California State University trustees are poised to abandon a proposal to require a fourth year of math-related coursework for admission, ending a plan introduced six years ago that touched off fierce criticism among many who said it would create barriers for students trying to enter the system.

Administrators are recommending the board of trustees reject the proposed requirement in January, citing new research showing that nearly all CSU applicants and enrollees already take four years of math. They also raised concerns that the new requirement would hurt students whose high schools are underresourced or still struggling with the effects of the pandemic on education.....

.....Cal State officials commissioned a study in 2020 with the research firm MDRC to measure how the additional requirement would affect students.

The study showed that 94% of California high school graduates who meet current admission requirements for the state’s public universities were also already taking a fourth year of math-related coursework.

“The vast majority of California high school graduates that may aspire to attend a CSU are already taking and passing an additional quantitative reasoning course, even though it is not currently required,” said Susan Sepanik, a senior associate with MDRC.....

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