Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 763, Sec. 2. (AB 1567) Effective January 1, 2018.
This article shall be known, and may be cited as the Higher Education Outreach and Assistance Act for Foster Youth.
Article 5 - Higher Education Outreach and Assistance Act for Foster Youth
California Education Code — §§ 89340-89348
Sections (9)
Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 763, Sec. 3. (AB 1567) Effective January 1, 2018.
(a)The Legislature makes the following findings and declarations:
(1)Children who live in foster care are abused and neglected individuals for whom the state has assumed parental responsibility. Although foster care is designed to reunite those children, when appropriate, with their parents, or to place those children with an adoptive family, many children are neither reunited with their parents nor adopted. When those children reach the age of 18 years, the state terminates its responsibility. Given that, it is important that these youth have access to postsecondary education, including career technical education during their time in foster care
to ensure their long-term economic security.
(2)In California, there are more than 60,000 children and youth in foster care, and approximately 8,000 are college-aged, between 18 and 21 years of age.
(3)While 40 percent of foster youth will enroll in college by 19 years of age, their rate of persistence and degree completion is lower than the general population. Just one in five foster youth will successfully complete 30 or more units. By 26 years of age, 8 percent of foster youth will have earned an associate’s degree or higher, compared to 46 percent of the general population. One of the critical hurdles for this student population to overcome is finding the financial resources to fund their education. Only 9 percent of foster youth receive the Cal Grant, California’s need-based
financial aid award.
(4)Emancipated foster youth, who do not have parents to rely
upon for support and guidance, suffer unique disadvantages compared to other students. While many students are preoccupied with academic pressures, the primary concerns cited by former foster youth are the absence of family support and the fear of spending the holidays alone. Emancipated foster youth need emotional support and specialized resources from sensitive university staff who understand the unusual circumstances and pressing needs of emancipated foster youth.
(b)Accordingly, the Legislature states its intent that the Trustees of the California State University and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges expand the access and retention programs of the university and the community colleges to include the following:
(1)Outreach
services to foster youth to encourage their enrollment in a state university or a community college.
(2)Technical assistance to foster youth to assist those prospective students in completing admission applications and financial aid applications.
Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 763, Sec. 4. (AB 1567) Effective January 1, 2018.
The Trustees of the California State University and Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges shall perform the following services to assist foster youth:
(a)Review housing issues for those foster youth living in college dormitories to ensure basic housing during the regular academic school year, including vacations and holidays other than summer break.
(b)Provide technical assistance and advice to campuses on ways in which to improve the delivery of services to foster youth.
(c)Commencing in the 1998–99 academic year, track the retention
rates of students who voluntarily disclose to the university or community college their status as foster youth.
(d)For purposes of this article, “foster youth” includes former foster youth, and means a person in California whose dependency was established or continued by the court on or after the youth’s 16th birthday and who is no older than 25 years of age at the commencement of the academic year.
Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 193, Sec. 15. Effective January 1, 2005.
The Trustees of the California State University and Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges shall evaluate the extent to which their current programs are meeting the needs of foster youth and how those outreach and retention services can be improved.
Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 763, Sec. 5. (AB 1567) Effective January 1, 2018.
Representation on the appropriate California State University Advisory Councils shall be expanded to include at least one foster youth who is either a current or former student at the university.
Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 763, Sec. 6. (AB 1567) Effective January 1, 2018.
The State University Educational Opportunity Program and California Community College Extended Opportunity Programs and Services shall ensure that identified foster youth are informed of services, including mentoring, provided by these programs.
Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 763, Sec. 7. (AB 1567) Effective January 1, 2018.
(a)The State Department of Social Services and county welfare departments shall, in coordination with the California State University and the California Community Colleges, do both of the following:
(1)Communicate with foster youth at two grade levels designated jointly by the California State University and the California Community Colleges in order to facilitate the outreach and technical assistance efforts for those prospective students.
