The 2019-20 Budget Bill funds the creation of a LONGITUDINAL DATA SYSTEM to inform the public and policymakers, make it easier for students and parents to navigate the educational pipeline, and close equity gaps in educational outcomes.
The Budget Act includes $10 million for the planning and development of a longitudinal education data system. A workgroup housed within the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research was established and will include representatives from state agencies responsible for early learning, higher education, private colleges and universities, financial aid, labor and workforce development, and health and human services. An advisory group consisting of stakeholders from the fields of education, labor, business, social justice, research, and data privacy will be formed to provide additional input to the workgroup. Read the trailer bill language here.
The Budget Bill also funds INCREASED SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS to make it easier for students to both attend and complete a postsecondary credential or degree.
• $97 million for Cal Grant A, B and C recipients attending the California community colleges, CSU, and UC who are parents of dependent children. The intent of the increased access awards is to assist student-parents in meeting their families’ basic needs and making their degree completion more likely.
• An increase from 25,750 to 41,000 in the number of available Competitive Cal Grant Awards. These awards are typically utilized by older students and serve as an important tool to accessing higher education.
• $9 million to create a Cal Grant B Service Incentive Grant Program. This provides up to $1,500 per semester to undocumented students who are Cal Grant B recipients for performing at least 150 hours of community or volunteer service. Additional trailer bill language will also allow undocumented students to be eligible for competitive Cal Grants.
• $3.9 million to address student hunger and basic needs at the California Community Colleges.
Also investments are made in TRAINING AND WORKFORCE to increase training opportunities and meet labor market needs in key industry sectors.
• $60 million to implement the Workforce Education and Training (WET) Five-Year Plan. This plan will offer a host of strategies that the state, local governments, community-based organizations, and educational entities can use to address shortages of mental health professionals in the public mental health system.
• $47.3 million to increase training opportunities for mental health workforce programs and the number of providers focused on quality mental health care.
• $165 million over five years for additional job training and apprenticeship opportunities to address the shifting workforce demands as the state moves towards a carbon-neutral economy. This will be done though new and continued partnerships between labor, industry, and community partners and administered by the California Workforce Development Board.