Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5635 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2023 -- H 5635
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7	7	LC001320
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9	9	S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF CHILDR EN,
16	16	YOUTH AND FAMILIES' HIGHER EDUCATION OPP ORTUNITY INCENTIVE GRANT
17	17	Introduced By: Representatives Casimiro, Noret, Diaz, Roberts, Chippendale, and
18	18	Morales
19	19	Date Introduced: February 15, 2023
20	20	Referred To: House Finance
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22	22
23	23	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
24	24	SECTION 1. Sections 42-72.8-1, 42-72.8-2, 42-72.8-3 and 42-72.8-4 of the General Laws 1
25	25	in Chapter 42-72.8 entitled "Department of Children, Youth and Families’ Higher Education 2
26	26	Opportunity Incentive Grant" are hereby amended to read as follows: 3
27	27	42-72.8-1. Statement of purpose. 4
28	28	(a) There are many children in the custody of the department of children, youth, and 5
29	29	families who have been in such custody for several years and who have no family resources or 6
30	30	whose family has limited ability to provide funds for post secondary post-secondary education. 7
31	31	Such children often possess the academic ability and the interest to pursue higher educational goals 8
32	32	but are precluded from doing so because of the lack of family resources to assist in funding; 9
33	33	(b) The state has already invested considerable funds in such youth through the funding of 10
34	34	residential placements, foster care, counseling services, and health care. Investment in their 11
35	35	education will help to ensure a successful transition to adulthood free of dependence on government 12
36	36	support; 13
37	37	(c) Rhode Island children in the care of the state or aging out of foster care have poor 14
38	38	educational outcomes that have been documented, and few achieve college graduation without 15
39	39	substantial assistance. The goal is to improve outcomes for current and former foster youth who 16
40	40	need support to improve educational attainment. 17
41	41	(c)(d) To afford such youth opportunity comparable to children not in state custody who 18
42	42
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45	45	often enjoy greater opportunities to draw from family and other resources there is hereby created 1
46	46	the Department of Children, Youth, and Families’ Higher Education Opportunity Incentive Grant 2
47	47	Program. Through an appropriation from the general assembly a grant fund shall be established in 3
48	48	the department of children, youth, and families to supplement financial assistance in the form of 4
49	49	grants and scholarships that are available to such youth. 5
50	50	42-72.8-2. Administration of program. 6
51	51	(a) Each year the department shall notify, identify and recommend from among youth in 7
52	52	its legal custody, or who were in the Department’s department's legal custody on their eighteenth 8
53	53	(18th) birthday, for a period of time between the ages of fourteen (14) years and twenty-one (21) 9
54	54	years, or participated in the voluntary extension of care, pursuant to § 14-1-6, between the ages of 10
55	55	eighteen (18) years and twenty-one (21) years, those students who may be eligible to apply for a 11
56	56	Higher Education Opportunity Incentive Grant. The department of elementary and secondary 12
57	57	education shall afford all appropriate assistance to the department in the identification of youth who 13
58	58	may be eligible for such grants. Each selected applicant will receive grants to supplement federal, 14
59	59	state and institutional scholarships, and grants and loans work-study opportunities awarded to the 15
60	60	applicant in an amount not to exceed the full cost of tuition, fees and room and board charges:, 16
61	61	including expenses for books, tutoring, transportation, shelter, and food. Nothing in this chapter 17
62	62	shall prohibit the department from meeting the entire unmet financial need of the student, as defined 18
63	63	by the student’s FAFSA application, after consideration of available federal, state and institutional 19
64	64	scholarships, grants, and work-study programs. Payments pursuant to this chapter shall be made on 20
65	65	a semester basis. 21
66	66	(b) A grant period shall be limited to two (2) years of full-time study at the Community 22
67	67	College of Rhode Island, four (4) years of full-time study at Rhode Island College, and the 23
68	68	University of Rhode Island, and in no instance shall the grant period exceed a period of four (4) 24
69	69	years. Grant recipients shall be enrolled full-time and shall continue to make satisfactory progress 25
70	70	toward an academic certificate or degree as determined by the school in which they are enrolled; 26
71	71	Eligible youth may receive funds up to age twenty-six (26) years as long as the student is 27
72	72	making satisfactory progress toward completing their higher education either by academic degree 28
73	73	or workforce training program. The student may attend the community college of Rhode Island, 29
74	74	Rhode Island college, or the university of Rhode Island on a full-time or part-time basis, as defined 30
75	75	by the higher education institution. 31
76	76	(c) The department shall make recommendations for grant awards from among those 32
77	77	children and youth who: 33
78	78	(1) Have not yet reached the age of eighteen (18) on the day of recommendation, are in the 34
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82	82	legal custody of the department on the day of recommendation and have remained in such custody 1
83	83	for at least twenty-four (24) months prior to the day of recommendation; or, for former foster care, 2
84	84	have reached the age of eighteen (18) prior to the date of recommendation, have not yet reached 3
85	85	the age of twenty-one (21) and were in the custody of the department from their sixteenth (16th) to 4
86	86	their eighteenth (18th) birthdays; and 5
87	87	Are currently or were in foster care for a substantial period of time between the ages of 6
