Subject: Analysis of Ohio Senate Bill No. 13, establishing the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program.
Summary:
Ohio Senate Bill No. 13 aims to improve educational opportunities for students who have experienced foster care or noncertified kinship care by creating the “Foster-to-College Scholarship Program” and providing additional support services. Key provisions include the creation of a scholarship program to cover the cost of attendance at institutions of higher education, the hiring of a full-time school foster care liaison within the Department of Education and Workforce, and the employment of foster care student navigators to assist students with the college application process. The bill allocates $7.5 million per fiscal year (2026 and 2027) for the scholarship program.
Main Themes and Important Ideas:
- Foster-to-College Scholarship Program: The core of the bill is the establishment of a scholarship program designed to cover the remaining “cost of attendance” at Ohio institutions of higher education for eligible students after other financial aid (federal and state grants, private scholarships, etc.) has been applied. The bill defines a “qualifying student” as a resident of Ohio who has been accepted into an institution of higher education and who has been placed in:
- “Foster care at any time on or after the student’s thirteenth birthday” or
- “Noncertified kinship care at any time on or after the student’s thirteenth birthday and was, at any time, adjudicated an abused child… a neglected child… or a dependent child.”
- The scholarship is calculated based on the student’s “federal need analysis” and covers the remaining cost after deducting various forms of financial aid. Private institutions are required to make up the difference between the scholarship and other financial aid in order to be eligible for the program. “An eligible private institution that chooses to participate in the program and accepts a student’s application to attend the institution shall provide institutional grants, scholarships, tuition waivers, or tuition remission in an amount equal to the difference between the institution’s cost of attendance and the sum of the scholarship under this division and the sum of the amounts in divisions (B)(1)(a) to (j) of this section.”
- School Foster Care Liaison: The bill mandates the Department of Education and Workforce to hire a full-time “school foster care liaison” to facilitate services for students in foster care, with the primary goal of keeping them in their “school of origin.” If remaining in the school of origin is not in the student’s best interest, the liaison will facilitate the prompt transfer and enrollment in a new school. The liaison’s responsibilities include:
- Providing input on the best interest determination regarding remaining in the school of origin.
- Collaborating to ensure transportation and services are provided.
- Ensuring immediate enrollment in a new school with transition planning if a transfer is necessary.
- Participating in transition planning meetings and interagency collaboration teams.
- Providing students with information about the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program.
- The definition of “school of origin” is clearly defined in the bill: “School of origin” means the school in which a student was enrolled at the time of each placement into foster care…When there is more than one potential school of origin, the department of education and workforce, or school foster care liaison under division (B) of this section, shall designate the school of origin using the student’s input.”
- Foster Care Student Navigators: The bill directs the Chancellor of Higher Education to contract with the same organization that administers the Chafee ETV program to employ four full-time “foster care student navigators.” These navigators will assist prospective qualifying students in applying for college and the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program, working with school district liaisons to identify potential beneficiaries. They will provide guidance on selecting institutions and programs, and assist with completing applications for admission, FAFSA, and the Chafee ETV grant. “The navigators shall work with school district and school foster care liaisons to identify prospective qualifying students. A navigator shall provide guidance to prospective qualifying students with selecting institutions and programs in which the student may wish to enroll. A navigator shall, at the request of a student, assist the student with completing an institution’s application for admission, the free application for federal student aid, and, if eligible, the application for a Chafee ETV grant.”
- Funding: The bill appropriates $7,500,000 in both fiscal year 2026 and fiscal year 2027 for the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program, totaling $15,000,000. A portion of these funds can be used to employ the four full-time foster care student navigators. “The foregoing appropriation item 235689, Foster-to-College Scholarship, shall be used by the Chancellor of Higher Education to support the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program pursuant to section 3333.89 of the Revised Code.”
Key Quotes:
- “Student placed in foster care’ means a child who at any time during an academic semester or term is in foster care, including any child who is in the custody of a public children’s services agency or private child placing agency or otherwise placed with a licensed foster caregiver.”
- “Qualifying student’ means a resident of Ohio…who has been accepted for enrollment at an institution of higher education who has been placed in…Foster care at any time on or after the student’s thirteenth birthday;…Noncertified kinship care at any time on or after the student’s thirteenth birthday and was, at any time, adjudicated an abused child…a neglected child… or a dependent child.”
- “The amount of the foster-to-college scholarship shall equal the applicant’s recognized cost of attendance after deducting all of the following: (a) The student aid index as calculated by the federal need analysis; (b) The amount of any federal Pell grant award for which the applicant is eligible; (c) The amount of any state grant; (d) The federal supplemental educational opportunity grant; (e) The Ohio college opportunity grant… (f) The amount of any other state and federal gift aid; (g) The Chafee ETV grant; (h) Extended foster care benefits… (i) The amount of any private grants or scholarships, excluding grants and scholarships provided by the private institution of higher education in which the eligible student is enrolled; (j) For public institutions, the sum of all institutional grants, scholarships, tuition waivers, and tuition remission amounts.”
Potential Implications:
- Increased College Access: The bill has the potential to significantly increase access to higher education for students with foster care experience, who often face significant financial and logistical barriers.
- Improved Educational Stability: The emphasis on maintaining students in their “school of origin” could improve educational stability and reduce disruptions caused by frequent placement changes.
- Enhanced Support Services: The addition of a school foster care liaison and foster care student navigators could provide crucial support and guidance to students navigating the complex college application and financial aid processes.
- Fiscal Impact: The bill will require a significant investment of state funds, but it is anticipated that this investment could lead to long-term benefits for both the individual students and the state as a whole.
Next Steps:
- Monitor the bill’s progress through the legislative process.
- Analyze potential implementation challenges and develop strategies to address them.
- Assess the long-term impact of the program on college access and success for students with foster care experience.