district to support bold, scalable projects that strengthen student success.
- A long-standing OCDE partner, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union has opened the application window for its Member Education Award scholarship program, offering financial support to eligible student members through Jan. 31.
- Two alumni from Cal State Fullerton were recognized with 2025 Outstanding STEM Educator Awards from OCDE for their innovative, student-centered approaches to STEM education.
- California’s transitional kindergarten expansion has created a statewide demand for thousands of qualified teachers, but fewer than 500 have earned the state’s new TK–3 credential since its launch in 2024.
- Eight Anaheim High School student-athletes were injured Wednesday when a driver suspected of being under the influence swerved onto a sidewalk during a track team run.
- The Orange County Department of Education will host a free Math Instructional Materials Fair on Jan. 22 at the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa. The event offers district teams a one-stop opportunity to review over 60 state-approved K-8 and Algebra 1 programs aligned with California’s 2023 Mathematics Framework.
- A new UCLA and UC Riverside study finds that recent immigration enforcement actions have led to increased bullying, lower attendance and a widespread “climate of distress” in public high schools, particularly among immigrant students.
- A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to temporarily release millions in school mental health grants after a lawsuit challenged the administration’s cancellation of funding tied to diversity initiatives.
- Efforts to strengthen charter school oversight in California stalled in 2025, but lawmakers and education groups are expected to revisit the debate in January as a key moratorium on new nonclassroom-based charters expires.
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