(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) The Cash for College Program has successfully established local regional partnerships that annually provide hands-on help in filling out financial aid forms necessary to receive financial assistance for college. This program was initiated by private foundations and the commission in 2002 with the goal of increasing the number of students who successfully complete the financial aid process and enroll in college. In 2007, the Cash for College Program succeeded in serving over 20,000 students and their families in 44 of the 58 counties in California, thereby helping the state to access tens of millions of dollars in federal Pell Grant financial aid for low-income students and increasing the number of students participating in the Cal Grant Program. (2) The intersegmental cooperative nature of the Cash for College Program has proved to be a highly effective mechanism to coordinate existing services and foster the cooperation of the various educational segments, community, and business partners involved. (3) The Cash for College Program has been successful because of the financial and volunteer contributions of local partners in private business and industry, the financial aid, admissions, and outreach communities, and student groups. Additional funding has been provided through these local and regional partnerships, and through one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) in private foundation grant funds that have supported the initial development of the program, and funded local scholarships offered to workshop participants who complete the financial aid process by the state filing deadline. (4) The Cash for College Program has assisted high school and community college students whose families were unfamiliar with the financial aid process. The program focuses on assisting students and their families who are first- or second-generation college-bound students who have little or no access to college advising because of limited resources at the schoolsite or the perception that college is not an option. (5) The Cash for College Program seeks to provide all California students who desire to attend college the opportunity to enroll by providing tangible assistance in accessing the available state and federal resources to make higher education possible. (6) A college or postsecondary education is a requirement for a working wage job. The wage disparity between a high school graduate and a college graduate is one million dollars ($1,000,000) over an individualâs lifespan. (7) California reflects the ethnic and cultural diversity of todayâs world. Evidence of this change is most pronounced within our public elementary and secondary education system. As California continues into the 21st century, there is no single group that represents a majority of elementary and secondary enrollment. These changing demographics present great challenges and great opportunities. (8) California must invest in higher education and in the future of its young people so they can acquire skills and knowledge necessary to continue the stateâs economic recovery. (9) The Cash for College Program provides access to the college financial aid process for students of varied backgrounds and socioeconomic status. (b) (1) Beginning January 1, 2008, the Cash for College Program is established and is administered by the commission, in partnership with private business and industry and local community and educational organizations. The commission may allocate funds for support of local Cash for College financial aid workshop efforts that are designed to accomplish the following goals: (A) Targeted outreach to, and assistance for, low-income and first-generation college-bound students with state and federal financial aid applications. (B) Targeted outreach to, and assistance for, students who are enrolled in schools or geographic regions with low college eligibility or participation rates, wit
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