Compton College is preparing to link basic-needs benefits to academic milestones, a student-support redesign scheduled to begin in fall 2027. The plan would require students to meet specified academic requirements to access free meals, housing assistance, and other supports. College leaders say the structure is intended to increase completion rates. Basic-needs experts, however, have raised concerns that tying support to academic metrics could unintentionally exclude students who face the greatest obstacles to meeting those requirements. The decision reflects a broader institutional strategy shift from purely need-based aid to models that attempt to manage incentives while protecting student well-being.