STEM Majors Must Begin in Calculus, Says State Chancellor

Changes to addressing incoming students’ college-level skills came in the form of California laws AB 705 and AB 1705, passed in 2017 and 2022.

Before AB 705, mandatory placement tests determined incoming students’ eligibility for college-level classes and placed the students in review courses. While AB 705 reduced the number of review courses, AB 1705 eliminated them entirely and replaced them with concurrent support classes.  

The “calculus clause” in AB 1705 calls for the elimination of all calculus prerequisites, such as precalculus and trigonometry, arguing that offering such classes holds students back. Colleges must comply by Fall 2027, according to the state chancellor’s office. 

Students and faculty have criticized the evidence and logic behind this policy and have protested across the state.