1Providing for financial assistance to foster youth and youth
2adopted from the foster care system; reducing long-term costs
3for taxpayers by enhancing opportunities for youth who are or
4have been in substitute care; and encouraging adoption of
5youth from substitute care by assisting families with
6financing of postsecondary education.

7The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8hereby enacts as follows:

9Section 1.  Short title.

10This act shall be known and may be cited as the Foster Youth
11Higher Education Act.

12Section 2.  Definitions.

13The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
14have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
15context clearly indicates otherwise:

16"Adoption."  Adoptions of youth who have been in the care and
17custody of a county child welfare agency and in substitute care.

18"Agency."  The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
19Agency.

20"County agency."  The term as defined under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6303

1(relating to definitions).

2"Dependent child."  The term as defined under 42 Pa.C.S. §
36302 (relating to definitions).

4"State postsecondary educational institutions."  All State-
5owned universities, State-related and State-aided colleges and
6universities, trade schools and community colleges.

7"Substitute care."  The term includes any placement
8authorized by the court for a dependent child or a child with
9dual case management from the dependency and delinquency
10systems.

11Section 3.  Tuition waiver.

12(a)  Establishment.--There is established a tuition and fee
13waiver program for youth in substitute care before, on or after
14the effective date of this section.

15(b)  Award.--The governing bodies of all State postsecondary
16educational institutions shall make provisions for institutions
17under their respective jurisdictions to award a tuition and fee
18waiver for undergraduate courses at State postsecondary
19educational institutions for all eligible persons under this
20section.

21(c)  Eligibility.--In order to receive a tuition and fee
22waiver under this section, a person shall meet all of the
23following requirements:

24(1)  Shall be at least 16 years of age but less than 23
25years of age and be in, or have been in, substitute care for
26no less than 30 days, including any of the following:

27(i)  Have been placed in substitute care as a
28dependent child at any time while 16 years of age or
29older.

30(ii)  Have been placed in substitute care and had

1shared case management through the dependency and
2delinquency system.

3(iii)  Have been adopted from the substitute care
4system as a dependent child.

5(iv)  Is participating in the tuition and fee waiver
6program on his or her 18th birthday, until he or she
7reaches 23 years of age.

8(2)  Have graduated from high school or received a
9general education development diploma or the equivalent.

10(3)  Have maintained satisfactory progress as defined by
11the State postsecondary educational institution attended.

12(4)  Have first applied for all Federal and State grants
13prior to having the remaining tuition and fees waived.

14(d)  Accessibility.--The governing bodies of all State
15postsecondary educational institutions shall work with the
16agency, as well as the Department of Labor and Industry and the
17Department of Public Welfare, to ensure that eligible youth
18access all available Federal and State grants.

19Section 4.  Outreach.

20(a)  Duties of Department of Public Welfare.--The Department
21of Public Welfare, in conjunction with the Department of
22Education, shall do all of the following:

23(1)  Prepare information to be disseminated by county
24agencies and the Department of Education that describes the
25availability of the program established under this act.

26(2)  Ensure that identified emancipated foster youth are
27informed of services and programs available through the
28agency.

29(b)  Duties of State postsecondary educational
30institutions.--State postsecondary educational institutions

1shall do all of the following:

2(1)  Assist the Department of Public Welfare and the
3Department of Education in the preparation of information
4that describes the availability of the program established
5under this act.

6(2)  Provide technical assistance to prospective eligible
7students in completing admissions applications and financial
8aid applications.

9Section 5.  Retention.

10To improve retention, the governing bodies of all State
11postsecondary educational institutions shall do all of the
12following:

13(1)  Track the retention rates of students that
14voluntarily disclose to the State postsecondary educational
15institution their status as a former foster youth.

16(2)  Provide technical assistance and advice on ways to
17improve the delivery of services to eligible students.

18(3)  Annually review and identify impediments to
19retaining eligible students, including housing for those
20emancipated youth living in college dormitories.

21Section 6.  Report.

22In order to determine the effectiveness of this act, the
23Department of Public Welfare, with the assistance of the
24Department of Education, shall collect information obtained from
25all State postsecondary educational institutions and prepare a
26report to be submitted annually to the General Assembly that
27contains all of the following:

28(1)  Information relating to the participation of
29qualified students under this act.

30(2)  Retention rates of students who are participating

1under this act.

2(3)  Identification of impediments to retaining eligible
3students.

4(4)  Strategies to address impediments identified under
5paragraph (3).

6Section 20.  Effective date.

7This act shall take effect in 60 days.