Status:

Enacted

Education

Foster Care

Improving FAFSA Completion for Youth in Foster Care (2020)

SB 860 (Beall)

Location

California

California's SB 860 advances education equity for youth in foster care by improving coordination to support them with completing Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and ensure they have access to critical financial support to succeed in college. SB 860 builds on previous advocacy to increase pathway way to college and expanded financial aid access for students in foster care.

Multiple studies have shown that financial aid positively impacts grade point average, transfer rates and undergraduate degree attainment, making it an essential college completion tool for youth in foster care. Furthermore, research has identified low rates of financial aid receipt among youth in care as a key factor in the low rate of college success.

This legislation was sponsored by NCYL and JBAY and was signed into law on September 28, 2020.

Related Initiatives

Establish Youth-Centered Education for Youth in Foster Care

Youth in foster care often miss out on the opportunity to learn because of unnecessary home and school moves. NCYL works in partnership with school districts and students in foster care to create compassionate, truly supportive education environments.

Establish Youth-Centered Approaches To Education

NCYL works to advance school systems that center the needs and experiences of students - from removing barriers to learning, to providing training for teachers and school personnel, to empowering youth to more fully participate in their own educational trajectory.

Building Compassionate Education Systems for System-Involved Students

Equitably supporting students in foster care, involved in the juvenile justice system or experiencing homelessness, requires dynamic multi-agency collaboration between local education, child welfare, judicial and community-based partners with a shared vision for effectively serving these

Related Cases

D.P. v. School Board of Palm Beach County

Police employed by the School District of Palm Beach County illegally use the Florida Mental Health Act, also known as the Baker Act, to subject hundreds of students each year to involuntary psychiatric examinations, without their parents' input, consent and, sometimes, over their objections.

Women’s Student Union v. U.S. Department of Education

This lawsuit challenged Trump-era regulations that represent a radical departure from the way previous administrations applied Title IX to school sexual harassment, including sexual assault.

COPAA v. DeVos, 2020

This lawsuit seeks to stop the U.S. Department of Education's attempts to siphon emergency federal COVID-19 funding away from K - 12 public schools and the students they serve.

Related Laws & Policy

See All Laws & Policy

Supporting Students in the Foster System and Students Experiencing Homelessness (2024)

AB 2137 (Quirk-Silva)

Assembly Bill (AB) 2137 that would increase direct support for students, streamline services through better collaboration, and reduce gaps in financial aid application completion.

Expanding Access to Diplomas for Highly Mobile Students (2021 & 2022)

SB 532 (Caballero)

SB 532 builds bridges to a high school diploma and post-secondary educational success for highly mobile students.

PROMYSE Act - Promoting Youth Success and Empowerment Act (2021)

SB 493 Bradford

SB 493 improves the Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act by ensuring adequate oversight, equitable decision-making, and effective investments prioritizing our communities’ most critical needs. SB 493 was not successful in 2021.