College affordability is a necessary condition of student success. Thus, the League is pleased to announce our sponsorship of AB 1721 (Medina) and AB 1892 (Medina), legislation that will reform Cal Grants to better serve community college students. Currently, our students receive less then 10 percent of the resources distributed by the program, making it more expensive for students with significant financial need to attend a community college than a UC or CSU. This disinvestment forces our students to take fewer classes, work more, and ultimately obstructs their opportunity to be academically successful.
To help address this inequity, Assemblymember Medina has introduced legislation that will reform the Cal Grant B and C programs. This legislation is part of the California Promise, a series of initiatives intended to increase access and affordability for community college students. The legislation would increase the award levels available to our students and make it easier for non-traditional students to qualify for these awards.
AB 1721 and AB 1892 represent major steps toward college access and affordability for Californians. We respectfully request your help in moving this affordability agenda forward. Below you will find an Advocacy Toolkit and links to the following documents:
- Sample Resolution Supporting AB 1721 and AB 1892
- Sample Letter of Support for AB 1721 (Hearing Date: April 12)
- Sample Letter of Support for AB 1892 (Hearing Date: April 12)
Please join our efforts to convince key decision makers that this is a state priority. We encourage your boards to become involved by passing a resolution in support and faxing the attached position letters to the Assembly Higher Education committee at (916) 319-3961 by April 4th. Once your district has passed a resolution and/or sent in a letter, please send copies to Ryan McElhinney at ryan@ccleague.org.
Your District’s support is imperative for addressing this inequity, and for assisting underserved students to achieve their dreams and educational goals. To learn more about initiatives supporting the California Promise, please click here. If you have any questions about AB 1721 (Medina), AB 1892 (Medina), or the California Promise, please do not hesitate to contact myself or our Government Relations Office at (916) 245-5039.
