This bill establishes the Community College Student Access, Retention, and Debt Cancellation Program. The bill requires the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to allocate one-time funds to support these efforts. In considering the allocation of methodology, the Chancellor shall allocate funds to districts that have the most significant declines in unduplicated student headcount since Fall 2019. The bill further authorizes the Chancellor to allocate up to 10 percent of the appropriated funds to support statewide and retention efforts.
The purpose of the program is to support efforts to increase student retention rates and enrollment by engaging the following students:
- Former students who may have withdrawn due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic;
- Current students who may be hesitant to remain enrolled due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; and
- Prospective students may be hesitant to enroll due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Community college districts must prioritize the allocation of funds to the colleges with the largest declines in enrollment due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Districts may use funds to (1) provide a financial incentive for students to reenroll, or for prospective students to enroll, at the community college; or (2) to discharge unpaid fees due or owed by a student to a community college in the district.
(AB 1958 add Article 8, commencing with Section 78090, to Chapter 1 of Part 48 of Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code.)
