Affordability

We commend the Governor and Legislature for protecting the state Cal Grant program, which helps 400,000 low- and middle- income Californians earn the credentials they and our economic recovery need, and for ensuring undocumented students have access to emergency financial support.

A coalition of more than 20 organizations representing statewide student leadership, higher education advocacy, civil rights and social justice, and business and workforce has sent a letter to California legislative leadership urging policymakers to make targeted reforms to protect students’ state financial aid through the COVID-19 pandemic.

In case there was any doubt, Governor Newsom’s revised state budget plan for 2020-21 confirms the devastating blow that the COVID-19 pandemic will deliver to California’s public colleges and universities absent federal investment. Yet by protecting the state Cal Grant program, and directing colleges to minimize impacts on programs and services for underrepresented students...

Coalition letter from Californians for College Affordability discussing steps the Legislature could take to protect students’ access to state and institutional need-based financial aid during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

TICAS executive vice president Debbie Cochrane weighs in on California Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed state budget for 2020-21.

Thanks to California’s 2019-20 state budget, up to 15,250 more nontraditional college students will get a Cal Grant award each year – a big and much-needed increase to grant availability in a program that turns away hundreds of thousands of eligible low- and middle-income students each year. However, if past is prologue, many of these students still won’t...