BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2489
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Date of Hearing: May 17, 2006
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Judy Chu, Chair
AB 2489 (Leno) - As Amended: May 3, 2006
Policy Committee: Higher
EducationVote:6-0
Education 8-1
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill 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)Provides for expansion of the Foster Youth Services Program by
authorizing a range of local entities to 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 licensed or approved foster homes.
2)Requires each foster youth services program, if sufficient
funds are available, to have at least one person identified as
a foster youth educational services advocate, with specified
duties.
3)States the intent of the Legislature to provide additional
matching funds in the state budget for the federally-funded
Chafee Higher Education Grants (Chafee) and to ensure timely
payments of grants to foster youth by providing funding for
Chafee in anticipation of federal funding to be received after
adoption of the federal budget in October 2006.
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4)States legislative intent that California Higher Education
Chaffee Grants be made to eligible foster youth by October 15,
2006, and if not, that the California Student Aid Commission
(SAC) and the Department of Social Services report the reasons
why to the Legislature by March 1, 2007.
5)Authorizes the SAC 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 or was a foster youth.
6)Establishes the "California Guardian Scholars Program"
(CGSP)-a grant program 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-to
provide comprehensive support for foster youth regarding
matriculation, graduation, academic success and transfer.
7)States legislative intent that all current and former foster
youth who are residents of California shall have their
systemwide and campus fees covered by grant funds, and enacts
the following provisions to meet this intent:
a) Requires CSU to provide State University Grant funds to
current and former foster youth to the extent the student
does not receive sufficient funds from Cal Grant to cover
systemwide and campus fees, and requests UC to do the same
using University of California Grant funds;
b) Requires CSU to provide annual estimates to the
Department of Finance (DOF) and the Legislative Analyst's
Office (LAO) of the amount of budget augmentation necessary
to provide SUG to foster youth, and requests UC to do the
same for UCG grants;
8)Requires UC and CSU to give student housing priority to
current and former foster youth in order to ensure stable
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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.
9)Requires the Department of Social Services (DSS) annually to
notify, in writing, all foster youth aged 13 and older of the
educational supports available to them pursuant to this bill.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Up to several million dollars annually to expand foster youth
education and support services. (In 2005-06, about 11,000
foster children are receiving services at a cost of $10.5
million. About 17,000 additional children (age 6 to 18) are
placed in licensed care institutions, foster family homes,
with foster family agencies, or in a court specified home.
This total does not include foster children residing in a
relative's home.)
2)Costs to provide tuition and fee payments to Cal Grant B
recipients in their first year if they were a foster youth are
unknown. About 4,500 youth emancipate from foster care each
year. If 1% of these individuals enrolled in a four-year
college and received this benefit, at an average cost of
$6,000, the total cost would be $270,000.
3)General Fund costs to administer and provide grants for the
California Guardian Scholars Program would be at least several
million dollars per year for a viable grant program.
4)General Fund costs to reimburse UC and CSU for the costs of
providing UC and CSU grant funds to former foster youth are
unknown, but probably not significant.
5)Additional matching funds for Chafee Grants should not be
necessary as current state support exceeds the federal
matching requirements.
6)Annual GF costs of about $12,000 for DSS to notify foster
youth of educational support.
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COMMENTS
1)Purpose . 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 be successful in their education. The
author believes that the state 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.
Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081