CHAPTER _______

An act to amend Section 69519 of the Education Code, relating to student financial aid.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2506, Thurmond. Student financial aid: Chafee grant awards.

Existing law establishes the Student Aid Commission as the state agency primarily responsible for the administration and coordination of student financial aid programs at California postsecondary educational institutions. Existing federal law establishes the Chafee Educational and Training Voucher program for the purposes of providing financial aid to current and former foster youth who are attending qualifying postsecondary educational institutions.

This bill, commencing with the 2017-18 academic year, would make a new Chafee grant award to a student only if the student attends a qualifying institution that is eligible for participation in the Cal Grant Program pursuant to a specified provision of the Cal Grant Program enabling act or if the student attends an institution that is not located in California that satisfies a specified provision of the Cal Grant Program enabling act.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 69519 of the Education Code is amended to read:

69519.  

(a) The commission, through an interagency agreement with the State Department of Social Services, currently operates a federally funded scholarship program that provides grant aid to provide access to California’s current and former foster youth to postsecondary education. Funds provided through an appropriation by the Legislature shall be supplemental to funds provided by the federal government, and are designated to ensure program availability in the absence of and prior to the annual receipt of federal funds for this purpose.

(b) Funds provided for this program shall be used to assist students who are current and former foster youth, for career and technical training or traditional college courses. The commission shall operate this program in accordance with the program instructions provided by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, and the program guidelines developed by the State Department of Social Services.

(c) The total amount of funding and the amount of individual awards shall depend upon the amount of federal funding provided in addition to state funding. The commission, in conjunction with the State Department of Social Services, shall determine the individual award amounts and total number of students awarded on an annual basis as the amount of total annual funding is determined.

(d) Commencing with the 2017-18 award year, the commission shall make a new Chafee grant award to a student only if the student attends either of the following:

(1) A qualifying institution that is eligible for participation in the Cal Grant Program pursuant to Section 69432.7.

(2) An institution that is not located in California that satisfies the provisions of subparagraphs (C) and (F) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (l) of Section 69432.7.

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