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

Under the bill, a student is eligible for institution or technical college tuition remission if the student is a state resident to whom any of the following applies: 1) the individual resided in an out-of-home care placement on his or her 18th birthday;

2) the individual resided in an out-of-home care placement and after his or her 13th birthday the individual was adopted or appointed a nonagency guardian; or 3) the individual resided in an out-of-home care placement for at least one year 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 an eligible student a tuition remission for each semester or session that the 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 an eligible student a tuition remission for each semester or session that the student completes the FAFSA and is enrolled in a technical diploma or associate degree program. The technical college district boards may not grant the tuition remission after a technical college 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.

The Board of Regents may not grant the tuition remission after a student is awarded a bachelor's degree or attains the age of 25, whichever occurs first. In addition, the bill prohibits a student from receiving this tuition remission from either the Board of Regents or a technical college district board for more than a total of 12 semesters or sessions. 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 University of Wisconsin institutions or technical colleges for the purpose of supporting programming for former foster youth who are enrolled in the institution.