Speech #1020174958

This record of success Is particularly Impressive In view of the great need in the area served by East Los Angeles College. The campus is located near the scene of the recent troubles In LA. This campus of over 13.000--which is over 88perent minorityserves an area where 46.5 percent of the students live below the poverty level. The dropout rate in the target schools ranges from 39 percent to 54 percent These students are overwhelmingly Hispanic. Asian American and African American. The program plays a particulary Important role in helping the children of immigrant families move into the American mainstream. Since 1977. ELAC applications have consistently been ranked In. the top onefourth of all applications by the Departments peer review process.