Community colleges: Current and former foster youth support: NextUp.

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 specifies 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, other related services, and direct financial support, as specified. This bill would rename the Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program as NextUp, and would expand authorization for the program by removing the 20 community college district limit. The bill would instead authorize the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to enter into agreements with community college districts to provide, and allocate to selected community colleges within a community college district, funds for services in support of postsecondary education for foster youth, and would make conforming changes. The bill would require a community college district that wishes to participate in the program to submit a letter of interest to participate to the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as specified. Existing law requires the board of governors to adopt regulations authorizing the director of the Community College Extended Opportunity Programs and Services at each community college to accept students who are enrolled in at least 9 units into the program. This bill would authorize students enrolled in fewer than 9 units to be accepted into the program if enrollment is part of an education plan designed to move the students toward subsequent enrollment in at least 9 units. Under existing law, the board of governors may authorize the chancellor to designate up to 2% of funds allocated to the program for program administration, and up to 3% of funds allocated to the program for program development and program accountability. This bill would instead authorize the chancellor to designate up to 1% of funds allocated to the program for program administration, program development, and program accountability.