Collaboration between educational leaders in Sacramento are helping increase the number of transfer students from Sacramento City College to Sacramento State.

Sac State is the third most transfered to college for transfer students according to the California Community College Transfers to the California State University system, Fall 2013 Profile on Calstate website, ranking just below Northridge and Fullerton.

Out of all Sacramento area community colleges American River College, Sierra College and Sac City were the top three most transferred from community colleges to Sac State, according to the Calstate website from the fall 2013 Profile.

An organization, comprised of superintendents and presidents from Sacramento City Unified School District, Sacramento City College and Sac State came together to form the Sacramento Pathways to Success in 2013 to help high school and college level students transition through school.

According to the memorandum of understanding for Sacramento Pathways to Success, the three education systems, SCUSD, SCC and Sac State, collectively “provide the opportunity to inform, guide and assist families, children and other young people as they navigate an increasingly clear pathway.”

Sacramento Pathways to Success benefits students because with increase collaboration each educational system understands the steps necessary to get from one establishment to the other.

“The partnership’s focus largely includes aligning resources, support systems and data sharing on student outcomes to better inform program development and decision-making,” said City College Public Information Officer Amanda Davis. “Sacramento Pathways to Success seeks to build a college-going culture in all (Sacramento County Unified School District) schools.”

According to the Sac State university fact book, transfer enrollment has increased from 3,579 students in 2012 to 4,353 students in 2013.

When taking classes at Sacramento City College, transfer requirements spell out all the classes required to transfer to Sac State. The Student Transfer Agreement Reform (STAR) Act, passed in 2010, gives priority admission to transferring juniors with the completion of an associates transfer degree.

“The associate transfer degree grants students, in any given field, to earn an associate degree and only needing 60 units to transfer,” said Mike Uhlenkamp, California State University director of Public Affairs. “In the past not every single unit would transfer, now it is a much more smooth transfer pathway, by improving efficiency its gets student through both systems in a quicker time.”

The informational website CSUMentor gives comprehensive information regarding the requirements to follow in order to obtain an associate’s degree and lists several requirements, including a minimum of 60 transferable units and 2.0 GPA.

The STAR Act led to the formation of Sacramento Pathways to Success in 2013, as a way to successfully carry out the requirements of the bill.

“The partnership strives to ensure students entering college are provided a strong foundation of support services such as advising, education planning and transfer support, which are essential elements to their success,” Davis said.

As a senior communication studies major, Marlyena Howard transferred from Sacramento City College as a Junior in 2013 and found it easier to transfer their units over because of the partnership.

“Sac State made it easy for me to take certain classes at my community college to transfer over, so I didn’t have to take them once here,” Howard said. “Also, the fact that they transfer all Los Rios college transcripts electronically was really helpful too.”

Howard said there are still some glitches in the system needing to be worked out, but it all seems to be part of the computer system.

“The only hiccup I experienced with that whole process was that one of my lower-division classes didn’t transfer over like it should have for whatever reason,” Howard said. “But by being persistent and seeking out the right people and asking the right questions, I was able to get that class transferred.”

According to the STAR Act, the CSU is prohibited from “requiring a transferring student to repeat courses that are similar to those taken at the community college that counted towards the units required for the associate degree for transfer.”

“The Sacramento Pathways partnership between SCUSD, SCC and Sac State is not new,” said Sacramento City College President Kathryn Jeffery. “However, it is greatly improved with the intent of forging closer alliances between K-12 and higher education with students, families and employers.”