University of Wisconsin and technical college tuition remissions for and grants to support foster care and other out-of-home placement students and making an appropriation. (FE)

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 the bill, a student is eligible for a UW or technical college tuition remission if he or she is a state resident to whom any of the following applies: 1) he or she resided in an out-of-home placement in this state under a juvenile court order (“out-of-home care placement”) on his or her 18th birthday; 2) he or she resided in an out-of-home care placement and after his or her 13th birthday he or she was adopted or appointed a nonagency guardian; or 3) he or she resided in an out-of-home care placement for at least one year on or after his or her 13th birthday and then returned to live in the home of his or her parent after termination of the order.

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.