SB 1046

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

and technical college district boards to grant tuition remission to certain students

who were in foster care or other placement out of their parents' homes. This bill also

requires the Department of Children and Families to distribute to University of

Wisconsin System institutions and technical colleges within the Technical College

System $120,000 in grants for programs that support former foster youth.

Under current law, if the 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 an out-of-home care placement, such as the

home of a foster parent, guardian, relative other than a parent, or nonrelative or a

group home, residential care center for children and youth, or shelter care facility.

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