Students and advocates press Legislature for emergency financial aid backfill for students blocked from FAFSA by data‑privacy concerns
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Summary
Student leaders and financial aid advocates asked the Assembly Budget Subcommittee to adopt a one‑time state financial aid backfill for students who could not access federal FAFSA aid because of data‑privacy concerns or system failures; advocates said the May Revision’s protections for Cal Grant and Middle Class Scholarship funding are important but may not reach all affected students.
Student leaders, the University of California student regent, and financial‑aid advocacy groups urged the Legislature to adopt one‑time state financial aid to backfill students who were unable to obtain federal aid because of data‑privacy concerns or FAFSA system barriers.
Several student speakers — including UC student leaders and the UC Student Regent — thanked the subcommittee for the May Revision’s reduction of UC cuts from 8% to 3% but said the remaining cuts and recent federal FAFSA disruptions disproportionately harm vulnerable students. Samantha Zeng with Next Gen California and coalition members asked the Legislature to fund a one‑time financial aid backfill for students who opted not to file FAFSA or whose data privacy concerns prevented federal financial‑aid access.
Advocates said the May Revision preserves Cal Grant and Middle Class Scholarship funding and that the May Revision includes a one‑time augmentation to prevent award cuts for some students, but they asked for an explicit, short‑term backfill so no eligible students lose access to aid this year while federal application issues and data‑privacy barriers are resolved.
Why it matters: student speakers said many students from mixed‑status, DACA or privacy‑concerned families — and some students affected by recent fires and displacement — were unable to complete federal applications and risk losing out on need‑based awards. Advocates argued state emergency support would prevent students from dropping out or deferring enrollment.
What was not decided: the Legislature did not commit to a specific one‑time backfill amount in this hearing; coalition members said they would update coalition letters to reflect fiscal realities and continue discussions with the committee.
Ending: The subcommittee heard broad stakeholder support for protecting existing Cal Grant and Middle Class Scholarship awards and for exploring a targeted one‑time state backfill to avoid immediate gaps for students shut out of federal aid by system or privacy problems.