Bill Text: FL S1308 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Postsecondary Students Who are Homeless or at Risk of Homelessness

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)

Status: (Failed) 2024-03-08 - Died in Education Postsecondary [S1308 Detail]

Download: Florida-2024-S1308-Introduced.html
       Florida Senate - 2024                                    SB 1308
       
       
        
       By Senator Calatayud
       
       
       
       
       
       38-01647-24                                           20241308__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to postsecondary students who are
    3         homeless or at risk of homelessness; amending s.
    4         409.1452, F.S.; revising the supports and services
    5         certain liaisons must provide to certain students;
    6         requiring the Department of Education and the Board of
    7         Governors of the State University System to develop
    8         best practices and training materials for certain
    9         employees related to identifying students experiencing
   10         or at risk of experiencing homelessness; requiring
   11         school district programs, Florida College System
   12         institutions, and state universities to annually
   13         provide employees and students with such best
   14         practices and materials related to students
   15         experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness;
   16         requiring Florida College System institutions and
   17         state universities to develop plans for prioritizing
   18         students experiencing or at risk of experiencing
   19         homelessness in residence halls and dormitory
   20         residences; requiring certain Florida College System
   21         institutions and state universities to prioritize
   22         students experiencing or at risk of experiencing
   23         homelessness for certain housing and work
   24         opportunities; requiring the Chancellors of the
   25         Division of Career Adult Education, the Florida
   26         College System, and the State University System to
   27         annually report certain information to the department;
   28         amending s. 420.622, F.S.; revising requirements for
   29         the State Office on Homelessness to include
   30         collaborating with specified entities for a specified
   31         purpose; creating s. 1009.702, F.S.; establishing the
   32         Fostering Independence Grant Program within the
   33         Department of Education to be administered by Florida
   34         College System institutions and state universities;
   35         providing the purpose of the program; providing
   36         student eligibility requirements; providing for the
   37         award and amount of grants through the program,
   38         subject to legislative appropriation; providing
   39         reporting requirements for Florida College System
   40         institutions and state universities; requiring the
   41         department to contract with a certain entity to
   42         provide technical assistance to Florida College System
   43         institutions and state universities; requiring the
   44         State Board of Education and Board of Governors to
   45         adopt rules and regulations, respectively; providing
   46         an effective date.
   47          
   48  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   49  
   50         Section 1. Section 409.1452, Florida Statutes, is amended
   51  to read:
   52         409.1452 Collaboration with State University System,
   53  Florida College System, and Department of Education to assist
   54  children and young adults who have been or are in foster care or
   55  are experiencing homelessness; documentation regarding
   56  eligibility for tuition and fee exemptions.—The department shall
   57  collaborate with the State University System, the Florida
   58  College System, and the Department of Education to address the
   59  need for a comprehensive support structure in the academic arena
   60  to assist children and young adults who have been or remain in
   61  the foster care system in making the transition from a
   62  structured care system into an independent living setting.
   63         (1)(a) Each school district program, Florida College System
   64  institution, or state university at which a student is exempt
   65  from the payment of tuition and fees under s. 1009.25 must have,
   66  at a minimum, a knowledgeable, accessible, and responsive
   67  employee who acts as a liaison and provides assistance to those
   68  students who are exempt from the payment of tuition and fees to
   69  assist in resolving any problems related to such exemption. The
   70  liaisons shall provide such students with on-campus support and
   71  must be employees of the program, institution, or university.
   72         1. The name and contact information of the liaison must be:
   73         a.1. Provided to each student who is exempt from the
   74  payment of tuition and fees and who is attending that program,
   75  institution, or university.
   76         b.2. Published on the website of the program, institution,
   77  or university.
   78         c.3. Provided to the department and each community-based
   79  care lead agency.
   80         2.The liaison shall provide such students with on-campus
   81  support, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
   82         a.Assistance with identifying and applying for any tuition
   83  waivers or exemptions for which the student is eligible.
   84         b.Assistance with identifying and applying for other
   85  available financial aid options for which the student is
   86  eligible.
   87         c.Academic advising tailored to the individual needs of
   88  the student, considering the populations to which he or she
   89  belongs.
   90         d.Referrals, as appropriate, to support services offered
   91  by the program, Florida College System institution, state
   92  university, or community-based partners.
   93         (b) Each school district program, Florida College System
   94  institution, and state university must maintain the original
   95  documentation submitted by the student regarding his or her
   96  eligibility for the tuition and fee exemption under s. 1009.25
   97  and may not make additional requests for such documentation.
   98         (2) A school district program, Florida College System
   99  institution, or state university may also provide campus
  100  coaching services and other support to a student who is exempt
  101  from the payment of tuition and fees under s. 1009.25 to promote
  102  his or her successful completion of postsecondary education and
  103  transition to independent living.
  104         (3)(a)The Department of Education and the Board of
  105  Governors of the State University System shall, in consultation
  106  with the State Office on Homelessness within the Department of
  107  Children and Families, develop best practices and training
  108  materials for all employees of each school district program,
  109  Florida College System institution, and state university for the
  110  purpose of:
  111         1.Identifying students experiencing, or at risk of
  112  experiencing, homelessness.
  113         2.Referring such students to the program’s, institution’s,
  114  or university’s liaison.
  115         3.Raising awareness among all students of available
