SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A new bill introduced in the California Legislature aims to provide critical financial support for students who experienced homelessness in high school, helping them overcome barriers to higher education.
SB 685, introduced by Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San José), would launch a pilot program covering the full cost of attendance at San José State University and two other California State University (CSU) campuses for eligible students.
The bill comes as California faces a growing crisis of student homelessness. According to the California Department of Education, more than 90,000 high school students statewide were identified as homeless during the 2023-24 school year, including over 24,000 seniors.
Without stable housing or financial security, many of these students struggle to enroll in or complete college, often falling victim to what experts call “summer melt”—a phenomenon where students accepted into college ultimately do not attend due to financial or logistical barriers.
SB 685 is designed to address these challenges by covering students’ remaining cost of attendance after financial aid, ensuring that housing, books, transportation, and other basic living expenses are fully funded. Unlike other financial aid programs, federal student loans would not be factored into the equation, preventing students from accumulating debt just to meet their basic needs.
“This bill will ensure that students who have already faced the immense hardship of homelessness can focus on their education without worrying about how they’ll afford food, housing, or transportation,” said Sen. Cortese. “We’ve seen how targeted financial support changes lives, and it’s time to expand these proven models statewide.”
The pilot program would begin in the 2026-27 school year and run until July 1, 2031. To qualify, students must:
- Be between 17 and 26 years old
- Be identified by a high school official as meeting the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act definition of homelessness
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act (CADAA) application
- Apply for all other available grants and fee waivers
- Enroll full-time at a participating CSU campus and maintain satisfactory academic progress
The CSU Chancellor’s Office would be responsible for selecting two additional campuses to participate alongside San José State University, and each campus would designate a liaison to assist students with enrollment and financial aid. The California Student Aid Commission would also hire staff to help homeless students navigate the college application process.
SB 685 builds upon Sen. Cortese’s long-standing work to provide direct financial support to vulnerable young people. His SB 33, introduced alongside SB 685, would create the California Success, Opportunity, and Academic Resilience (CalSOAR) Guaranteed Income Program, providing $1,000 per month in direct cash assistance to homeless high school seniors to help them transition successfully into college or careers.
Cortese previously spearheaded the nation’s first guaranteed income program for foster youth in Santa Clara County, which led to $35 million in state funding to expand guaranteed income programs for foster youth and pregnant women. Most recently, he secured funding to provide $1,200 monthly stipends to homeless students in Santa Clara County to help them stay housed while pursuing education.
“We know these programs work,” Cortese said. “They provide dignity, stability, and opportunity for young people who would otherwise struggle to access higher education.”
The introduction of SB 685 comes amid growing concerns over California’s ability to support students experiencing homelessness. While the McKinney-Vento Act ensures certain protections and resources for homeless youth, many students still go unrecognized by their school districts, leaving them without the necessary support.
Advocates argue that the expansion of financial aid and direct cash assistance is a necessary step in breaking the cycle of poverty and homelessness for thousands of young Californians.
If passed, SB 685 and SB 33 could provide a lifeline for students who have faced homelessness, offering them a pathway to higher education and long-term financial stability.
“College should not be out of reach for students simply because they lack stable housing,” Cortese said. “By investing in these young people, we’re investing in the future of California.”
