The 2022-23 Budget: Middle Class Scholarship Program

Mar 30, 2022 - (Whereas the access award covered roughly 15  percent of the living costs of a student living off campus in 2001 ‑02, it covers an estimated 7  percent today.) Under the revamped MCS program, the state will cover a larger share of students ’ living costs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4581

Trends in Higher Education: Student Access

Jan 23, 2024 - Much of that guide remains relevant today and can assist those who are looking for more basic information on education policy and fiscal matters in California. California's Higher Education System California ’s public higher education sector consists of the California Community Colleges (CCC), California State University (CSU), and University of California (UC).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4828

The 2026-27 Budget: Higher Education Overview

Feb 5, 2026 - MCS = Middle Class Scholarships and COLA = cost-of-living adjustment. Cal Grant Spending Continues to Grow at Historically High Rate. The Cal Grant program is the state ’s largest and longest ‑standing financial aid program.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5112

The 2021-22 Budget: California Student Aid Commission

Feb 8, 2021 - Certain Students Who Changed Living Arrangement Lost Cal Grant Eligibility. Due to the pandemic, on ‑campus housing is operating at significantly reduced capacity in 2020 ‑21. Many students who otherwise would have lived on campus are instead living at home with family.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4355

An Analysis of the University of California’s Agricultural and Natural Resource Programs

Jan 6, 2022 - As a result of these and many other changes, land grant universities today manage large and varied portfolios of research and outreach activities covering many national, state, and local issues. UC Has Developed Goals for These Programs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4490

The 2026-27 Budget: California Community Colleges

Mar 5, 2026 - COLA = cost ‑of ‑living adjustment. Governor ’s CCC Budget Plan Includes Proposition   98 Reserve Funding. The Proposition   98 Reserve is an account designated for school and community college programs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5150

UC Merced at 20: Campus Developments and Key State-Level Takeaways

Nov 7, 2024 - Nearly all of the students living on campus are undergraduates, with fewer than 20 graduate students living on campus. As of spring 2023, UC  Merced housed a larger share of its students than the average of the other UC general campuses (38  percent).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4937

The 2025‑26 Budget: Fiscal Outlook for Schools and Community Colleges

Nov 20, 2024 - After accounting for the freed ‑up funding and the cost of providing a 2.46  percent statutory cost ‑of ‑living adjustment for school and community college programs, we estimate that $2.8  billion would be available for new commitments (see figure below).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4940

The 2022-23 Budget: Student Housing

Apr 8, 2022 - The new student housing grant program is modeled off of programs generally intended to gauge housing affordability for low‑income families living in the community. College students, however, can be dependents of their parents.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4589

The 2023-24 Budget: California Community Colleges

Feb 22, 2023 - Per ‑Student Funding Is Much Higher Today Than Before the Pandemic. We believe most community college districts likely could manage a smaller apportionment COLA without notable fiscal difficulty. Not only are staffing levels down, along with accompanying staffing costs, but budgeted per ‑student Proposition  98 funding is at an all ‑time high.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4695