Students who have grown up in California and done well in our schools should have every opportunity to excel in our colleges — even if they're the children of undocumented immigrants.
Gov. Jerry Brown did the right thing last month by signing Assembly Bill 130, the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act — the DREAM Act. AB 130 makes qualified students eligible to apply for private scholarships.
The California Legislature also should pass AB 131, which would make these students eligible to apply for public financial aid. The bill was approved in the Assembly by 50 Democrats and opposed by 27 Republicans. It awaits hearings in the state Senate.
Brown has said he also would sign AB 131.
About 25,000 undocumented students graduate from California high school each year. The legislative analysis estimates 3,600 of them could enroll in the California State University system and another 500 could enroll in the University of California system. If half of those students get financial aid, it would cost the state about $12 million starting in 2013-14.
AB 131 also would provide waivers for community college fees. It is estimated 36,000 students attended community college in 2009-10. If half of them received the waivers, it would cost state about $7 million.
For a state that has been wrestling with budget shortfalls for years, that may seem like an expensive proposition. However, the prospect of having more professionals making money and paying taxes would enrich California's economy in the long run.
The state should enact serious pension reforms to pay for programs like this.
Illinois enacted a DREAM Act similar to AB 130 last week and 13 states, including California, now allow illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition. South Carolina and Georgia bar illegal immigrants from attending some state colleges.
Perhaps if more states pass their own versions of the DREAM Act, Congress will finally do so. A federal DREAM Act has been introduced each year for the past 10 years.
