AB 243 – Streamlines Financial Aid for Juvenile-System Youth in California

The Donahoe Higher Education Act organizes California’s public postsecondary education into three segments: California Community Colleges (CCD), California State University (CSU), and the University of California (UC), each governed by different boards. The act mandates CSU and requests UC to annually report on their financial aid programs to the Legislature, but UC is only bound if its Board of Regents agrees. The Student Aid Commission oversees state-authorized financial aid for all segments.

AB 243 requires that financial aid officers for CCDs, CSUs, and UCs accept sworn attestations from designated local agencies as documentation of “unusual circumstances” when determining a student’s dependency status for financial aid purposes for certain students. The bill defines “adjustment for unusual circumstances” consistent with existing Federal Financial Aid regulations. The sworn statement must include the following:

• The name, organization, and title of the attester.
• A declaration that the attester has provided services, instruction, or assistance to the student.
• A declaration that the attester is familiar with the student’s relationship with their parent or parents, as defined in Section 668.2(b) of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
• A declaration that, to the best of the attester’s personal knowledge, the student is either unable to contact their parent or parents, or contacting their parent or parents would pose a risk to the student.

The bill also allows, at the student’s request, limited release of juvenile case file information to aid in enrollment, financial aid, or accommodations. This information is beyond the authorized attestation. Any information provided must be kept strictly confidential. Failure to maintain confidentiality is a misdemeanor.

(AB 243 adds Section 66020.8 to the Education Code and adds Section 826.9 to the Welfare and Institutions Code.)