Multicultural Graduation Requirements Among California's Community Colleges

Abstract

This examination of the current status of multicultural education among California community colleges emerged from a perspective that the inclusion of multicultural education has become a major goal of California's leaders within the past five years. The literature revealed minority students tend to have lower retention rates because they become alienated and disconnected from the campus community, and many students enter college classrooms with stereotypes and negative attitudes towards individuals outside of their racial and ethnic groups. Multicultural education is important because it helps address this issue. The study revealed that of the 109 California community colleges, only 50 colleges had a multicultural graduation requirement, which means that less than half of California's community colleges had a multicultural graduation requirement. The type of multicultural requirement in far too many cases did not include higher order thinking skills concerning multicultural education. Additionally, statistical analysis showed no relationship between the diversity of a college with regard to its students and employees and a multicultural graduation requirement. The findings suggest the state may be falling behind in its goal for multicultural education. The results of this study have implications for community colleges in California and across the country. Multicultural education should become a vital part of all community college students' educational experiences. The curriculum needs to reflect the realities of a diverse student body.