Existing law requires the California State University and each community college district that administers a priority enrollment system at their respective campuses to grant priority to certain foster youth or former foster youth whose dependency was established or continued by the court on or after the youth’s 16th birthday. Existing law requires priority be granted to certain homeless youth and former homeless youth. Existing law also requests that the University of California provide the same enrollment priority to these groups of youth.
This bill extends this requirement and request to apply to certain foster youth or former foster youth whose dependency was established or continued on or after the youth’s 13th birthday and to certain homeless youth and former homeless youth. The bill amends existing law to authorize a representative of a tribe or tribal organization to verify the homeless status of an American Indian student who is a homeless youth or former homeless youth.
Existing law authorizes the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to enter into agreements with up to 20 community colleges to provide additional funds for services in support of postsecondary education for foster youth. This bill adds a provision to Section 79220 of the Education Code allowing for additional funding to support existing Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support programs to provide services to students enrolled in courses, but who have not yet begun the term. The additional funding must support services necessary to enable the student to be successful at the start of their academic term.
(SB 512 amends Sections 66025.9, 79220, 79222, and 79225 of the Education Code.)