Tuition Waiver For Foster Youth: Fostering Independence Through Education Act Proposed
One of the YAB’s recommendations for change in Pennsylvania’s child welfare system is passing a tuition waiver law so that more youth would be able to attend college or a vocational or training program.
The YAB’s recommendation for a tuition waiver may soon become a reality!!!! Representative Hickernell, who represents Dauphin and Lancaster counties, has proposed a tuition waiver bill that would help youth who have been in substitute care or adopted from the system pay for college or training. This Act has been named the Fostering Independence Through Education Act (FIEA).
If passed, the Fostering Independence through Education Act would:
- Waive the tuition costs for youth who are or have been in substitute care or who have been adopted from the system at colleges, community colleges, universities or trade schools that are considered state-owned or state-related institutions.
- Require that outreach and information be provided to potentially eligible youth to encourage them to pursue college or training.
- Require that state-owned and state-related institutions provide youth assistance with completing applications and financial aid applications.
- Provide support for youth who want it while they attend college.
- Require that state-owned and state-related institutions review their policies and practices to make sure that any barriers to college attendance or success that are unique to foster youth or adopted youth be identified and addressed.
What Can You Do?
In November 2007, Representative Dave Hickernell introduced the Fostering Independence Through Education Act in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, House Bill 2032. Here are few ways you can advocate for the Act:
- Call, write and e-mail your local state representative and tell him or her that you want them to support the Fostering Independence Through Education Act. You can find out who your State Representative is by clicking on http://www.house.state.pa.us/index.cfm. Tell your Representative why this Act is important to you.
- Call, write or meet with state representatives on the Children and Youth Committee in the House of Representatives to encourage them to support the Fostering Independence Through Education Act. The Children and Youth Committee must first approve of the Fostering Independence through Education Act before the Act can be voted on by all of the legislators in the House of Representatives. Click here for the contact information of state representatives on the Children and Youth Committee
- Tell everyone you know about the Act and ask them to call their Representative too.