88	88	fourteen (14) years and twenty-one (21) years; 7
89	89	(2) Are young adults who are eligible for or currently participating in the voluntary 8
90	90	extension of care, pursuant to § 14-1-6; 9
91	91	(3) Are youth who exited foster care between the ages of eighteen (18) years and twenty-10
92	92	one (21) years, inclusive; 11
93	93	(4) Are youth who left foster care at age fourteen (14) years or older for kinship 12
94	94	guardianship or adoption until they reach age twenty-six (26) years; 13
95	95	(5) Are youth who had been in foster care for a substantial period of time between the ages 14
96	96	of fourteen (14) years and twenty-one (21) years, or were participating in the voluntary extension 15
97	97	of care, pursuant to § 14-1-6, and left this status for some reason other than aging out of foster care, 16
98	98	kinship guardianship, or adoption; 17
99	99	(6) Are children likely to remain in foster care until age eighteen (18) years; 18
100	100	(2)(7) Have graduated from high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma 19
101	101	not more than one year prior to the date of recommendation; and 20
102	102	(3)(8) Has not reached his/her twenty-first (21st) Have not reached their twenty-sixth 21
103	103	birthday; except that youth who are participating in this program on the date before his/her twenty-22
104	104	first (21st) birthday may remain eligible until his/her twenty-third (23rd) birthday, as long as he/she 23
105	105	continues they continue to be considered a full-time student by Community College of Rhode 24
106	106	Island, Rhode Island College or University of Rhode Island, and is are making satisfactory progress, 25
107	107	as determined by the school in which he/she is they are enrolled, toward completion of his/her their 26
108	108	degree program. 27
109	109	42-72.8-3. Selection of grant recipients. 28
110	110	(a) There shall be a grant award selection committee which shall consist of a representative 29
111	111	from each of the institutions of higher education appointed by their respective presidents, two (2) 30
112	112	representatives from the department of children, youth and families appointed by the director, one 31
113	113	representative from the department of elementary and secondary education appointed by the 32
114	114	commissioner, and one representative from the office of higher education appointed by the 33
115	115	commissioner and representatives of other community-based youth-serving organizations that the 34
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119	119	director of department of children, youth and families believes can help further the goals of the 1
120	120	program. 2
121	121	(b) Grant awards shall be made on the basis of scholastic record, aptitude, high school 3
122	122	completion, financial need and general interest in higher education. Recipients must comply with 4
123	123	all application deadlines and criteria for admission to the institution to which the recipient is making 5
124	124	application and, further, the recipient must have been granted admission by the admissions office 6
125	125	of the institution. Cumulative grant awards shall not exceed available appropriations in any fiscal 7
126	126	year. The department shall adopt update its policies and procedures as necessary rules and 8
127	127	regulations, which are reasonably necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter. 9
128	128	42-72.8-4. Appropriation. 10
129	129	(a) The general assembly shall appropriate the sum of $ 50,000 for the fiscal year ending 11
130	130	June 30, 2000; $ 100,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001; $ 150,000 for the fiscal year 12
131	131	ending June 30, 2002; and $ 200,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003 and thereafter 13
132	132	sufficient sums for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, and thereafter to implement the provisions 14
133	133	of this chapter as to the higher education opportunity incentive grant program. 15
134	134	(b) These monies are to be used exclusively to fund awards to eligible students. Neither the 16
135	135	department of children, youth and families, the department of education, nor the institutions of 17
136	136	higher education shall be permitted to utilize these funds for administrative expenses related to the 18
137	137	implementation of this grant program. The department shall provide an annual report to the 19
138	138	governor and the general assembly that accounts for the expenditures made pursuant to this chapter, 20
139	139	including the amounts awarded to each student, each awardee’s unmet need, the total number of 21
140	140	applicants in relation to the total number of awards made by department, the total of grant funds 22
141	141	awarded for the fiscal year and the number of students per grant year who made satisfactory 23
142	142	progress towards completing their higher education as reported to DCYF by the community college 24
143	143	of Rhode Island, Rhode Island college, and the university of Rhode Island. Unspent funds shall 25
144	144	remain restricted and held in a separate account for the purpose of the grant. Funds shall not be sent 26
145	145	back to the general fund. 27
146	146	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 28
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153	153	EXPLANATION
154	154	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
155	155	OF
156	156	A N A C T
157	157	RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF CHILDR EN,
158	158	YOUTH AND FAMILIES' HIGHER EDUCATION OPP ORTUNITY INCENTIVE GRANT
159	159	***
160	160	This act would amend the higher education opportunity incentive grant program, to 1
161	161	improve educational attainment and related outcomes for current and former foster youth at the 2
162	162	post-secondary level from fourteen (14) years of age to twenty-one (21) years of age and up to 3
163	163	twenty-six (26) years of age under certain circumstances from funds appropriated by the general 4
164	164	assembly. 5
165	165	This act would take effect upon passage. 6
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