AB-2251 • 2026

Student financial aid: Cal Grant Program: cost of attendance.

Education Housing

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Celeste Rodriguez
Last action: 2026-06-03
Official status: Referred to Com. on ED.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide information on how much money will be given for cost of attendance or consequences for non-compliance by schools.

Cal Grant Program: Cost of Attendance

This law requires schools participating in the Cal Grant Program to create policies for calculating the cost of attendance by a certain date, following federal standards.

What This Bill Does

Requires colleges and universities that participate in the Cal Grant Program to develop rules about how much it costs to attend school.
These rules must be ready before the start of the 2027-28 academic year.
The rules need to follow federal standards for calculating costs.

Who It Names or Affects

Colleges and universities that take part in the Cal Grant Program

Terms To Know

Cal Grant Program: A program that gives money to help students pay for college.
Cost of attendance: The total amount it costs a student to go to school, including tuition and other expenses like books and housing.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify how much money will be given for the cost of attendance.
It is unclear if all schools will follow these rules by the deadline.

Bill History

2026-06-03 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on ED.
2026-05-27 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2026-05-26 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 78. Noes 0.)
2026-05-19 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2026-05-18 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
2026-05-14 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 14).
2026-05-06 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
2026-04-20 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-04-16 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2026-04-15 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 14).
2026-03-09 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on HIGHER ED.
2026-02-20 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
2026-02-19 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2251, as amended, Celeste Rodriguez.
Student financial aid: Cal Grant Program: cost of attendance.
Existing law, the Cal Grant Program, establishes the Cal Grant A Entitlement Awards, the Cal Grant B Entitlement Awards, the California Community College Expanded Entitlement Awards, the California Community College Transfer Entitlement Awards, the Competitive Cal Grant A and B Awards, the Cal Grant C Awards, and the Cal Grant T Awards under the administration of the Student Aid Commission. Existing law establishes eligibility requirements for awards under the Cal Grant Program for participating students attending qualifying postsecondary educational institutions, and prescribes requirements that postsecondary educational institutions must comply with in order to be a qualifying postsecondary educational institution for purposes of the Cal Grant Program, including, among others, certain disclosure requirements.
This bill would require, as part
of the criteria to be a qualifying institution under the Cal Grant Program, an institution, no later than the start of the 2027–28 academic year, to develop and implement a cost of attendance policy and adjustment process to estimate and adjust cost of attendance information in a manner that is consistent with federal standards, as specified.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF