Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0780 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3
4	4
5	5	2023 -- S 0780
6	6	========
7	7	LC001399
8	8	========
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: Senators DiPalma, DiMario, Lauria, and Murray
18	18	Date Introduced: March 23, 2023
19	19	Referred To: Senate Finance
20	20
21	21
22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	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
24	24	in Chapter 42-72.8 entitled "Department of Children, Youth and Families’ Higher Education 2
25	25	Opportunity Incentive Grant" are hereby amended to read as follows: 3
26	26	42-72.8-1. Statement of purpose. 4
27	27	(a) There are many children in the custody of the department of children, youth, and 5
28	28	families who have been in such custody for several years and who have no family resources or 6
29	29	whose family has limited ability to provide funds for post secondary post-secondary education. 7
30	30	Such children often possess the academic ability and the interest to pursue higher educational goals 8
31	31	but are precluded from doing so because of the lack of family resources to assist in funding; 9
32	32	(b) The state has already invested considerable funds in such youth through the funding of 10
33	33	residential placements, foster care, counseling services, and health care. Investment in their 11
34	34	education will help to ensure a successful transition to adulthood free of dependence on government 12
35	35	support; 13
36	36	(c) Rhode Island children in the care of the state or aging out of foster care have poor 14
37	37	educational outcomes that have been documented, and few achieve college graduation without 15
38	38	substantial assistance. The goal is to improve outcomes for current and former foster youth who 16
39	39	need support to improve educational attainment. 17
40	40	(c)(d) To afford such youth opportunity comparable to children not in state custody who 18
41	41
42	42
43	43	LC001399 - Page 2 of 5
44	44	often enjoy greater opportunities to draw from family and other resources there is hereby created 1
45	45	the Department of Children, Youth, and Families’ Higher Education Opportunity Incentive Grant 2
46	46	Program. Through an appropriation from the general assembly a grant fund shall be established in 3
47	47	the department of children, youth, and families to supplement financial assistance in the form of 4
48	48	grants and scholarships that are available to such youth. 5
49	49	42-72.8-2. Administration of program. 6
50	50	(a) Each year the department shall notify, identify and recommend from among youth in 7
51	51	its legal custody, or who were in the Department’s department's legal custody on their eighteenth 8
52	52	(18th) birthday, for a period of time between the ages of fourteen (14) years and twenty-one (21) 9
53	53	years, or participated in the voluntary extension of care, pursuant to § 14-1-6, between the ages of 10
54	54	eighteen (18) years and twenty-one (21) years, those students who may be eligible to apply for a 11
55	55	Higher Education Opportunity Incentive Grant. The department of elementary and secondary 12
56	56	education shall afford all appropriate assistance to the department in the identification of youth who 13
57	57	may be eligible for such grants. Each selected applicant will receive grants to supplement federal, 14
58	58	state and institutional scholarships, and grants and loans work-study opportunities awarded to the 15
59	59	applicant in an amount not to exceed the full cost of tuition, fees and room and board charges:, 16
60	60	including expenses for books, tutoring, transportation, shelter, and food. Nothing in this chapter 17
61	61	shall prohibit the department from meeting the entire unmet financial need of the student, as defined 18
62	62	by the student’s FAFSA application, after consideration of available federal, state and institutional 19
63	63	scholarships, grants, and work-study programs. Payments pursuant to this chapter shall be made on 20
64	64	a semester basis. 21
65	65	(b) A grant period shall be limited to two (2) years of full-time study at the Community 22
66	66	College of Rhode Island, four (4) years of full-time study at Rhode Island College, and the 23
67	67	University of Rhode Island, and in no instance shall the grant period exceed a period of four (4) 24
68	68	years. Grant recipients shall be enrolled full-time and shall continue to make satisfactory progress 25
69	69	toward an academic certificate or degree as determined by the school in which they are enrolled; 26
70	70	Eligible youth may receive funds up to age twenty-six (26) years as long as the student is 27
71	71	making satisfactory progress toward completing their higher education either by academic degree 28
72	72	or workforce training program. The student may attend the community college of Rhode Island, 29
73	73	Rhode Island college, or the university of Rhode Island on a full-time or part-time basis, as defined 30
74	74	by the higher education institution. 31
75	75	(c) The department shall make recommendations for grant awards from among those 32
76	76	children and youth who: 33
77	77	(1) Have not yet reached the age of eighteen (18) on the day of recommendation, are in the 34
78	78
79	79
80	80	LC001399 - Page 3 of 5
81	81	legal custody of the department on the day of recommendation and have remained in such custody 1
82	82	for at least twenty-four (24) months prior to the day of recommendation; or, for former foster care, 2
83	83	have reached the age of eighteen (18) prior to the date of recommendation, have not yet reached 3
84	84	the age of twenty-one (21) and were in the custody of the department from their sixteenth (16th) to 4
85	85	their eighteenth (18th) birthdays; and 5
86	86	Are currently or were in foster care for a substantial period of time between the ages of 6
87	87	fourteen (14) years and twenty-one (21) years; 7
88	88	(2) Are young adults who are eligible for or currently participating in the voluntary 8
89	89	extension of care, pursuant to § 14-1-6; 9
90	90	(3) Are youth who exited foster care between the ages of eighteen (18) years and twenty-10
91	91	one (21) years, inclusive; 11
92	92	(4) Are youth who left foster care at age fourteen (14) years or older for kinship 12
93	93	guardianship or adoption until they reach age twenty-six (26) years; 13
94	94	(5) Are youth who had been in foster care for a substantial period of time between the ages 14
95	95	of fourteen (14) years and twenty-one (21) years, or were participating in the voluntary extension 15
96	96	of care, pursuant to § 14-1-6, and left this status for some reason other than aging out of foster care, 16
97	97	kinship guardianship, or adoption; 17
98	98	(6) Are children likely to remain in foster care until age eighteen (18) years; 18
99	99	(2)(7) Have graduated from high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma 19
100	100	not more than one year prior to the date of recommendation; and 20
101	101	(3)(8) Has not reached his/her twenty-first (21st) Have not reached their twenty-sixth 21
102	102	birthday; except that youth who are participating in this program on the date before his/her twenty-22
103	103	first (21st) birthday may remain eligible until his/her twenty-third (23rd) birthday, as long as he/she 23
104	104	continues they continue to be considered a full-time student by Community College of Rhode 24
105	105	Island, Rhode Island College or University of Rhode Island, and is are making satisfactory progress, 25
106	106	as determined by the school in which he/she is they are enrolled, toward completion of his/her their 26
107	107	degree program. 27
108	108	42-72.8-3. Selection of grant recipients. 28
109	109	(a) There shall be a grant award selection committee which shall consist of a representative 29
110	110	from each of the institutions of higher education appointed by their respective presidents, two (2) 30
111	111	representatives from the department of children, youth and families appointed by the director, one 31
112	112	representative from the department of elementary and secondary education appointed by the 32
113	113	commissioner, and one representative from the office of higher education appointed by the 33
114	114	commissioner and representatives of other community-based youth-serving organizations that the 34
115	115
116	116
117	117	LC001399 - Page 4 of 5
118	118	director of department of children, youth and families believes can help further the goals of the 1
119	119	program. 2
120	120	(b) Grant awards shall be made on the basis of scholastic record, aptitude, high school 3
121	121	completion, financial need and general interest in higher education. Recipients must comply with 4
122	122	all application deadlines and criteria for admission to the institution to which the recipient is making 5
123	123	application and, further, the recipient must have been granted admission by the admissions office 6
124	124	of the institution. Cumulative grant awards shall not exceed available appropriations in any fiscal 7
125	125	year. The department shall adopt update its policies and procedures as necessary rules and 8
126	126	regulations, which are reasonably necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter. 9
127	127	42-72.8-4. Appropriation. 10
128	128	(a) The general assembly shall appropriate the sum of $ 50,000 for the fiscal year ending 11
129	129	June 30, 2000; $ 100,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001; $ 150,000 for the fiscal year 12
130	130	ending June 30, 2002; and $ 200,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003 and thereafter 13
131	131	sufficient sums for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, and thereafter to implement the provisions 14
132	132	of this chapter as to the higher education opportunity incentive grant program. 15
133	133	(b) These monies are to be used exclusively to fund awards to eligible students. Neither the 16
134	134	department of children, youth and families, the department of education, nor the institutions of 17
135	135	higher education shall be permitted to utilize these funds for administrative expenses related to the 18
136	136	implementation of this grant program. The department shall provide an annual report to the 19
137	137	governor and the general assembly that accounts for the expenditures made pursuant to this chapter, 20
138	138	including the amounts awarded to each student, each awardee’s unmet need, the total number of 21
139	139	applicants in relation to the total number of awards made by department, the total of grant funds 22
140	140	awarded for the fiscal year and the number of students per grant year who made satisfactory 23
141	141	progress towards completing their higher education as reported to DCYF by the community college 24
142	142	of Rhode Island, Rhode Island college, and the university of Rhode Island. Unspent funds shall 25
143	143	remain restricted and held in a separate account for the purpose of the grant. Funds shall not be sent 26
144	144	back to the general fund. 27
145	145	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 28
146	146	========
147	147	LC001399
148	148	========
149	149
150	150
151	151	LC001399 - Page 5 of 5
152	152	EXPLANATION
153	153	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
154	154	OF
155	155	A N A C T
156	156	RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN,
157	157	YOUTH AND FAMILIES' HIGHER EDUCATION OPP ORTUNITY INCENTIVE GRANT
158	158	***
159	159	This act would amend the higher education opportunity incentive grant program, to 1
160	160	improve educational attainment and related outcomes for current and former foster youth at the 2
161	161	post-secondary level from fourteen (14) years of age to twenty-one (21) years of age and up to 3
162	162	twenty-six (26) years of age under certain circumstances from funds appropriated by the general 4
163	163	assembly. 5
164	164	This act would take effect upon passage. 6
165	165	========
166	166	LC001399
167	167	========
168	168