Jerry Brown signs bill to make community college free statewide for first year
Jerry Brown signs bill to make community college free statewide for first year
By Melody Gutierrez Updated 9:30 pm, Friday, October 13, 2017
SACRAMENTO — California will cover the cost of tuition for first-year community college students under legislation Gov. Jerry Brown signed Friday.
AB19 by Assemblymen Miguel Santiago, D-Los Angeles; David Chiu, D-San Francisco; and Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, will save first-year, full-time students $1,104 a year by waiving the $46-per-unit fee. Beginning Jan. 1, the state will cover tuition for an additional 19,000 students who don’t already receive fee waivers for low-income students.
“This is a win for students, Californians and the economy,” McCarty said before the bill was signed. “We want to make sure students graduate from college with reduced debt.”
Students will still be responsible for other educational and living expenses if not covered by financial aid or scholarships. Lawmakers said they hope the bill will increase enrollment and college completion rates.
http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Jerry-Brown-signs-bill-to-make-community-college-12277171.php