S-1945

AN ACT Relating to higher educational opportunities for children who have been in foster care; adding a new section to chapter 28B.80 RCW; creating a new section; and making appropriations.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that access to a higher education will give children who are in foster care hope for the future. The legislature further finds that such assistance will help these children become successful, productive, contributing citizens and avoid the cycles of abuse, poverty, violence, and delinquency.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28B.80 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The foster care scholarship program is created. The purpose of the program is to help students who were in foster care attend an institution of higher education in the state of Washington.

(2) To the extent funds are appropriated, the higher education coordinating board shall award grants to eligible recipients to help cover the costs of receiving a higher education at an institution of higher education. The grant shall be in an amount not to exceed the costs of obtaining a higher education, excluding tuition. The higher education coordinating board shall establish procedures, by rule, to disburse the awards as direct grants to students.

(3) To qualify for the grant, recipients shall be between the ages of sixteen and twenty-three and have been in foster care in the state of Washington for a minimum of six months since their fifteenth birthday. Recipients must be eligible for financial aid under the state student financial aid program. Recipients shall enter an institution of higher education in Washington state within three years of high school graduation or receipt of a certificate of educational competence and maintain a satisfactory rating. Students are eligible to receive a maximum of eight semesters or twelve quarters of grants for undergraduate study if they meet the age requirements under this section. Students may transfer among in-state public and independent institutions of higher education in this state and continue to receive the grant.

(4) No grant may be awarded to any student who is pursuing a degree in theology.

(5) Grants under this section shall not affect eligibility for the state student financial aid program.

(6) The higher education coordinating board shall work with the department of social and health services and the superintendent of public instruction to provide information about this program to children in foster care in high schools in the state of Washington and to persons over the age of sixteen who would be eligible for the program.

(7) As used in this section, "institutions of higher education" means both public and independent institutions of higher education as defined by this section.

(8) As used in this section, "institution of higher education" means the state universities, the regional universities, The Evergreen State College, the community colleges, and the technical colleges.

(9) As used in this section, "independent institution of higher education" means a private, nonprofit educational institution, the main campus of which is permanently situated in the state, open to residents of the state, providing programs of education beyond the high school level leading at least to the baccalaureate degree, and accredited by the Northwest association of schools and colleges as of the effective date of this section, and other institutions as may be developed that are approved by the higher education coordinating board as meeting equivalent standards as those institutions accredited under this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The sum of five hundred thousand dollars is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, and the sum of five hundred thousand dollars is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, from the state general fund to the higher education coordinating board. These funds shall be expended solely for foster care scholarships as established pursuant to section 2 of this act, which may include expenses associated with the administration of the foster care scholarship program.