Bill > SB685

This bill establishes the Financial Assistance for Students Experiencing Homelessness Pilot Program within the California State University (CSU) system, designed to provide targeted financial support for students who were homeless during high school. Specifically, the program will operate at four CSU campuses, one selected from each of California's major geographic regions, and will offer financial assistance to California residents or students exempt from nonresident tuition who: were identified as homeless between 9th and 12th grade, have been accepted to a participating campus, and are between 17 and 26 years old. Starting in the 2026-27 academic year, participating campuses will provide financial assistance to cover the remaining balance of a qualifying student's total cost of attendance beyond their existing financial aid (excluding federal loans) for the first four years of participation. To receive this assistance, students must complete the FAFSA or California Dream Act application, apply for all eligible grants, be enrolled full-time, maintain satisfactory academic progress, and work towards their first bachelor's degree. Each participating campus must designate a liaison to help these students and will be required to collect and report data on the program's effectiveness, including impacts on student retention, housing attainment, and food insecurity. The pilot program is set to become inoperative on July 1, 2031, and will be fully repealed on January 1, 2032, allowing for a comprehensive evaluation of its impact.

Budget and Finance, Education

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB685