SCOE | Cal-SOAP

Sacramento Cal-SOAP Consortium

Cash for College is a program designed to help low-income and first-generation college students apply for financial aid, increasing access to education and career/technical training beyond high school. Sacramento Cal-SOAP coordinates Cash for College workshops in Sacramento County that provide valuable information and help students/families complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), California Dream Act Application (CADAA), and Chafee Grant application (for foster youth).

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Cash for College

The Sacramento Cal-SOAP Consortium is one of 16 California Student Opportunity and Access Programs (Cal-SOAP) funded and administered statewide by the California Student Aid Commission. The project strives to effectively communicate information about college education and financial aid opportunities while helping raise the achievement levels of low-income students.

Locally, Sacramento Cal-SOAP delivers a college and financial aid advising program to students and families in local high schools.

Governing Board

The Cal-SOAP Governing Board plays an active role in the management and supervision of the program. The Board is comprised of at least one representative from each participating consortium institution. Members include:

College Tutors

AVID, a daily elective class, prepares underachieving middle and high school students academically to attend college. Started in San Diego in 1980, AVID has achieved a 95% college-going rate. The program teaches academic survival skills in a daily elective period taught by trained faculty and professional college student tutors. The AVID tutor leads small group tutorials, encourages inquiry and collaboration, teaches note-taking, grades binders, shares responsibility with the teacher for checking students' academic progress, and serves as a role model to middle and high school students.

As a program partner with AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), through trained college student advisers and cooperating area college outreach staff, Cal-SOAP assists juniors and seniors with the college admissions and financial aid process and encourages younger students to set high goals for college attendance and academic achievement.

Tutors commit to meeting every AVID tutorial class, usually three times a week, at the regularly scheduled period, and will gradually assume Cal-SOAP responsibilities under the guidance of the program director and school contact person.

The pay is $16.00 per hour. Typically, a tutor-college adviser works 4–6 hours a week. If desirable, a tutor-adviser may increase hours by adding schools. Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) hiring procedures require identification (i.e. driver's license and Social Security, or the equivalent), fingerprints, TB testing, and proof of college units. Tutor-advisers complete monthly timesheets.

All tutor-advisers are required to attend a training workshop. Subsequent advanced-level workshops will be scheduled to enable experienced tutors to attain certification. Workshops provide the background necessary for beginning tutors as well as enhance the experience of returning AVID tutors. Tutors will practice AVID methodologies, including writing to learn, inquiry, and collaboration. Participants will role-play tutorial situations and share tips about working with students and organizing the classroom. Tutors will also learn how to help students with college admissions and financial aid applications and how to help them prepare for college entrance tests (SAT and ACT).