For more than a decade, the CA Dream Act has offered another path by allowing students who were educated in California and meet AB 540 requirements to be eligible for state financial aid. Despite this opportunity, too many eligible students are missing out on this valuable financial aid. Learn about statewide, systemic and institutional trends for the CA Dream Act and Cal Grants. You will also find concrete actionable steps to streamline access, increase capacity and improve compliance with...

Applying for financial aid shouldn't feel like solving a puzzle. This report shares the stories of undocumented students navigating the California Dream Act and Cal Grants, highlighting where the process breaks down and what colleges, policymakers, and state agencies can do to make it simpler, clearer, and more equitable. ~ Research conducted by Dr. Christian Espinoza, PhD. Download the Full Report or the Quick Read.

This report highlights the dramatic and sustained decline in CADAA completion rates since the pandemic, even as enrollment for undocumented students was trending upward. It also outlines how California leaders and practitioners can move forward together to address the barriers to applying for CADAA that undocumented and other eligible students are facing. While there are multiple reasons for this decline, this brief will strengthen our understanding of the data, highlight the policy factors...