IN THE NEWS

Trump’s Deportation Campaign Raises FAFSA Privacy Concerns, Advocates Say Inside Higher Ed (October 2025) Alison De Lucca, executive director of the Southern California College Attainment Network, told Inside Higher Ed in an email that her organization is working with several families who are uncertain if they will fill out the FAFSA this year; an estimated one in every five individuals under the age of 18 in California comes from a mixed-status family.

‘‘‘More California students applied for FAFSA despite troubling circumstances,’ EdSource (September 2025) The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) unveiled data suggesting many students hoping for college admission were not discouraged by those potentially daunting circumstances. Featuring quotes from SoCal CAN member organizations and SoCal CAN Policy Director, Marcos Montes.

‘Let’s ensure every California student can fearlessly apply for financial aid,’ EdSource (July 2025). Read an opinion piece by SoCal CAN Executive Director, Alison De Lucca and  Dr. Feliza Ortiz-Licon (Ella/She/Her) about ensuring equitable access to financial aid through Senate Bill 323. 

‘Will filling out student aid form target undocumented parents for Trump’s mass deportations?’ CalMatters (December 2024) Read an article featuring SoCal CAN experts weighing in on Trump’s mass deportation plans and the impact it will have on federal financial aid applications for students with undocumented parents. 

Supporting Students in Their College Journey,The Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr Fund (September 2024) Read a piece that features SoCal CAN’s response to the Better FAFSA fiasco. 

‘Financial aid applications from undocumented California students plunged this year,’  LAist (July 2024) Read an article about the decline in Dream Act Applications featuring quotations from SoCal CAN Policy Director, Marcos Montes.

‘Students panic after new financial aid application blocks them: ‘I don’t know who to call’,’ Cal Matters (February 2024) Read an article about 2024 FAFSA glitches featuring quotes from SoCal CAN staff, members and students. 

Univision Watch an interview with SoCal CAN’s Policy Director, Marcos Montes, about resources available to students in LA. 

‘This is just the biggest fiasco.’ College admissions upended by financial aid form glitches,’ Los Angeles Times (February 2024)  Read an article on the FAFSA fiasco of 2024 with input from SoCal CAN staff, members and students. 

Centering Student Voices: What we learned partnering with Listen4Good (July 2025) Read about Project SOAR’s experience working with Listen4Good, a national capacity-building initiative that helps nonprofits systematically collect and act on feedback from those they serve.

Video: Pathways to Hope- Build Hope Inc. Scholarship Program (July 2025) Click here to watch a video highlighting our Project SOAR partner, Build Hope Inc and featuring interviews with Project SOAR students, Project SOAR’s Program Director, and SoCal CAN’s Deputy Director.

‘Financial aid help (and maybe a free laptop) for students in public housing’ LAist (December 2024) Read an article highlighting Project SOAR’s free financial aid application support for public housing residents. 

Reengaging Adults and Some College, No Degree Students to Postsecondary Pathways NCAN Press Release (October 2024) Read an article highlighting innovative ways community-based organizations, states, and higher education institutions are breaking down barriers to reengage students in postsecondary education, including SoCal CAN’s LA College Comeback initiative.

‘Nonprofit from Los Angeles, California wins $100,000 award in nationwide “Big Ideas, Bright Cities Challenge,’  Global Business Council on Education (November 2023) Read the press release announcing Project SOAR as the winner of the national competition ‘Big Ideas, Bright Cities.’ 

Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) 2024 Policy Priorities. See the inclusion of Project SOAR as a cross-sector policy priority. 

‘This LA teen nonprofit holds free clothing pop-ups for low-income, homeless girls.’  Los Angeles Daily News (May 2024) Read about Project SOAR’s collaboration with She Styles to provide SOAR students with a boutique popup experience where they ‘shop’ for free. 

Congressman Jimmy Gomez $650,000 for Project SOAR, Press Release, Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, August 2022. Announcement of SoCal CAN’s Project SOAR expansion to two addition housing sites in East Los Angeles.

