Copyright© 2000 by School Services of California, Inc.
New Financial Aid Proposal Approved By Governor
The August 18, 2000 Update reported that agreement had been reached by Governor Davis and legislative leaders on a plan to guarantee college financial aid to low and moderate income high school students who show academic promise (see page 172, "Community College Students to Benefit from New Financial Aid Proposal"). This past Monday, September 11, 2000 Governor Davis signed into law the "Ortiz-Pacheco-Poochigian-Vaconcellos Cal Grant Program" that will allocate $1.2 billion in Cal Grant awards for low-income students to attend college.
In a bill signing ceremony at California State University, Los Angeles, as reported in the Sacramento Bee, Governor Davis stated that he hoped the vastly expanded pool of financial aid would encourage high school students to apply themselves to their studies. "These bills say to California students, 'If you do your part by studying hard, we'll do our part to help you afford college,'" he said.
State officials said the programs, estimated to cost $1.2 billion by 2006 and made possible by the state's budget surplus, will provide college aid for more than 101,000 students next year. This year, the program financed 77,600 students, about 85 percent of those eligible. The California Student Aid Commission expects the program will award about 144,000 new scholarships by 2006.
What is The Impact on Students Attending a California Community College?
High school graduates with a 2.0 or higher grade-point average who meet more stringent income requirements-a maximum of $33,700 for a student from a family of four-will be guaranteed a Cal Grant B, which provides $1,551-enough money for fees, books and some living expenses at a community college or tuition at a CSU campus.
The new program also was designed to encourage community college students to transfer to UC or CSU campuses by guaranteeing Cal Grants to those who maintain a 2.4 grade-point average in community college and meet other income and transfer requirements.
Under the program, a new category of grants is created. These grants are referred to as "redemption grants." A student who graduates from community colleges within five years of leaving high school will be eligible to compete for one of 22,500 "redemption grants" to a four-year university if they are 24 years or older or for other reasons did not qualify for the entitlement grants. Students without a high school GPA can also apply for this grant after completing 16 units at a community college with a minimum GPA of 2.0.
State Educators Applaud the Program
State educators were lavish in their praise for the new program, calling it the most significant college aid program to hit the state in at least 25 years. University of California President Richard Atkinson said the program would have a "significant and lasting effect on California and its young people" by making UC more attainable for community college transfer students.
With the September 11 bill signing and an application deadline of March 2, 2001, for the first round of grants, the Student Aid Commission has launched an aggressive outreach program to explain the expanded program at community colleges and high schools.
--Arnold Bray