About Us

In 1983, catalyzed by a series of publicly and privately funded initiatives targeting the public K-16 educational pipeline, four primary stakeholders, the Santa Ana Unified School District; Santa Ana College; University of California, Irvine; and California State University, Fullerton became facilitators of change in educational practice in Santa Ana. Leaders –from each educational institution and system developed a common purpose and a unifying goal, helping the young people in Santa Ana and their families, make their college dreams a reality.

From the beginning, this K-16 Partnership was distinguished by the deep engagement and trust built between the community and the partnership stakeholders based on the conviction that all students in Santa Ana are “our” students, regardless of institutional affiliation and that every student deserves access to a high-quality educational experience and the support to help them achieve their greatest potential. This approach has resulted in over 30 years of innovations in educational policies and practices that have changed the trajectory of Santa Ana students and their families.

This expansion of opportunity and success is rooted in the understanding that change involves leadership from every community member, from the CEOs of institutions to the students themselves and their families. Stakeholders have always believed that to create long standing change, everyone must work together and be guided by the principle of “Students First”. Although the partnership has evolved in many ways since 1983, the collection and use of data to guide programming, policies and practices, as well as an unshakeable belief in the promise and potential of Santa Ana youth continues to be pivotal in the evolution of the partnership.