AB 777

This bill requires the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

and technical college system district boards to grant tuition remissions to students

who were in foster care or other placements out of their parent's home. This bill also

requires the Department of Children and Families to distribute $120,000 in grants

to UW and Wisconsin Technical College System institutions for programs for former

foster youth.

Under current law, if the court assigned to exercise jurisdiction under the

Children's Code or Juvenile Justice Code (juvenile court) adjudges a child to be in

need of protection or services, the juvenile court may order the child to be removed

from the home of the child's parent and placed in the home of a foster parent,

guardian, relative other than a parent, or nonrelative or in a group home, residential

care center for children and youth, or shelter care facility (out-of-home placement).

Under this bill, a student is eligible for a UW or technical college tuition remission

if he or she resided in an out-of-home placement in this state under a juvenile court

order under one of the following circumstances: 1) for at least a year on or after his

or her 13th birthday before being returned to the parent's home; 2) on his or her 13th

birthday, and after his or her 13th birthday he or she was adopted or appointed a

long-term guardian; or 3) on his or her 18th birthday.

The bill requires the Board of Regents to grant a tuition remission for each

semester or session that an eligible student completes the federal Free Application

for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and is enrolled in an associate degree or bachelor's

degree program. A technical college district board must grant a tuition remission for

each semester or session that an eligible student completes the FAFSA and is

enrolled in a technical diploma or associate degree program. Both the Board of

Regents and technical college district boards may not grant the remissions after a

student is awarded the diploma or degree for the program in which he or she is

enrolled, or attains the age of 25 years, whichever occurs first. In addition, the bill

prohibits a student from receiving a remission from either the Board of Regents or

a technical college district board for more than a total of 12 semesters or sessions.

Also, both the Board of Regents and technical college district boards must deduct

from a remission any federal scholarship, grant, or aid, other than a loan, awarded

for a student.

The bill also makes an appropriation to the Higher Educational Aids Board to

reimburse the Board of Regents and technical college district boards for remissions

granted under the bill. If the appropriation is not sufficient to make full

reimbursement, HEAB must prorate the reimbursements.

This bill also makes an appropriation to DCF for the purpose of distributing at

least four grants per biennium of up to $30,000 each to UW or Wisconsin Technical

College System institutions for the purpose of supporting programming for former

foster youth who are enrolled in the institution.