Memo: Ensuring Cal Grant Reforms Support Meaningful Coverage of Students’ Non-Tuition College Costs

The modern Cal Grant program was enacted 20 years ago, and a broad array of stakeholders have called for it to be reformed to better meet the needs of the state and close disparities in college enrollment and completion. This memo focuses on the implications of regular and meaningful increases to the access award, which helps low-income students cover non-tuition college costs including living expenses, books and supplies, and transportation, and is intended to shed light on options for policymakers to consider to protect its purchasing power.