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April 24, 2019. Making College More Affordable for California’s Community College Students. Panelists. Our Commitment. California Community Colleges. Who Attends the CCC. CCC Enrollment Fees.
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April 24, 2019 Making College More Affordable for California’s Community College Students
CCC Enrollment Fees • In 1984, the state first enacted fees in the California Community Colleges—and simultaneously established a fee waiver program for low-income students. • Today, those statutory fees are $46 per unit—the lowest in the United States. • The California College Promise Grant (formerly the Board of Governors Fee Waiver) waives fees for students who have financial need, are receiving public assistance, or have low income. • Therefore, nearly half of all students pay no fees under California College Promise Grant.
Barriers in Cal Grant for CCC Students • Few California Community College students are entitled to Cal Grants because the entitlement focuses on recent high school graduates. • An entitlement requires students to enroll in college no more than one year after high school graduation. • Students who are not entitled to awards must compete for one of 25,750 awards available to them. It was recently estimated that more than 300,000apply for those awards. • Because the award levels are generally linked to tuition, a small proportion of the funds go to CCC students.
Net Price for Lowest-Income Students • From an analysis by The Institute for College Access and Success: “In none of the nine regions shown here does the lowest tuition school – the community college – have the lowest net price, and in seven regions the community college is more expensive than either public university option.”
Impacts of Limited Financial Aid for CCC Students • The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice, in partnership with the Chancellor’s Office, conducted a survey to assess basic needs security among California Community College students. • Among the findings: • Half of respondents were food insecure in the prior 30 days. • 60 percent were housing insecure in the previous year. • 19 percent were homeless in the previous year.
Principles for Reform • All California Community College students with financial need should be eligible to receive financial aid—regardless of their age, time out of high school, or high school academic performance. • A student’s financial aid should be linked to the total cost of attendance—not just tuition and fees, but also housing, food, transportation, and supplies. • A student should have access to financial aid regardless of the student’s educational goals—that is, financial aid should be available equitably whether the student seeks to complete a degree, certificate, or short-term career-technical education program.
Senate Bill 291 (Leyva) • SB 291 establishes the California Community College Student Financial Aid program, which would provide a community college student with a new grant that is linked to the cost of attendance and accounts for the gift aid a student already receives and the resources the student contributes to college costs.
Request • The bill specifies legislative intent to phase the program in over six years (from 2019-20 through 2014-15): • During phase-in, awards to students would be prorated based on available resources. • The bill seeks $1.5 billion upon full implementation. • The California Community Colleges are requesting: • Support for SB 291 (Leyva). • Inclusion of $250 million, consistent with the legislative intent, in the 2019-20 budget to fund the first year of program implementation.
Opportunities for Engagement • Visit truecollegecost.com to learn more and to contact your legislators to express support. • Voice your support at an upcoming hearing: • Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 On Education FinanceTuesday, April 30, 2019, 9:00 amState Capitol, Room 447 • Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 1 on EducationThursday, May 2, 2019, 9:30 amState Capitol, Room 3191 • Discuss these issues with others!
