CALIFORNIA HIGHER EDUCATION BUDGET SETS STATE ON A PATH TO RECOVERY WITH EQUITY
On Tuesday, July 27th, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the higher education section of the California State Budget. At a time when college opportunity is essential to a pandemic recovery, the Governor and Legislature make significant investments in college affordability and pathways into and through college. The Governor’s “California Comeback Plan” includes a historic $47.1 billion for the University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), California Community Colleges (CCC) and financial aid.
“The historic investments Governor Newsom and our Legislature make today to ensure college is more affordable and accessible are critical to California’s recovery and our future. It is a fact that college-educated individuals were more likely to stay employed and out of poverty during the pandemic than those with only a high school education, and the more college-educated Californians we have and the better we do at closing racial equity gaps in college going and attainment, the more resilient California will be in the face of future pandemics and economic downturns,” said Michele Siqueiros, president of the Campaign for College Opportunity.
“This is a historic budget that sets California on a path to recover from the pandemic with equity. Governor Newsom and the Legislature have taken extraordinary steps to support historically excluded, minoritized and low-income students to get on a college track early, have the financial aid they need to make college a reality, have open seats waiting for them at the UC and CSU, and have strong pathways through college that ensure they don’t fall through the cracks. This is the leadership required for a California Comeback,” concluded Siqueiros.