(2)Coordinate with staff of the California State University Educational Opportunity Program, the California Community Colleges Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, or Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support, as appropriate, to verify eligibility of foster youth for participation in programs and other benefits.
(b)(1) Each campus of the California Community Colleges shall do all of the following upon admission of a foster youth, and each campus of the California State University shall do all of the following upon determination, through receipt of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or through another means, that a student enrolled
at, or applying to, that campus is a current or former foster youth and is eligible for financial aid:
(A) Notify that student about appropriate campus support programs that may include, but are not necessarily limited to, the California State University Educational Opportunity Program, the California Community Colleges Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, and Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support.
(B) Notify that student of his or her eligibility for financial aid.
(C) Provide that student with instructions for accessing the benefits for which he or she has qualified.
(2)Notification of students pursuant to this subdivision may be accomplished
by methods that shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, inclusion of information in the letters of acceptance sent to foster youth who have been admitted to those campuses.
Added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 1129, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1997.
The Student Aid Commission shall provide outreach services and technical assistance to foster youth at the two grade levels designated jointly by the California State University and the California Community Colleges. The State Department of Social Services and county welfare departments shall, in coordination with the Student Aid Commission, communicate with foster youth at the two grade levels designated jointly by the California State University and the California Community Colleges in order to facilitate the Student Aid Commission’s outreach and technical assistance efforts for those prospective students.
Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 54, Sec. 43. (AB 183) Effective June 30, 2022.
(a)Subject to the availability of funds in the annual Budget Act for this purpose, the office of the Chancellor of the California State University shall provide each participating campus with funding to support postsecondary education programs for foster youth and former foster youth. The chancellor’s office shall develop a funding formula that allocates funding to each campus that offers a foster youth support program. The formula may authorize each participating campus to maintain a minimum baseline funding amount. The formula shall be based on the number of students participating in the program at each participating campus.
(b)Funding allocated to each campus pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be used to support services for students who are
foster youth and former foster youth, which may include, but are not limited to, outreach and recruitment, consultation and eligibility verification, consultation and referrals for students deemed ineligible, service coordination, counseling and academic advising, grants for books, supplies, tutoring, childcare, housing, or transportation, independent living and financial literacy skills support, frequent in-person contact, career guidance, referrals to health services, mental health services, housing assistance, and other related services, and direct financial support.
(c)A campus program may provide all services described in subdivision (b) to an enrolled student who is a foster youth or former foster youth but whose courses have not yet commenced, if those services are necessary to enable the student to be successful upon the commencement of the academic term. Funding may also be used to support these services during the summer term for
those students who are enrolled in the upcoming fall term.
(d)Each participating campus shall offer all of the following as part of its program provided pursuant to this section:
(1)A full-time designated staff program director or coordinator with experience relevant to working with foster youth and former foster youth.
(2)Campus office and meeting space.
(3)A range of student supports to address academic and nonacademic needs.
(4)Opportunities for peer mentors.
(e)To the extent possible, services provided under this section, including those provided pursuant to subdivision (d), shall supplement, and shall not supplant,
other services provided by the state, a county, or a campus. Where existing targeted programs for foster youth and former foster youth exist on campus, funding shall be used to continue and expand these programs.
(f)Commencing March 31, 2024, and every two years thereafter, the chancellor’s office shall submit a report to the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee describing all of the following:
(1)Efforts during the previous academic year to serve students who are foster youth and former foster youth, including uses of the funding allocated pursuant to subdivision (a) and uses of other internal and external resources supporting foster youth services.
(2)Enrollment, retention, and completion rate data for students who are foster youth and former foster youth and participated in programs
funded pursuant to this section on a campus-by-campus basis, and other metrics as appropriate.
(3)As feasible, systemwide data on enrollment, retention, and completion rates for students who are foster youth and former foster youth and participated in programs funded pursuant to this section, and other metrics as appropriate, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender.