Commentary: Bill that would expand Cal Grants funding stops short of helping some California degree-seekers

By Raymond Baker

Student loan debt is a struggle many Californians know all too well. And as the cost of living keeps rising, I reflect on my higher education journey and wish for a different outcome for California students like me who do not qualify for the Cal Grant, the state’s primary need-based financial aid program.

For me, my wife, and many other adult learners, traditional brick-and-mortar colleges simply did not fit with our lifestyle. My wife and I were both working full time to support our three children when we found online college. Yet we had the drive and motivation to complete our higher education degrees while juggling parenting responsibilities and full-time jobs. We were able to accomplish this and make a better life for ourselves and my family because of our online university.

Read more here.