County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez, Applauds Passage of SB 640 to Expand Direct Admission to CSU

RIVERSIDE – More than 1,400 additional students from Riverside County committed to California State University (CSU) campuses this fall compared to high school graduates from the previous year as a result of the successful partnership between the Riverside County Office of Education and the first-ever CSU direct admission pilot program.

The success of this program contributed to the passage of SB 640, which expands access and opportunity to eligible students beyond Riverside County to the entire state of California.

"We are extremely proud to have led the way in California with the successful direct admission pilot program with the California State University and the Class of 2025 in Riverside County,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. “Boosting college access is critical for the future of the Inland Empire and California. When the RCOE team launches programs that make a measurable impact on student success, it motivates all of us to continue innovating and expanding statewide so that every student can benefit.”

In the fall of 2024, CSU partnered exclusively with RCOE to offer the first-ever direct admission pilot for the CSU system. More than 17,000 eligible students at every public high school in Riverside County were offered direct admission to the CSU for the fall 2025 term—before even applying.

Qualifying high school seniors in Riverside County—those on track to meet college preparatory courses (A-G requirements)—were offered immediate, conditional admission to 10 CSU campuses by way of a brochure mailed to their home address. Students then used the CaliforniaColleges.edu platform to select their preferred CSU campuses and received official acceptance letters directly from the universities.

Outcomes for Class of 2025 Graduates in Riverside County:

• 17,428 – Students sent direct admission and financial aid mailers
• 13,397 – Students started a CSU application (+22% increase over Class of 2024)
  
  
• 11,780 – Students who applied to one or more CSU campuses (+15% increase over Class of 2024)
  
  
• 10,666 – Students admitted to at least one CSU campus (+8.6% increase over Class of 2024)
  
  
• 4,589 – Students committed to a CSU from Class of 2025 (Fall 2024 enrollment = 3,201)

“The CSU direct admission pilot is the latest example of Riverside County-led programs, like the Race to Submit financial aid competition and the CalKIDS savings account focus, that are expanding on local success to achieve statewide impact,” said Riverside County Office of Education Executive Director of College and Career Readiness, Catalina Cifuentes. “Every day, the dedicated counselors, coaches, teachers, administrators, and classified staff team members are collectively focused on building a college-going culture from the earliest elementary grades in every classroom, and on every campus, to remove any real or perceived barriers to college and career success.”

In partnership with the CSU Chancellor’s Office, RCOE offered additional support to ensure the success of the pilot program:

• Waived Application Fee – Students in the pilot program received a fee waiver to apply for one of 10 participating campuses.
• Discover CSU Days - To further support the program, RCOE hosted two free college fairs in Riverside County in March. The events brought the campus tour experience directly to more than 1,000 high school seniors and families to bridge the distance between the region and participating CSU campuses outside of Southern California.
• College Admissions Support – RCOE’s College and Career Readiness Unit worked directly with counselors and administrators at local high schools to ensure awareness and access to the program was maximized.

Following the passage of SB 640, the new law will take effect on January 1, 2026. Full statewide participation will commence with students applying for fall 2027 direct admission.

The priority application filing period for Fall 2026 is from October 1 through December 1. The CSU’s existing direct admissions program, which includes RCOE’s 23 districts and 20 additional districts across the state, will remain in effect. Students in the Class of 2026 who are eligible for direct admissions in Riverside County have already begun to receive notifications and free application codes. Eligible students and families can visit www.calstate.edu/rcoe for more information.

About the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE)

RCOE is a service agency supporting the county’s 23 school districts and 500+ schools that serve nearly 430,000 students—more than the student population of 17 states. RCOE services include administrative support to districts and charter schools, programs for preschool, special education, pregnant minor, correctional, migrant, and vocational students. In addition, the organization provides professional training, support, and resources for more than 18,000 teachers, administrators, and staff, throughout the 7,000 square miles of Riverside County.

About the California State University

The California State University is the nation’s largest four-year public university system, providing transformational opportunities for upward mobility to more than 450,000 students from all socioeconomic backgrounds. More than half of CSU students are from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, and more than one-quarter of undergraduates are first-generation college students. Because the CSU’s 23 universities provide a high-quality education at an incredible value, they are rated among the best in the nation for promoting social mobility in national college rankings from U.S. News & World Report, the Wall Street Journal and Washington Monthly. The CSU powers California and the nation, sending nearly 127,000 career-ready graduates into the workforce each year. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree earned it at the CSU. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU newsroom.