Bill > HB4573

This bill, titled the Foster Youth Post-Secondary Transition Awareness Act, aims to improve support for young people transitioning out of foster care by requiring the Department of Human Services (DoHS) to share information about available post-secondary transition programs and services with the West Virginia Department of Education and local school districts. This information, which can include details on educational opportunities, job training, housing assistance, financial aid, and counseling, will be used by county school boards to inform students in foster care about these resources. Specifically, starting in eighth grade, these transition programs will be discussed during a student's Personal Education Planning (PEP) process, and high school students will receive periodic updates throughout their schooling. Importantly, the bill emphasizes that this information sharing will not violate student privacy laws, such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and does not prevent the DoHS from continuing to communicate directly with foster youth and their families.