UCSB has been designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities. This means that at least 25% of UCSB's students are Hispanic/Latino. As an HSI, UCSB will now be eligible for grants to support faculty development, academic programs, student services and instructional facilities in order to better serve the Hispanic student population. The Gevirtz School of Education has long researched issues related to Latino education and aims to contribute to UCSB's transition by preparing more culturally competent teachers and conducting outreach programs to support the local Latino community.