Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Student Achievement Program (SAP)

The California Community College Chancellor’s Office (Chancellor’s Office) conducted research on colleges that would be identified as Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Program (AANAPISI) serving. This led to initially identifying seven colleges. Further research was conducted by contacting the U.S. Department of Education’s AANAPISI department, where 40 California community colleges were identified as eligible. Selected colleges were identified as currently holding an open AANAPISI grant under AANAPISI-A/AANAPISI-F (Opens in a new window) programs and/or meet the Title III definition of an AANAPISI in Fiscal Year 2022. After further research, a total of 43 colleges were identified as eligible for AANHPI Student Achievement Program funding. Our program will continue to identify additional colleges that are eligible for this funding.

Source: AANHPI CCC Foundation 

September 2019: Dr. Timothy Fong expressed concerns about the potential loss of federal grant funding for MSI 

March 2021: The Atlanta Spa Shooting escalated the need for California and the United States to act, leading to the Stop AAPI Hate Movement (Opens in a new window). This led the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs (CAPIAA) to engage in conversations about statewide funding for anti-hate initiatives, including higher education 

July 2021: The API Equity Budget was included in the California FY 2022-2023 state budget, allocating funds to CAPIAA to form a higher education equity workgroup to address the needs of AANHPI students 

January – June 2022: CAPIAA, with the support of Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education’s (APAHE) leadership, initiated and advocated for the California AANHPI Student Achievement Program proposal 

May 2022: The Campaign for College Opportunity published a report (Opens in a new window) highlighting the need to invest in AANHPI students 

June 2022: Governor Newsom and the California State Legislature passed the state budget and approved CAPIAA’s budget proposal to create the California AANHPI Student Achievement Program 

May 2023:  The Chancellor’s Office’s (CO) added City College of San Francisco to the initial cohort, along with Chabot College and Laney College. This established representation from ALL AANAPISI grant-receiving/eligible colleges to receive the first AANHPI Student Achievement Program apportionment

The program provides $8M for both California Community Colleges and California State Universities; a total of $16M in ongoing funding to serve low-income, first-generation AANHPI students. Added Sections 79510-79511 (CCC) (Opens in a new window) and 89297 (CSU) (Opens in a new window) to the California Education Code to legislate the California AANHPI Student Achievement Program 

Source: AANHPI CCC Foundation 

The Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Student Achievement Program is hereby established at the California Community Colleges to provide culturally responsive services to enhance student educational experiences and promote higher education success for low-income, underserved, and first-generation AANHPI students and other underrepresented students. EDC 79511(a)(1).  

AANHPI Student Achievement Program funds are designed to support AANAPISI-aligned efforts and develop strategies for historically underserved populations in California.  

Grant funding requires use of services or projects in alignment with AANAPISI grant and current college efforts to reduce disproportionate impact on AANHPI efforts within: 

  1. Culturally responsive learning communities
  2. Advising and counseling services 
  3. Mental health counseling and awareness services 
  4. Career development, career readiness, and employment services 
  5. Supplemental instruction and tutoring, such as English language development and support 
  6. Asian American, Pacific Islander studies courses and curriculum development 
  7. Leadership development, internships, and mentorships 

The AANHPI Director is responsible for ensuring the colleges’ use of funds shall fit the intention of the Education Code Section 79510 (CCC) and shall align with the listed A-G services and projects. 

AANHPISAP Funding Application

Apply Here

Expenditure Guidelines: Non-Allowable Expenditures
The Chancellor’s Office has identified the following non-allowable expenditures:

  1. Gifts: Public funds may not be used for gifts or monetary awards of any kind. Expenditures for a public purpose are not considered a gift of public funds. 
  2. Stipends for students — funds cannot be used to pay stipends to students for participation in program or classroom activities.
  3. Political Contributions. 
  4. Courses: Funds may not be used to pay for the delivery of courses that generate FTES. An exception to this is that funds may be used to supplement instructional support courses that do not receive apportionment funding that covers expenses incurred by these courses. 
  5. Supplanting: Any funds spent on these programs should supplement, not replace, general or state categorical (restricted) district funds expended on similar program activities prior to the availability of program funding. This restriction applies to categorical programs and any other federal, state, and county programs. Supplanting rules do not apply to expenditures previously paid for by BSI, SE or SSSP.

Workgroup Participants:  

Students: Justine Acosta, Noah Pascual

Classified Professionals: Jennifer Quevedo, Micheline Pontious, Perenise Fono, Andrew Vai, Francesca Mauricio, Carol Liu

Faculty: Mitra Sapienza, Lisa Romano, Lily Ann Villaraza, Angelina Fa, Jennifer Giang Icasiano, David Palaita, Lorenzo Ubungen, Loan Huynh, Olga R. Galvez, Jimmy Ly, Joanne Huang, Arthur Nishimura, Gil Perez

Administrators: Tessa Brown, Kit Dai, John Halpin, Cherisa Yarkin, Hing Potter, Monika Liu, Katrina Evasco, Zachary J. Lam, Geisce Ly 

Recommendations:
The Workgroup makes recommendations for the AANHPI Student Achievement Program initiatives that are designed to serve first-generation AANHPI students and other underserved students. Also, AANHPI SAP will support the development of strategies that align with college plans and efforts to address disproportionate impact for AANHPI students. 

The AANHPI Workgroup is not a participatory governance body; however, all efforts will be made to include a diverse and inclusive body representing all constituency groups. All workgroup members should have an interest in and/or work related to the support of AANHPI student success. 

  • AANHPI Career Readiness Events
  • AANHPI Mental Health Awareness Events