A new grant from College Futures Foundation will support research to improve the take-up of CalFresh benefits by students in the state’s three main systems of higher education, including the University of California, the California Community College System, and the California State University.
This is the first external support for the research of the new California College Data and Policy Project. The Project is a joint initiative of the California Policy Lab and the Center for Studies in Higher Education, and is led by Professor Jesse Rothstein, the Carmel Friesen Chair in Public Policy and David Gardner Chair in Higher Education and a Professor of Public Policy and Economics at UC Berkeley.
“We’re thrilled to receive this grant, which will support our work with our partners to use enrollment, financial aid, and safety-net data to identify students who are eligible for these supports, and then target outreach with a goal of increasing the number of students who enroll,” explains Professor Rothstein. “We’re grateful to College Futures Foundation because this grant will also support our longer-term work to better measure if receiving CalFresh has an impact on student success outcomes like staying enrolled and graduating.”
CalFresh is California’s version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and it provides a monthly benefit amount that can be used to purchase food. Research by the California Policy Lab has shown that among students who are likely eligible for CalFresh, only about 1 in 3 or 1 in 4 students enroll in the program.
The California College Data and Policy Project
The CCDPP is a new research initiative that brings together University of California researchers and government partners to advance equity and improve California’s world class higher education system.
CCDPP will generate new insights and research on what works to better support California students and their families as they transition through the education system. Initial CCDPP research will focus on student supports, college admissions, and transfer students.