In an unprecedented move to address financial challenges faced by students and combat California’s healthcare worker shortage, the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD)L.A. Community College launched BOOST — Building Outstanding Opportunities for Students to Thrive. The initiative provides monthly stipends of $1,000 for one year to 251 selected students enrolled in healthcare-related fields. This guaranteed income program stands out not just for its scale but also for its focus on community college students, a group rarely targeted by such financial interventions.
Brenda Olazava, a student at Los Angeles City College, was skeptical when she received an email in November 2024 saying she had been selected for BOOST. Her doubts vanished when she received her first stipend just before Thanksgiving. Like many recipients, Olazava uses the money to pay bills, buy necessities for her children, and invest more time in her studies. The initiative, funded by nearly $4 million in private donations, including from The Broad Foundation and the L.A. Community College Foundation, aims to ease financial burdens that frequently derail low-income students’ educational journeys.
L.A. Community College Students Transforming Lives Through Financial Relief and Academic Focus
Olazava’s story exemplifies the program’s transformative potential. A single mother of two teenagers, she returned to college at 37 after a work injury ended her job caring for elderly patients — a job that had ignited her interest in psychology. Initially, juggling coursework, campus employment, and food delivery gigs, she now has the breathing room to focus on her classes, maintain a spot on the honor roll, and spend more time with her family.
BOOST allows students to use the money without restrictions, whether for groceries, rent, or childcare. The support is not tied to GPA or credit hours, making it accessible during academic recesses or personal setbacks. This flexibility reflects a growing understanding among researchers and policymakers that consistent, unconditional support helps students sustain their education through life’s unpredictabilities.
A control group of 370 students who do not receive the stipend is being studied alongside BOOST participants. Early data and comparisons to similar programs, like those in Santa Fe and Santa Clara, suggest that financial stipends lead to reduced stress, better planning, and increased educational persistence.
From Pilot to Policy: Expanding the Guaranteed Income Model
The BOOST program is not only helping students stay in school — it is also shaping future policy. With living costs in Los Angeles County outpacing state support for community college students, BOOST offers a compelling case for broader guaranteed income models in education. BOOST’s structure — a randomized controlled trial with a targeted goal — makes it a powerful tool for studying long-term outcomes in student achievement and workforce development.
Building on BOOST’s success, the L.A. Community College Foundation recently announced a disaster relief initiative offering $1,000 monthly payments for 12 months to 24 students affected by the January 2025 wildfires. This extension reflects a shift toward using guaranteed income not just as a poverty alleviation strategy, but also as a disaster response and educational continuity tool.
Plans include creating a guide for other colleges to replicate BOOST and exploring funding for similar programs targeting healthcare students and student parents. As BOOST shows, financial stability can be the key to academic and professional success, especially for students determined to overcome economic obstacles and serve their communities.
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