Brief History 

Over the past 25 years, the California Student Opportunity and Access Program
(Cal-SOAP) has successfully provided California students with vital information and services necessary to prepare for and gain admission to universities and colleges. Cal-SOAP was established by the State in 1978 to improve the flow of information about postsecondary education and financial aid while raising the college going rates of students who are historically underrepresented in postsecondary education.

Originally, the Cal-SOAP legislation was authored by Assembly member Vic Fazio (AB 507) in 1978 as a pilot program. As noted by Fazio, the goal was to “apportion funds for the support of planning grants and pilot projects designed to increase accessibility of postsecondary educational opportunities to low-income high school students and assist low-income Community College students to transfer to four-year institutions.” In light of the favorable review by California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC), the program was extended by SB 800, and authored by Senators Gary Hart and Willia A. Craven in 1984.

The 1984 Reauthorization was pivotal for Cal-SOAP as it changed the emphasis of the Cal-SOAP program. Rather than continuing a pilot program, the legislation established an ongoing project grant program to increase the accessibility of postsecondary educational opportunities and increase college-going rates.

The program was structured to provide assistance with academic advisement about the existence of postsecondary schooling and work opportunities. Cal-SOAP’s subsequent reauthorization bills were authored by Assembly member, Peter Chacon and Senator William A. Craven in 1989 and by Senator Hilda Solis in 1994.