AB-2251 • 2026

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

Education

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: 2026-04-20
Official status: Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on how costs should be adjusted or what federal standards are to be followed, leaving these points unclear.

Cal Grant Program: Cost of Attendance

This law requires schools participating in the Cal Grant Program to create and follow rules for figuring out how much it costs students to attend their school by a certain date.

What This Bill Does

Requires schools that want to be part of the Cal Grant Program to develop and implement a cost of attendance policy and adjustment process no later than the start of the 2027-28 academic year.

Who It Names or Affects

Schools that want to be part of the Cal Grant Program.
Students who receive Cal Grants to pay for college or other postsecondary education.

Terms To Know

Cal Grant Program: A program in California that gives money to help students pay for college or other postsecondary education.
Cost of Attendance: The total amount it costs a student to go to school, including tuition, books, and living expenses.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify what happens if schools do not follow the new rules.
It is unclear how this will affect students who are already in college before the rule takes effect.
The bill does not provide details on how to adjust costs or specific federal standards.

Bill History

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
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

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