The COVID-19 health crisis has laid bare the structural inequity in the financial aid system. The pandemic has hit the lowest-income students hardest, with many struggling to afford the basic technology for online learning on top of new or exacerbated food and housing insecurity. Federal and state dollars predicated on Pell Grant eligibility, time…

California community colleges (CCC) enroll nearly one-quarter of the nation's community college students. Low fees and open-admission policies in this sector provide critical access to many students who otherwise might not attend college. This is particularly true of low-income students, at least one-quarter of all CCC students. Even though CCCs…

In 2003-04 over half a million students attending the 109 California community colleges received about one billion dollars in financial aid to help meet their college expenses. Nearly all of the aided students received Board of Governors Fee Waivers to cover their enrollment fees. Less than one-half of the aided students also received federal Pell…