Fulfillment Fund continues to be deeply intentional in how we support our students and families by
participating in policy discussions that affect the resources they access and systems they participate in. We aim to use our seat at the table to uplift our students’ experiences and advocate for bills and initiatives that support them on their journey to college and economic mobility.
This past March, our Vice President of Programs, Rachel Livingston, and our Director of the College Access Program, John Kuhlmann, attended the Western Association for College Admission Counseling (WACAC) Government Relations Conference in Sacramento, California. They discussed pressing matters about current policies and future bills affecting our student population there. While it was an excellent experience to collaborate with WACAC and learn about current advocacy efforts, it was also an opportunity to connect with our state representatives. Establishing a relationship with legislators positions us to be called upon as experts and further support bills that uplift our students.
Earlier in March, we also signed on to support California Senate Bill 98, which restructures how each school’s funding is determined from an attendance-based percentage to the number of students enrolled. These measures disproportionately affect schools serving predominantly low-income populations, as they must still prepare to welcome the number of students enrolled. Instead, the bill also proposed to address issues leading to absences, like lack of reliable transportation, health issues, or housing with the extra funding.
Additionally, we have recently signed on to support California Assembly Bill 789, sponsored by our community partners at SoCal CAN. The bill would remove barriers that limit students’ ability to keep their financial aid by establishing a common set of standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to ensure that all California students are provided the SAP flexibility allowed under federal law. Locally, we have added our names to request an extension for the Metro GoPass Program for TK-14 students for at least two more years, an initiative championed by Los Angeles Unified. These measures benefit our students and support them in pursuing more equitable education. We will continue to participate in reasonable efforts aligning with our mission and values, positively impacting the population we serve.