Bill > SB432

This bill provides educational support for foster and adopted children in Pennsylvania's state higher education system by establishing a "fostering independence waiver" that will cover tuition and mandatory fees for eligible students. Specifically, the bill requires state institutions to offer this waiver to nonresident students who are full-time undergraduate students and meet certain criteria, including being eligible for a Chafee Education and Training Grant, having been in foster care at or after age 16, or having exited foster care to adoption or permanent legal custodianship. The waiver will be available for up to five years or until the student turns 26, whichever comes first, and students must first apply for federal and state grants. Institutions must verify student eligibility, potentially through self-disclosure if agency verification is unavailable, and must annually report the number of students receiving the waiver to the state system. The system will then report this information to various government officials, including education and appropriations committee leaders. Starting in fall 2025 (later amended to 2027), institutions must implement these waivers, and the system will develop uniform guidelines for application and verification. The bill aims to support educational opportunities for young people who have been in the foster care system by reducing their financial barriers to higher education.

Budget and Finance, Education

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=432