Community colleges: Hire UP: From Corrections to Career Pilot Program.

Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law establishes community college districts throughout the state and authorizes them to operate campuses and provide instruction. Existing law authorizes the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to establish a program, named the Rising Scholars Network, to enter into agreements with up to 50 community colleges to provide additional funds for services in support of postsecondary education for justice-involved students, as defined. This bill would establish the Hire UP: From Corrections to Career Pilot Program, to be administered by the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges. The bill would authorize the chancellor's office to enter into agreements with up to 10 community college districts to provide funding for stipends to formerly incarcerated individuals, CalWORKs recipients, and former foster youth. The bill would require the chancellor's office to develop an application for community college districts wishing to participate to apply for funding. Under the bill, a community college student enrolled in a certificate or degree program at a California community college would be eligible for a stipend if the student was released from incarceration within the last 3 years and is a current participant in the Rising Scholars Network or in another dedicated reentry program, or if the student is a CalWORKs recipient or former foster youth. The bill would make funding for the pilot program subject to an appropriation by the Legislature for these purposes, up to a total of $60,000,000. The bill would require the chancellor's office to submit an annual report to the Legislature on the implementation of the pilot program, including key conclusions and policy recommendations. This bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2029.