From CalMatters group faculty reporter Adam Echelman:
If schools labored the way in which they need to, Joe Villa would have 1000’s of {dollars} of federal monetary assist by now. However he’s by no means acquired a penny.
I’ve been speaking to Villa for over a 12 months now, making an attempt to determine why.
He’s one among roughly 4 million Californians who lack a highschool diploma or equal. After the governor commuted his jail sentence in 2020, Villa began working in the direction of his GED whereas additionally taking college-level programs at Saddleback School in Orange County. At 68, his hope is to get a university diploma as shortly as potential.
“I’m starting over,” he instructed me.
In 2016, the federal authorities created a program to assist college students like Villa entry monetary assist, however final spring, I found that California’s group schools largely did not enact it. Different states, like Mississippi and Alabama, discovered inventive methods to make it simpler for schools to implement this system and for adults with out highschool diplomas to get assist. A gaggle of training advocates introduced California leaders with the same repair, however the state declined to behave.
After my story got here out, the workplace of Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Group Schools Chancellor’s Workplace determined they wished to vary this system in any case — although they practically missed a key deadline to do it.
Final week, Newsom’s workplace introduced that the modifications would lastly take impact:
- Newsomin a press release: “It’s a duty and a privilege for our state to help students and workers access higher education and pursue fulfilling careers — even without a high school diploma. In California, we’re working to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to succeed and reach their full potential.”
To be clear, schools have been capable of supply monetary assist to college students like Villa since not less than 2016, although that course of was extra cumbersome. The president of Saddleback School, Elliot Stern, mentioned that the college was making ready to supply monetary assist below the earlier guidelines, however now that the state has created a brand new and extra accessible approach of awarding monetary assist, it desires Saddleback School to attend.
Paul Feist, a spokesperson for the chancellor’s workplace, mentioned the improved monetary assist system ought to be in place by subsequent fall, which implies Villa should wait not less than one other 12 months to entry any federal grants.
- Villa: “Why is the state taking so long? A few thousand dollars would help immensely.”
