2024 -- S 2962

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LC005826

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- TUITION WAIVER PILOT

PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE

     

     Introduced By: Senators DiPalma, Zurier, and F. Lombardi

     Date Introduced: April 05, 2024

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 42 of the General Laws entitled "STATE AFFAIRS AND

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GOVERNMENT" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 72.13

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TUITION WAIVER PILOT PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE

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     42-72.13-1. Statement of purpose.

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     (a) There are many children in the custody of the department of children, youth, and

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families ("DCYF") who have been in DCYF custody for several years and who have no family

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resources or whose families have limited ability to provide funds for post-secondary education.

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These children often possess the academic ability and the interest to pursue higher educational

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goals, but are precluded from doing so because of the lack of family resources to assist in funding.

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     (b) The state has already invested considerable funds in children in DCYF custody through

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the funding of residential placements, foster care, counseling services, and health care.

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     (c) Children in the care of the state or aging out of foster care have poor educational

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outcomes that have been documented, and few achieve college graduation without substantial

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assistance. The purpose, and goal of this chapter is to improve outcomes for current and former

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foster youth who need support to improve educational attainment. Investment in their education

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will help to ensure a successful transition to adulthood free of dependence on government support.

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     (d) To afford youth in foster care the opportunity comparable to children not in state

 

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custody who often enjoy greater opportunities to draw from family and other resources, there is

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hereby established the tuition waiver pilot program for children in Rhode Island foster care.

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     42-72.13-2. Definitions.

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     As used in this chapter:

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     (1) "Certificate" means any certificate program with labor market value as defined by the

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postsecondary commissioner.

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     (2) "Department" means the department of children, youth, and families.

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     (3) "General education coursework" means the educational foundation of knowledge,

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skills, and attitudes that prepare recipient students for success in their majors and their personal and

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professional lives after graduation. It includes, but is not limited to, the required coursework of all

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degrees developed by Rhode Island College that are approved by the council on postsecondary

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education that are intended to ensure that all graduates of a state institution have a balanced core of

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competencies and knowledge. General education course work is not limited to coursework

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specifically required for one’s major.

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     (4) "Mandatory fees and tuition" means the costs that every student is required to pay in

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order to enroll in classes, and shall include room and board, program fees that may exist in some

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majors, course fees that may exist for some specific courses, fees for summer programs, and meal

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plans.

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     (5) "On track to graduate on time" means the standards determined by Rhode Island

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College in establishing the expectation of a student to graduate with an associate’s degree within

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two (2) years, or a bachelor’s degree within four (4) years of enrollment, or the prescribed

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completion time for a student completing a certificate, or the prescribed time for a student to obtain

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the degree or certificate on a part-time basis. In promulgating this section, the general assembly

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recognizes that some students, including, but not limited to, students who require developmental

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education, may require an extended time period for degree completion.

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     (6) "Program" means the tuition waiver pilot program for children in Rhode Island foster

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care established in this chapter.

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     (7) "Recipient student" means a student attending Rhode Island College who qualifies to

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receive the tuition waiver pursuant to this chapter.

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     (8) "State" means the State of Rhode Island.

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     42-72.13-3. Administration of scholarship program.

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     (a) Commencing with the 2025 school year and until the 2031 school year, the department

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shall identify and notify from among youth in its legal custody, or who were in the department’s

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legal custody for a period of time between the ages of fourteen (14) years and twenty-one (21)

 

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years, or participated in the voluntary extension of care, pursuant to § 14-1-6, between the ages of

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eighteen (18) years and twenty-one (21) years, and those other youth and students identified in §

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42-72.13-4, as those students eligible for a tuition waiver through this chapter.

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     (b) Notice and confirmation of acceptance. The department shall notify and inform the

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youth and the foster parent(s), if applicable, of the existence of the program and of the student’s

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eligibility for a tuition waiver pursuant to this chapter. Such notice may be provided in writing,

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virtually, by electronic mail, or by telephone. Provided, further, the department shall provide

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information about the program on its website and any social media platforms utilized by the

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department. The eligible student or foster parent shall acknowledge receipt of the program

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information by requesting that the department contact the admissions office of Rhode Island Collee

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in order to enroll the student in the program. The Rhode Island College admissions office, in

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conjunction with the financial aid office, shall coordinate and take measures to ensure the tuition

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waiver is correctly applied to the eligible student in foster care and notify the student of acceptance

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and enrollment in the scholarship program.

