The Executive Dean of the Sierra College campus in Grass Valley is pleased with Governor Newsom’s signing, earlier this week, of a bill designed to improve enrollment. Among other things, the measure allows more students to be eligible for Cal Grants…

click to listen to Stephanie Ortiz

It will also increase the amount of some of the awards. There will also be no age or time out of high school requirements for students to be eligible. Under the current system, to be guaranteed a Cal Grant, incoming first-year students had to be one year or less removed from graduating from high school. Transfer students also had to be under the age of 28. The change is aimed at expanding the program to older adults who may be returning to college or entering later than the average student. Ortiz says the legislation also expands the college savings account program for low-income students…

click to listen to Stephanie Ortiz

It’s estimated an additional 133-thousand community college students will become eligible for Cal Grants.