It’s time to overhaul and update the Cal Grant system

There is legislation pending in the State Legislature, Assembly Bill 1456 by Assemblymember Jose Medina and Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, that would amend the Cal Grant program to eliminate some barriers that have prohibited adult students from accessing the financial aid they need for college. But the bill does not break down all of the current barriers to access to higher education – namely, it keeps up the barrier to funding for many online university learners.

If amended, AB 1456 could also help low-income adult learners attend online universities regardless of whether they have a brick-and-mortar presence in the state, improving lives for thousands of hard-working Californians and their families.

For example, there are high-quality online nonprofit universities that do not have a physical presence in California but successfully educate tens of thousands of Californians every year with degrees in health care, business, IT, and teaching. In fact, one such university, Western Governors University (WGU), has made a real impact with 94% of graduates being employed and 95% of graduates saying they would choose the same university again. Just two years after graduation, WGU graduates report an average increase in annual salary of $12,300 and $21,800 within four years.

But too many low-income Californians cannot access the Cal Grant to fund a degree at the university of their choosing. For adult learners in California who work full time or hold multiple jobs, care for dependent children, are persons with disabilities, and others, the flexibility and affordability of online learning could be the key to them achieving their aspirations. In fact, research from the Strada Education Network, Gallup, and the Lumina Foundation found that among adults ages 25 to 64 with some college but no degree, the single most common reason cited for having stopped their education was difficulty balancing studies and work at the same time.

This is consistent with a study by California Competes that found that 5.1 California adults intend to enroll in higher education and nearly 4 million of them are interested in completely online instruction.

I can tell you personally that while working in my full-time job, I thought college was not an option for me. I was fortunate to be able to attend a not-for-profit online university that allowed me to learn when I had the time, and because of this program, I achieved my MBA in Healthcare Management. Because of my online university, I was able to work full time while pursuing my passion.

I want this opportunity to be available to everyone like me who thought it was impossible to have a college education due to time and cost.

It is time to reform the Cal Grant program to fit the needs of today’s adult learners. We cannot afford to allow another 50 years pass before high-quality online universities and their students are recognized.
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Editor’s Note: Yessica Gomez is a Paramount resident and received her MBA in Healthcare Management from Western Governors University.