De Anza Named Statewide Pathway Champion for Student Success in English and Math
College recognized for the third consecutive year by the Campaign for College Opportunity for removing barriers in transfer-level coursework
CUPERTINO, Calif. — De Anza College has been named a 2026 Pathway Champion of Placement by the Campaign for College Opportunity. The institution earned statewide honors in two key categories: Campuswide English Success and Campuswide Math Success, highlighting its leadership in advancing equitable student success and strengthening California’s transfer pathway.
The honor marks the third year in a row that De Anza has received Pathway Champion awards — in 2025 the college was designated
a Pathway Champion of Placement and Placement Equity, and in 2024, De Anza ranked second statewide in students completing transfer-level math and English within one year.
The Pathway Champion awards recognize colleges that rank among the top institutions statewide for supporting students to enroll in and complete transfer-level English and mathematics within their first year. By ensuring students are placed directly into transfer-level coursework, De Anza College is actively implementing California’s landmark equitable placement reforms—Assembly Bills 705 and 1705—which aim to maximize degree completion, close racial equity gaps and streamline the path toward a university degree.
"This recognition demonstrates the continued, extraordinary efforts of our faculty and staff to ensure students transfer with a degree that strengthens their access to four-year universities and cultivates their talents for a brighter future," said De Anza Interim President Chris Dela Rosa. "We’re proud of these outcomes, but more important, greater student success elevates and enriches our community, our state and our nation."
The award reflects De Anza’s ongoing commitment to building seamless transfer pathways, including the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) program, which streamlines transfer between community colleges and CSUs. By translating policy reform into measurable student outcomes, De Anza continues to close racial equity gaps and increase successful outcomes for all students, especially those historically underrepresented.
De Anza College will be formally honored alongside fellow higher education leaders during a statewide virtual celebration, Pathway Champions: Celebrating California Colleges & Universities Removing Barriers and Accelerating Student Success. Hosted live on Zoom in recognition of National Transfer Week, the event will take place on Thursday, October 22.
(Posted on October 9, 2026)