***Nakia is a child of a disabled veteran and can get tuition-free education in UC and CCC systems through the Cal Fee Vet Waiver starting the Fall of 2019. She cannot in the CSU system because she is over the age of 19 & must be financially independent.***

This petition is a request to exempt students over the age of 19 from meeting the financial independence requirement in the CSU IF:

• Student is a U.S citizen.
• Student resides in California for 1 year and shows proper documentation such as address, license, and proof of employment (if any) and have relinquished all ties of former residence
• Parents of student (either by birth or legal adoption) reside in California for 1 year and shows proper documentation such as address, license, and proof of employment (required) showing taxes filed in California the prior year and have relinquished all ties of former residence
• Student show they are a dependent of the parent in California

STORY:

Nakia Richardson is a current senior at San Diego State University and started attending Fall of 2016. She is the daughter of a California-classified disabled veteran, according to the VA. Her father received a job offer to transfer from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California in October of 2017.

Her father started working in November of 2017 and filed his 2017 taxes in California. Under California law, children of disabled veterans may qualify to receive the Cal Vet Fee waiver. The waiver allows tuition-free education for children of any age at (CCC, UC, CSU) for post-secondary education. Her father received this classification and therefore, both Nakia and her two brothers are eligible to receive this benefit under Plan B. Nakia and her middle brother have received letters from Cal Vet stating that they qualify.

Under Plan B:

The child of a Veteran who has a service-connected disability, or had a service-connected disability at the time of death, or died of service-related causes is eligible. The child's annual income, which includes the child's adjusted gross income, plus the value of support provided by a parent, may not exceed the annual income limit. The current academic year entitlement is based upon the previous calendar year's annual income. Under Plan B, wartime service is not required and there are no specific age requirements. Children are the only dependents eligible under this plan. There is no prohibition against receiving concurrent VA Chapter 35 benefits.

The other simple requirements are California residency according to the Cal Vet website and proper documentation showing dependency. Nakia will meet these requirements in the UC system and the CCC system by Fall of 2019. However, she will not in the CSU system. She will be unable to claim California residency for at least three years.

The CSU system states for her to qualify and be reclassified as a resident (a requirement for receiving the Cal Veterans Waiver Fee), she MUST demonstrate financial independence (in addition to showing she is a US citizen and has had a physical presence lived in California for one year) because she is over the age of 19.

According to the CSU Website, in order to do this, she must:

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Has not and will not be claimed as an exemption for state and federal tax purposes by his or her parent in the calendar year the reclassification application is made and in any of the three calendar years prior to the reclassification application.

Has not and will not receive more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) per year in financial assistance from his or her parent in the calendar year the reclassification application is made and in any of the three calendar years prior to the reclassification application.

Has not and will not live with parents for more than 6 weeks per calendar year in the current calendar year nor in any of the previous three calendar years.

This is a non-negotiable requirement for reclassification requests, applicable to students in their second term with the University, or after.

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However, these rules are to make sure out-of-state students whose parents don't move to/live in California don't get in-state tuition benefits.

This rule is not intended - or at least should not be intended for students whose parents move PERMANENTLY and INDEFINITELY to California AND the students intend to reside in California thereafter by making all the necessary residency changes, including children over the age of 19. Unfortunately, it is hurting students like Nakia whose parents move permanently to not only help pay for college, but to provide a better life for their child.

Nakia does not want to be limited to just UC and CCC schools for tuition-free college education. She wants full access to CSU systems as well, something she doesn't have currently just because she missed the cut off for her age. This is a benefit her brothers who are only 1.5 or 3 years younger can enjoy simply because of when her dad received the job transfer. Her family has been working tirelessly to try and make sure she graduates with minimal debt. If granted, this would eliminate the worry of graduating with more debt from her undergraduate studies.

If she does not petition, she and other students in her situation must wait until after graduating from a CSU and work for 3 years filing taxes on her own to receive the benefit – if then she is eligible - with no more than $750 coming from her parents. She, in addition, must make under $13,064 a year gross income to qualify again in 3 years! This is concerning, especially since Nakia is seriously considering pursuing graduate school, but is hesitant because of this rule.

Even worse, if Nakia had been eligible for the rule at the time she applied for reclassification, she would have had to have been financially independent at 16 to receive the benefit!

She asks that you join her behind other children of disabled veterans in her situation to receive the benefits their parents - and the state of California - fought for them to have.

This petition is designed request a change the CSU system. Please, if you are willing join the fight for in-state tuition available for parents who have moved permanently to California, especially free tuition for children of disabled veterans who are PERMANENT residents of California.

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This petition has a goal of 500 signatures. It will be sent to the CSU Chancellor’s Office for further review.

***Photo credit by Amanda Howse - Instagram: @colorfulmindphotography***