Section 89341.

(a) The Legislature makes the following findings and declarations:

(1) Children who live in foster care are abused and neglected individuals for whom the state has assumed parental responsibility. Although foster care is designed to reunite those children, when appropriate, with their parents, or to place those children with an adoptive family, many children are neither reunited with their parents nor adopted. When those children reach the age of 18 years, the state terminates its responsibility to those youth. Many of those youth are not prepared to sustain themselves independently. As a result, a disproportionate number of former foster youth are homeless, dependent on public assistance, unemployed, and more likely to commit suicide. Foster youth are also much less likely to attend college than other youth.

(2) In California, there are more than 90,000 children in foster care. Every year 4,000 youth leave foster care upon reaching the age of 18 years. While more than one-half of high school graduates go on to enroll in college, less than 25 percent of foster youth in California enroll in college. Of the foster youth who do enroll in college, only 7 percent enroll in a four-year university.

(3) While the foster youth college enrollment rate is extremely low, the college dropout rate of foster youth is extremely high. Studies also indicate that while few former foster youth enroll in college, even fewer go on to earn a degree. Sixty-seven percent of all emancipated foster youth who enroll in college will drop out before graduation. One of the critical hurdles for this student population to overcome is finding the financial resources to fund their education. Only 10 percent of foster youth who apply for a Cal Grant, California's need-based financial aid award, actually ever receive that grant.

(4) Emancipated foster youth, who do not have parents to rely upon for support and guidance, suffer unique disadvantages compared to other students. While many students are preoccupied with academic pressures, the primary concerns cited by former foster youth are the absence of family support and the fear of spending the holidays alone. Emancipated foster youth need emotional support and specialized resources from sensitive university staff who understand the unusual circumstances and pressing needs of emancipated foster youth.

(b) Accordingly, the Legislature states its intent that the Trustees of the California State University and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges expand the access and retention programs of the university and the community colleges to include the following:

(1) Outreach services to foster youth to encourage their enrollment in a state university or a community college.

(2) Technical assistance to foster youth to assist those prospective students in completing admission applications and financial aid applications.

(Added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 1129, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1997.)