California State University: financial aid for homeless students: pilot program.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify which four campuses are participating in the pilot program.

Financial Aid for Homeless Students at California State University

This law creates a pilot program to provide financial aid to homeless students who are accepted into four California State University campuses and meet specific criteria.

What This Bill Does

• Establishes the Financial Assistance for Students Experiencing Homelessness Pilot Program at four California State University campuses.
• Provides financial assistance to eligible students who were homeless during high school and will be between 17 and 26 years old when they start college, excluding federal loans.
• Requires participating campuses to cover the balance of the cost of attendance that is not covered by other financial aid for up to four years.

Who It Names or Affects

• Homeless students who are accepted into one of the four California State University campuses and meet age requirements.
• California State University campuses participating in the pilot program.
• The Student Aid Commission, which will create rules for the program.

Terms To Know

cost of attendance

The total amount it costs to go to college each year, including tuition, books, and living expenses.

pilot program

A small-scale test run of a new idea or project before full implementation.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill needs funding from the Legislature to start.
• It only applies to four California State University campuses and is limited to students who meet specific criteria.
• After July 1, 2031, the program will no longer be active.

Official Summary Text

SB 685, as amended, Cortese.
California State University: financial aid for homeless students: pilot program.
Existing law establishes the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in the state.
Existing law establishes the Student Aid Commission as the primary state agency for the administration of state-authorized student financial aid programs available to students attending all segments of postsecondary education.
This bill, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, would establish the Financial Assistance for Students Experiencing Homelessness Pilot Program, administered by each participating campus, to provide financial assistance at
3
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California State University campuses to California residents, or specified students who are exempt from paying nonresident tuition, who (1) have been accepted for enrollment at one of those campuses, (2) were homeless at any time during high school, and (3) will be between 17 and 26 years of age, inclusive, upon receipt of assistance.
This bill would require, commencing with the 2026–27 academic year, each participating campus to provide financial assistance for the balance of the qualifying student’s cost of attendance that exceeds the financial aid, excluding federal loans, the qualifying student receives during the first 4 years the qualifying student participates in the pilot program. The bill would require the qualifying student to meet certain requirements to receive financial assistance under the pilot program, as specified. The bill would require each participating campus to adopt policies to administer the pilot program
and to designate one existing employee as a liaison for qualifying students and prospective qualifying students, as provided.
This bill would require
the commission to adopt the regulations necessary to carry out its duties under the program, and to enter into a data sharing agreement with the State Department of Education, as specified. The bill would require
the office of the Chancellor of the California State
University to,
University,
on or before December 31, 2030,
to
submit a report to the Legislature evaluating the efficacy of the pilot program based on specified data collected from
each participating campus, as provided.
This bill would make these provisions inoperative on July 1, 2031, and would repeal them as of January 1, 2032.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF