Dear County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, High School Principals, and High School Counselors:

Cal Grant Grade Point Average Submission Reminder

Welcome back to a new school year! Although the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our lives, we are incredibly thankful to all of you serving and caring for our students. We look forward to another successful school year as we partner together to provide financial aid options to all your postsecondary-bound students. Our goal is to provide information and resources that will help high schools assist their students through the Cal Grant application process.

Please refer to the table below, which outlines important dates for the 2022–23 financial aid award year.

2022–23 Financial Aid Award Year (Class of 2022)

One notable change is the new WebGrants for Institutions site, which the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) launched on May 10, 2021. Please see CSAC communication GSA 2021-16, available on the CSAC Grant Special Alert web page at https://www.csac.ca.gov/grant-special-alerts, for more information about the new website and first-time login instructions. Prior to uploading GPAs, we ask that high school staff review the CSAC COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for an overview of the questions relating to the impact of COVID-19 on the state’s financial aid programs, including high school grade point average (GPA) calculations for Cal Grant purposes. The FAQs can be found on the CSAC Response to COVID-19 web page at https://www.csac.ca.gov/covid19.

As of June 24, 2021, CSAC has opened the portal to allow GPA submissions for the class of 2022. GPAs for the class of 2022 must be uploaded to CSAC by October 1, 2021, as specified under Education Code 69432.9(c)(2), unless the student has opted-out per Education Code 69432.9(d)(1)(2). Please refer to CSAC communication GOM 2021-19, available on the CSAC Grant Operations Memos web page at https://www.csac.ca.gov/grant-operations-memos, for full details.

Submitting GPAs is only part of the process—ensuring GPAs are matched to a financial aid application is just as important for students to receive Cal Grant consideration. CSAC will be offering monthly online webinars covering a variety of topics, including how to create/upload your GPA file and how to edit/match GPA records. To register for a webinar, visit the CSAC Training and Outreach Live Webinars web page at https://www.csac.ca.gov/trainings.

Beginning on October 1, 2021, high schools can track Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and California Dream Act Application (CADAA) completion rates, matched GPAs, and the number of awards offered through CSAC’s Race to Submit Dashboard at https://webutil.csac.ca.gov/Dashboard/default.aspx. The percentage of matched GPAs will determine the winners for the Race to Submit Campaign.

Finally, the 2021 Annual Statewide Financial Aid Workshops will continue to be offered in a virtual format beginning in August 2021. The workshops will consist of live webinars through Zoom, pre-recorded material, and informational videos. CSAC hopes to offer some in-person workshops throughout the state beginning in September 2021, but only if conditions allow. To stay up-to-date and to register, please visit the CSAC Annual Statewide Financial Workshop web page at https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/2021-annual-statewide-financial-aid-workshops.

Should you have any questions, please contact CSAC’s Institutional Support at 888-294-0153 or schoolsupport@csac.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction
California Department of Education

Marlene L. Garcia
Executive Director
California Student Aid Commission