Existing law mandates that California Community Colleges (CCDs), the California State University (CSU), and requests University of California (UC) establish Basic Needs Coordinators and Centers to assist students with essential services like childcare.
SB 271 expands the definition of basic needs to explicitly include childcare services and resources, allowing for direct financial and service support. It mandates that financial aid offices at CCDs and CSUs provide information on campus childcare options and supplemental financial aid awards, such as the Cal Grant for students with dependent children. It also requests that financial aid officers at UCs do the same. For campuses with existing centers supporting parenting students, the bill allows directing students to those more specialized centers if beneficial. Additionally, it requires child development programs at CCDs and CSUs, and requests those at UCs, to offer referrals to the Basic Needs Center and the financial aid office.
(AB 271 amends Sections 66023.4 and 66023.5 of, and adds Sections 66027.83 and 66062 to, the Education Code.)
