Educators who lament the lack of academic continuity in public schools should find hope in an innovative program in California. Cal-PASS (California Partnership for Achieving Student Success) was created five years ago by Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College, working with San Diego State University. Since then it has expanded regionwide to encompass UCSD, CSU San Marcos, USD, National University, the University of Phoenix, nine community colleges, and six high school districts.

Funded with a $30,000 grant from the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office, the pilot program began gathering computer-generated data on local students to track their academic performance from kindergarten through higher education.

This data consist of information about students' demographic background, the classes they take, the grades they receive and the level of schooling they achieve. The information, which is kept confidential through a highly sophisticated encryption system, is stored in the state chancellor's office in Sacramento. Participating institutions provide student data once a year and appoint a representative to gather and access the data.

The program's goal is to share this information among educators so they can coordinate their efforts to better prepare students.

Christine Moretti, an English teacher at Helix Charter High School, says "the biggest payoff has been knowing what students are going to use in their college courses and knowing what the expectations are. We need to make sure their English reading and writing skills are at the highest level possible and that they are making progress at every level. That's where the data sharing comes into play."

Based at Grossmont College in El Cajon, the program has proved to be so successful that it is now going statewide. Thanks to a $1.5 million grant, 18 counties will participate in the Cal-PASS system during the next three years. Nearly 500 campuses have signed up with the program thus far, and the numbers grow as word spreads about its value.

Sen. Dede Alpert, D-Coronado, has underscored the program's value in providing a "seamless system" for students that hastens their successful transition from elementary school through college. Alpert's assessment is especially relevant because she is very much involved in implementing the state's master plan for K-16 education.

Cal-PASS could help bring the state's public schools, colleges and universities together to make the crucial difference in the lives of students. The program's potential to bridge institutional barriers, alone, justifies the state's modest investment thus far.