  116  services and supports for such population of students.
  117         (b)Each school district program, Florida College System
  118  institution, and state university must:
  119         1.Annually provide electronically the best practices and
  120  training materials to all employees.
  121         2.Annually provide electronically awareness materials to
  122  students.
  123         3.Post awareness materials in public places on its
  124  campuses, including student unions and libraries.
  125         (4)Each Florida College System institution and state
  126  university shall, in consultation with the State Office on
  127  Homelessness within the Department of Children and Families,
  128  develop plans for prioritizing the placement of students
  129  experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing
  130  homelessness, including, but not limited to, students eligible
  131  for the tuition and fee exemption under s. 1009.25(1)(e), in
  132  residence halls and dormitory residences owned by the
  133  institution or university.
  134         (5)If a Florida College System institution or state
  135  university implements a priority system for the assignment of
  136  students to or the award of any of the following, the
  137  institution or university must provide students eligible for the
  138  tuition and fee exemption under s. 1009.25(1)(e) with first
  139  priority given to:
  140         (a)Institution-operated or university-operated housing.
  141         (b)Year-round housing.
  142         (c)Work-study opportunities.
  143         (6)Each Florida College System institution and state
  144  university is encouraged to develop payment plans for housing
  145  and other expenses with payments that coincide with the
  146  disbursement of financial aid, including grants, loans, and
  147  work-study income for students experiencing homelessness or at
  148  risk of experiencing homelessness, including, but not limited
  149  to, students eligible for the tuition and fee exemption under s.
  150  1009.25(1)(e).
  151         (7)(3) The Chancellors of the Division of Career and Adult
  152  Education, the Florida College System, and the State University
  153  System shall report annually to the department specific data,
  154  subject to privacy laws, about the students who are exempt from
  155  the payment of tuition and fees under s. 1009.25(1)(e) served by
  156  the campus liaisons, including academic progress, retention
  157  rates for students enrolled in the program, financial aid
  158  requested and received, and information required by the National
  159  Youth in Transition Database. The report must also include the
  160  retention and graduation rates of recipients of grants from the
  161  Fostering Independence Grant Program under s. 1009.702 as a
  162  distinct group within the report.
  163         Section 2. Paragraphs (p) and (q) are added to subsection
  164  (3) of section 420.622, Florida Statutes, to read:
  165         420.622 State Office on Homelessness; Council on
  166  Homelessness.—
  167         (3) The State Office on Homelessness, pursuant to the
  168  policies set by the council and subject to the availability of
  169  funding, shall:
  170         (p)Provide consultation to the Department of Education and
  171  the Board of Governors of the State University System in
  172  developing best practices and training materials pursuant to s.
  173  409.1452.
  174         (q)Provide consultation to Florida College System
  175  institutions and state universities in the development and
  176  implementation of plans for prioritizing the placement of
  177  students experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness,
  178  including, but not limited to, students who are eligible for the
  179  tuition and fee exemption under s. 1009.25(1)(e), in residence
  180  halls and dormitory residences owned or operated by the
  181  institution or university.
  182         Section 3. Section 1009.702, Florida Statutes, is created
  183  to read:
  184         1009.702Fostering Independence Grant Program.—
  185         (1)ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE.—The Fostering Independence
  186  Grant Program is established within the Department of Education
  187  to ensure that the costs associated with attending a Florida
  188  College System institution or state university are not a barrier
  189  to education for eligible former foster youth and students
  190  experiencing homelessness. The program shall be administered by
  191  participating Florida College System institutions and state
  192  universities pursuant to State Board of Education rules and
  193  Board of Governors regulations.
  194         (2)ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible for a grant, a student
  195  must:
  196         (a)Be eligible for the tuition and fee exemption under s.
  197  1009.25(1)(c)1.-4 or (e).
  198         (b)Be a resident for tuition purposes pursuant to s.
  199  1009.21.
  200         (c)Have earned a standard high school diploma under s.
  201  1002.3105(5), s. 1003.4281, or s. 1003.4282 or its equivalent
  202  under s. 1003.435.
  203         (d)Be enrolled in at least 9 credit hours per semester, or
  204  the equivalent, in a degree program, a certificate program, or
  205  an applied technology program at a Florida College System
  206  institution or state university.
  207         (e)Have submitted a Free Application for Federal Student
  208  Aid which is complete and accurate before the disbursement of
  209  grant funds and met the eligibility requirements of s. 1009.50
  210  for demonstrated financial need for the Florida Public Student
  211  Assistance Grant Program.
  212         (3)GRANT AWARD.—Subject to legislative appropriation, the
  213  award amount to each student shall be based on the student’s
  214  unmet need after any federal, state, and institutional financial
  215  aid has been applied, including, but not limited to, a Pell
  216  Grant or Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program award. A
  217  student is eligible to receive a maximum award equal to the
  218  amount needed to cover 100 percent of the estimated annual cost
  219  of attendance for the student to attend the Florida College
  220  System institution or state university after all federal, state,
  221  and institutional financial aid has been applied.
  222         (4)REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—Each Florida College System
  223  institution and state university must annually report the
  224  retention and graduation rates of recipients of a grant under
  225  this section pursuant to s. 409.1452.
  226         (5)TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The department shall contract
  227  with a not-for-profit entity with experience supporting the
  228  educational success of youth experiencing homelessness and youth
  229  who are aging out of foster care to provide technical assistance
  230  to Florida College System institutions and state universities,
  231  state agencies, service providers, homeless service providers,
  232  and residential programs whose students may be eligible to
  233  participate in the grant program.
  234         (6)The State Board of Education and the Board of Governors
  235  shall adopt rules and regulations, respectively, to administer
  236  this section.
  237         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.

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