BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2489
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 26, 2006
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Jackie Goldberg, Chair
AB 2489 (Leno) - As Amended: April 17, 2006
SUBJECT : Foster youth: educational and financial aid support
services
SUMMARY : Enacts the "Foster Youth Higher Education Preparation
and Support Act of 2006," which includes matching funds for
federal grants, enhanced education services in K-12 districts,
student aid initiatives to close fee grant gaps in public higher
education, a new program for college-based foster youth
services, and student housing priority at public colleges and
universities. Specifically, this bill :
1)Enacts the "Foster Youth Higher Education Preparation and
Support Act of 2006."
2)States the intent of the Legislature to accomplish the
following:
a) To create opportunities for local education-based Foster
Youth Services Programs;
b) To close gaps in the mixture of California student aid
programs to ensure foster youth receive sufficient
financial aid to pay their systemwide and campus fees at
California public colleges and universities; and
c) To establish a matching program for federal Chafee
Higher Education Grants for foster youth.
3)Specifies a range of local entities that may apply for grant
funding from the
Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to operate an
education-based foster youth services program for children who
reside in foster homes and requires that:
a) Each foster youth services program thus established
shall have at least one person identified as a foster youth
educational services advocate with duties that include, but
are not limited to:
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i) Working with the child welfare agency to
minimize changes in school placement;
ii) Facilitating prompt transfer of education
records when changes are necessary;
iii) Providing information to the child welfare
agency;
iv) Responding to requests from the juvenile
court;
v) Working to identify and obtain services to
enhance the educational prospects of the children
(e.g., tutoring, mentoring);
vi) Facilitating communication between the
foster care provider, the teacher and other providers;
vii) Sharing information with the foster care
provider about training programs; and
viii) Referring foster youth with special needs
to special education advocates;
a) Each program may prescribe the method for determining
which children may be served and suggest allowable
methodologies; and
b) Each program shall have guiding principles that
establish a hierarchy of services, in accordance with the
following order:
i) Provide tutoring services;
ii) Provide or arrange referral to mentoring,
counseling, transitioning services, emancipation
services;
iii) Facilitation of timely individualized
education programs and all special education services;
iv) Establishing collaborative relationships and
local advisory groups; and
v) Establishing mechanisms for efficient and
expeditious transfer of records; and
a) For the purposes of this section, defining a "licensed
or approved foster home" as a licensed or approved relative
(kin) foster home, licensed foster family home, certified
foster family agency home, court-specified home, or
licensed care institution (group home).
1)Authorizes the California Student Aid Commission to make
tuition and fee payments to a recipient of Cal Grant B in his
or her first academic year of attendance if the recipient is
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or was a foster youth.
2)Establishes the "California Guardian Scholars Program" (CGSP),
to be jointly administered by the Regents of the University of
California (UC), the Trustees of the California State
University (CSU), the Board of Governors of the California
Community Colleges (CCC) and the SPI.
3)States the intent of the Legislature that all current and
former foster youth who are current residents of California
shall have their systemwide and campus fees covered by grant
funds, and enacts the respective provisions to meet the
intent.
4)Requires UC and CSU to give student housing priority to
current and former foster youth in order to ensure stable
housing for these students, and further requires CSU to give
first priority to foster youth for residence in housing
facilities that are open for uninterrupted year-round
occupation and secondarily, for housing that is open for
occupation during most days throughout the calendar year.
5)Requires DSS annually to notify, in writing, all foster youth
aged 13 and older of the educational supports available to
them pursuant to this bill.
The remainder of this analysis primarily addresses aspects of
this bill related to K-12 education.
EXISTING LAW
1)Provides that six unified school districts and consortia
operating children services program sites that provide
instruction, counseling, tutoring, and related services for
foster children receive an allowance from the State School
Fund.
2)Authorizes specified school districts to provide educational
services for foster children who reside in a regularly
established licensed or approved foster home, located within
the boundaries of a program site, pursuant to a commitment by
a juvenile court.
3)Provides for funding for specified school districts for the
provision of providing educational services for foster youth
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in any fiscal year, upon appropriation from the General Fund,
or, if sufficient funds are available, from the Foster
Children and Parent Training Fund.
4)Establishes the Department of Social Services in the Health
and Human Services Agency.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : This bill is sponsored by the California Youth
Connection, the Children's Law Center of Los Angeles, and the
Youth Law Center.
Purpose of the bill . According to the author, all California
foster youth should receive the academic preparation, financial
assistance and campus-based support services they need to gain
access to higher education and to be successful in their
education. While California protects foster youth from abuse
and neglect, it needs to do more to support a successful
transition into adulthood. Only half of all foster youth
complete high school and only 15% take the necessary courses to
gain college admission; fewer than 10% who graduate from high
school go on to college, and those that do encounter significant
obstacles (including insufficient financial aid, insufficient
coordination of campus support services, and a lack of a stable
place of residence). Fewer than 2% of foster youth who go on to
college ever graduate. Foster youth are more likely than the
general population to face homelessness, incarceration and lower
lifetime earning potential. This bill contains a package of
initiatives to meet the higher education needs of foster youth.
Related legislation now pending .
AB 1532 (Bass), pending in the Senate, removes procedural
barriers that limit foster youth participation in the Cal Grant
programs.
AB 2216 (Bass), pending in the Assembly, establishes a Child
Welfare Council, which may advise various branches of government
regarding the needs of foster youth.
AB 2813 (De La Torre), pending in the Assembly, provides tuition
and fee benefits for first-year Cal Grant B recipients, among
other provisions.
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SB 1289 (Cedillo), pending in the Senate, extends welfare
benefits provided to foster care providers on behalf of a foster
youth over the age of 18 if that foster youth is enrolled in a
college, university or vocational school.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Youth Connection (Sponsor)
Children's Law Center of Los Angeles (Sponsor)
Youth Law Center (Sponsor)
Alameda County Foster Youth Alliance
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
(AFSCME)
California Alliance of Child and Family Services
California State Association of Counties (CSAC)
California State PTA
California Teachers Association (CTA)
Center for Transitional Students and Families, Oakland Unified
School District
Children's Advocacy Institute
CME (Connect, Motivate, Educate) Society of San Jose State
University
County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA)
Emily H. Wughalter, Ed.D., Associate Dean, San Jose State
University
Honoring Emancipated Youth (HEY)
John Halcon, PhD, College of Education, California State
University, San Marcos
Lambda Letters Project
Mariposa County Office of Education, Mariposa County Unified
School District
National Association of Counsel for Children, Los Angeles
Affiliate
National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter
(NASW)
National Center for Youth Law
San Diego County Office of Education
Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors
Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Opposition
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None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Josefina Ramirez / ED. / (916) 319-2087