Keeping options open: Why most students aren’t eligible to apply to California’s public universities

Delilah Brumer is a student at Los Angeles Pierce College majoring in journalism and political science. She graduated from Daniel Pearl Magnet High School in Los Angeles Unified in 2023. She is an intern at EdSource through the California Student Journalism Corps and serves as the news editor of her college newspaper, The Pierce Roundup. In 2023, she was named the California High School Journalist of the Year.

Michael R. McCormick is the superintendent of the Val Verde Unified School District. He is known for his passion for innovation and helping students acquire their higher education aspirations. Before becoming superintendent, Michael served for six years as the Assistant Superintendent for Education Services for Val Verde Unified.

Under his leadership, Val Verde Unified has been recognized by The School Superintendents Association as a “Learning 2025 Lighthouse District” and the California Department of Education as a “Pivotal Practice District” in 2022.

Dr. Aleka Jackson-Jarrell is the heritage site coordinator at Adelanto High School in Victor Valley Union High School District.

Jackson-Jarrell addresses the academic and socio-emotional needs of African American students, working towards increasing A-G requirements and fostering a path to college acceptance through the heritage program.

She is a native of South Central Los Angeles and a passionate advocate for education as a gateway to liberation, empowerment, and an end to intergenerational poverty. Recognized as Victor Valley Union High School District’s Teacher of the Year for 2022-2023, Dr. Jackson-Jarrell’s commitment extends beyond the classroom.

In 2023, she received the prestigious title of California Woman of the Year for Assembly District 39, acknowledging her exceptional contributions to her work in community activism and educational advocacy. In 2021, she earned a doctorate, highlighting the lack of diversity and equity in High Desert schools, and solidifying her role as an informed and vocal advocate for educational equity across the region.

Sherrie Reed serves as the Executive Director for the California Education Lab in the School of Education at the University of California, Davis, where she manages a portfolio of faculty research grants from the U.S. Department of Education and philanthropic organizations.

Her research draws on her history as a school practitioner and charter school developer and aims to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of California’s youth.

Reed has worked in K-12 and higher education for nearly 30 years, serving in various roles including teacher, administrator, charter school developer, director of research and evaluation for an education nonprofit, and faculty of teacher education and doctoral studies.

Emma Gallegos covers equity in education and is based in the Central Valley. Emma has spent more than a decade in journalism, having worked at the Pasadena Star-News, LAist and Gothamist before returning to the Central Valley, where she grew up. Emma also spent a few valuable years in the classroom as a substitute teacher in the Bakersfield City School District. She also comes from a family of educators: her mom is a retired district administrator and her father was a superintendent and professor. Most recently, Emma worked at her hometown paper, The Bakersfield Californian, covering the Kern County education beat. She lives in Bakersfield.

Anne Vasquez took the helm as EdSource’s chief executive in May 2021. Previously, she served as Director of Content and Strategic Initiatives at EdSource. In that role, she helped shape editorial strategy, grow partnerships and expand the organization’s footprint throughout California.

Prior to joining EdSource, Anne was an executive at Tribune Publishing, where she most recently served as Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Chief Digital Officer. She previously was the Managing Editor of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Anne began her career at The Miami Herald and the San Jose Mercury News, where she was an education reporter and later an editor.