Existing law establishes the Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program, under the administration of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to provide supplemental funding to county offices of education, or a consortium of county offices of education, to coordinate and ensure that local educational agencies within its jurisdiction are providing services to foster youth pupils pursuant to foster youth services coordinating a plan with the purpose of ensuring positive educational outcomes. As part of the program, a county office of education, or a consortium of county offices of education, may apply to the Superintendent for grant funding to operate an education-based foster youth services coordinating the program. As a condition of receiving funds, a program must develop and implement a foster youth services plan that includes, among other things, a description of how the local program will facilitate coordination with local postsecondary educational institutions to ensure foster youth pupils meet admission requirements and access programs that support their matriculation needs.
SB 860 requires the foster youth services plan to describe how the program will coordinate efforts to ensure, to the extent possible, the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or the California Dream Act Application for foster youth pupils who are in grade 12.
SB 860 requires the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to include in reports regarding the Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program the number and percentage of pupils in foster care who successfully complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid or California Dream Act Application while in grade 12.
(SB 860 amends Sections 42921 and 42923 of the Education Code.)