Project SOAR Student Interview on Univision– Spanish (September 2022): Watch a special segment highlighting a Project SOAR student, Genessi Lizama, and her journey as a public housing resident to Stanford University. 

College Futures Foundation Read about Let’s Go to College CA’s manager, Marcos Montes, and Let’s Go focus on mental health resources for students. https://collegefutures.org/insights/t-e-a-with-college-futures-featuring/

Represent All: Student Government Diversity & Representation on Public College Campuses throughout California (2023). SoCal CAN commissioned a study to better understand the composition, representation, and diversity of student government at public institutions in California and help underrepresented students fully activate the power of student government to address their needs. Read our report here. 

CA invests $5.1 million for a FAFSA & CADAA Community Support grant program (2025). This important victory was led by SoCal CAN and the Alliance for A Better Community. Take a look at ABC’s announcement here.

Mapping the Movement: California’s Higher Education Coalition Landscape. Our new report spotlighting the coalitions driving change and progress across the state, featuring SoCal CAN coalition leadership and participation.

SB 323: ‘Let’s ensure every California student can fearlessly apply for financial aid,’ EdSource (July 2025). Read an opinion piece by SoCal CAN Executive Director, Alison De Lucca and  Dr. Feliza Ortiz-Licon (Ella/She/Her) about ensuring equitable access to financial aid through Senate Bill 323. 

SB 761: CalFresh for Students Act (2025) cleared the Senate floor & is now moving through the State Assembly. Take a look at this Instagram post celebrating this milestone.  

AB 934 was a bill focused on degree reclamation and educational plans for community colleges (2025). As California faced one of its toughest budget years, we’re disappointed to share that this bill didn’t pass in 2025—but our fight for students continues. Check out this Instagram post to see what the bill sponsors had to say.

AB 1780 banned legacy admissions in California (2024). SoCal CAN was a proud supporter of the bill through the College for All Coalition. Read Governor Newsom’s press release announcing the signing of this bill.

AB 789: Student Academic Progress Reform. “She lost her financial aid while homeless. Newsom signs a bill that could help students like her.” Read this article to learn more about the bill that was signed into law with SoCal CAN’s support in 2023.

AB 1393: CADAA Food Pilot Program (2023) – SoCal CAN was proud to sponsor a bill that would have established a food benefits pilot program for CA Dream Act eligible students.Unfortunately, the bill did not make into law but in this Instagram post you can view student testimony from one of our SoCal CAN’s Changemakers student advocates.

AB 288 (2022) – Governor Newsom signs critical legislation co-sponsored by SoCal CAN to ban scholarship displacement in California. Read SoCal CAN’s press release.

NCAN Board Welcomes Three Members, Thanks Departures, Elects Officers (October 2024) Read the announcement of NCAN’s new board members, featuring SoCal CAN’s Executive Director, Alison De Lucca.

Announcing NCAN’s 2024 Policy Council, NCAN Press Release (September 2024) Read the announcement of NCAN’s 2024 Policy Council, including the selection of SoCal CAN’s Policy Director, Marcos Montes

Meet NCAN’s 2024 Leading for Equity Fellows, NCAN Press Release (January 2024) Read the announcement of NCAN’s 2024 Equity Fellows, including the selection of SoCal CAN & Project SOAR’s Program Director, Niña Abonal. 

2024 Education Equity Champion Award winners from the #EdEquityForum2024. See an Instagram post celebrating our Policy Director Marcos Montes being selected as the 2024 Grassroot Leader Award.

Meet the 2022 NCAN Leading for Equity Fellows, NCAN Press Release (January 2022) NCAN is thrilled to introduce the 12 college attainment professionals who will make up our inaugural cohort of Leading for Equity Fellows, including SoCal CAN’s Deputy Director, Lina Morin. These accomplished rising leaders represent NCAN member organizations from across the country.