Community college students in California are now eligible to receive financial assistance to complete their studies at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). On September 30, the state’s Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1400, which offers a one-time grant of up to $5,000 to community college students who transfer to regionally accredited HBCUs.
The bill, which was introduced by Assembly majority leader Isaac Bryan (D), reallocates money generated by the College Access Tax Credit, which provided incentives to taxpayers who contributed to Cal Grant B, a program which provides non-tuition assistance to students from low-income and disadvantaged backgrounds. After a tax overhaul significantly reduced the pool of money available, lawmakers believe AB 1400 is the best way to provide more support to a targeted population.
There are no HBCUs in California, so students taking advantage of this opportunity have to leave the state. But according to the California Student Aid Commission, the grants will create a “California-to-HBCU-to-California pipeline” that will result in a new crop of students of color bringing their education and experience back to California.
“AB 1400 creatively redirects funds to provide support to California’s students looking to transfer to an HBCU and bring their talents back to California,” said California Student Aid Commission Executive Director Marlene Garcia in a statement.
Research shows that an HBCU education is more than worth the student’s investment. According to data from the National Bureau of Economic Research, Black HBCU students are up to 33 percent more likely to graduate than Black students at predominately white institutions (PWIs). And the advantages don’t stop after graduation. The same study shows that Black HBCU students tend to earn higher wages and are more likely to experience upward mobility at work than their PWI counterparts.