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     (c) Tuition waiver -- Scope. A tuition waiver under this chapter may cover the cost of up

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to four (4) years of mandatory fees and tuition for full-time attendance by the recipient student and

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for the recipient student to complete general education coursework and be on track to graduate on

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time and obtain a certificate, associate’s degree, or bachelor’s degree; provided, Rhode Island

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College may permit a recipient student to attend classes on a part-time basis, and the waiver shall

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be in an amount up to what it would have cost the recipient student to attend Rhode Island College

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as a full-time student until attainment of their first certificate, associate's degree, or bachelor’s

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degree, while utilizing the waiver provided under this chapter.

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     (d) Allocation. The tuition waiver, subject to eligible student demand and available

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funding, is limited to a maximum of twenty (20) students, but in no event shall the number be less

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than ten (10) students for the period of the program. Individual students are eligible for one award

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per year, for up to four (4) years, unless the student is attending on a part-time basis, in which case

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the waiver shall be equal to the total cost it would take for a student attending Rhode Island College

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to obtain a degree or a certificate if the recipient student was attending Rhode Island College on a

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full-time basis.

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     42-72.13-4. Eligibility -- Selection of scholarship recipients.

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     Persons eligible to participate in this program as recipient students are as follows:

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     (1) Children and youth who are currently or were in foster care for a six (6) months or more

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between the ages of fourteen (14) years and twenty-one (21) years;

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     (2) Young adults who are eligible for or currently participating in the voluntary extension

 

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of care, pursuant to § 14-1-6;

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     (3) Youth who exited foster care between the ages of eighteen (18) years and twenty-one

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(21) years, inclusive;

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     (4) Youth who left foster care at age fourteen (14) years or older for guardianship or

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adoption, until they reach age of twenty-six (26) years.

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     (5) Youth who had been in foster care for six (6) months or more between the ages of

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fourteen (14) years and twenty-one (21) years, or were participating in the voluntary extension of

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care, pursuant to § 14-1-6, and left this status for some reason other than aging out of foster care,

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kinship, guardianship or adoption;

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     (6) Children likely to remain in foster care until age eighteen (18) years;

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     (7) Youth in foster care who have graduated from high school or received the equivalent

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of a high school diploma; and

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     (8) Youth in foster care who have not reached their twenty-sixth birthday.

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     42-72.13-5. Appropriation.

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     (a) The general assembly shall appropriate, out of money in the treasury not otherwise

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appropriated for the fiscal year 2024-2025, the sum of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) to

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implement the provisions of this chapter. These monies are to be used exclusively to fund tuition

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waiver awards to recipient students pursuant to this chapter.

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     (b) In addition to any appropriations from the general assembly pursuant to this chapter,

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charitable donations and federal funds may be accepted to fund the program.

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     42-72.13-6. Report.

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     The department, in consultation with Rhode Island College, shall provide an annual report

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to the governor and the general assembly by November 1, 2025, and annually by November 1

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thereafter, that accounts for the expenditures made pursuant to this chapter, including the amounts

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awarded to each recipient student, each awardee’s unmet need, the total number of waivers granted,

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and the number of recipient students per academic year who made satisfactory progress towards

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completing their higher education degree or certificate, and are on track to graduate on time, as

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reported to the department by Rhode Island College.

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     42-72.13-7. Rules and regulations.

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     The department, in consultation with Rhode Island College, may promulgate rules and

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regulations to implement the provisions of this chapter.

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     42-72.13-8. Sunset.

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     The provisions of this chapter shall sunset on July 1, 2031, at which time the pilot program

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shall end.

 

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- TUITION WAIVER PILOT

PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE

***

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     This act would establish the tuition waiver program for children in Rhode Island foster care

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program. The purpose would be to increase the number of youths in foster care enrolling in and

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obtaining degrees in a timely fashion from Rhode Island College.

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     This act would take effect on July 1, 2024.

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