Public postsecondary education: support services for foster youth: Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program.

(1) Existing law establishes the California State University, the California Community Colleges, and the University of California as the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law requires the California State University and each community college district, and requests the University of California, with respect to each campus in their respective jurisdictions that administers a priority enrollment system, to grant priority in that system to certain foster youth or former foster youth whose dependency was established or continued by the court on or after the youth's 16th birthday and to certain homeless youth and former homeless youth. This bill would extend this requirement and request for enrollment priority for certain foster youth or former foster youth to those whose dependency was established or continued by a court of competent jurisdiction, including a tribal court, on or after the youth's 13th birthday. The bill would authorize a representative of a tribe or tribal organization to verify the homeless status of an American Indian student who is a homeless youth or former homeless youth, as specified. To the extent that the bill would impose duties on community college districts, it would constitute a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law, the Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program, authorizes the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to enter into agreements with up to 20 community college districts to provide additional funds for services in support of postsecondary education for foster youth. Existing law provides that these services include, when appropriate, but are not necessarily limited to, outreach and recruitment, consultation and eligibility verification, consultation and referrals for students deemed ineligible, service coordination, counseling, book and supply grants, tutoring, independent living and financial literacy skills support, frequent in-person contact, career guidance, transfer counseling, childcare and transportation assistance, and referrals to health services, mental health services, housing assistance, and other related services. This bill would authorize the program to provide all of these services, and direct financial support, to enrolled students who meet all eligibility requirements but whose courses have not yet commenced, and who have completed required matriculation activities as described, if those services are deemed necessary to enable the student to be successful upon the commencement of the academic term. (3) Existing law requires a student participant in the Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program to be a current or former foster youth in California whose dependency was established or continued by the court on or after the youth's 16th birthday. This bill would instead require a student participant in the program to be a current or former foster youth in California whose dependency was established or continued by a court of competent jurisdiction, including a tribal court, on or after the youth's 13th birthday. (4) Existing law requires the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, in consultation with the State Department of Social Services, to adopt regulations for the program and to be responsible for the administration of funds for the program. This bill would further require regulations adopted by the board of governors to ensure that program application and enrollment processes implemented by community college districts are streamlined, do not impose barriers to entry, and allow programs to exercise professional judgment to waive any income criteria specified in the regulations as a condition of eligibility, as specified. (5) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 66025.9 of the Education Code proposed by AB 1456 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1456 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (6) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.