Newsom Wants California Students Without High School Diplomas to Qualify for Financial Aid

The aim is to make college and job training more accessible. Supporters call the plan a game-changer for disadvantaged students.

Students walk to summer semester classes at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, Calif., on June 29, 2022. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

Looking to increase access to college courses and career pathway programs, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Sonya Christian—chancellor of California Community Colleges—sent a proposal June 3 to the U.S. Department of Education requesting that eligibility for Title IV financial aid be extended to students without a high school diploma or equivalent.

“Regardless of background or credentials, every Californian deserves the opportunity to pursue their dream career and a higher education degree,” Mr. Newsom said in a statement announcing the proposal. “In partnership with Chancellor Christian, the state is seeking to make community college more accessible and affordable for students without a high school diploma.”