El Camino College and Compton Partnership Archive: Home

In 2005, Compton College was the first American college to lose its accreditation to operate as an independent college. El Camino College agreed to partner with Compton College in an effort to help them regain accreditation and operating independence.

In August 2006, the El Camino Community College District (ECCCD) Board of Trustees approved a Memorandum of Understanding to provide educational and related support services to Compton Community College District (CCCD) residents through the establishment of the El Camino College Compton Center.

Throughout the entire partnership, which was the first of its kind in the United States, a primary objective was to provide quality educational programs and services for student success, while supporting the CCCD’s goal to have an independent college serving the community. On June 7, 2017 the Compton Center, now known as Compton College, was awarded full accreditation by the Accrediting Commission of the Community and Junior Colleges, and its name officially changed to Compton College.  

This major milestone was a part of the process for Compton College to become the 114th fully independent college of the California Community Colleges system on June 8, 2019. Compton College now operates under the authority of the Compton Community College District (CCCD) Board of Trustees.

El Camino College has developed a physical and online archive to help preserve this unique part of the institutions history. The ECC/Compton Partnership Archive contains newspaper/journal articles, relevant ECC internal documents, oral histories and other items.