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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 21, 2021 09:58 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Jessica Benham |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Tuition Waivers for Kinship Care Families |
| When a child’s parents can no longer care for them, they may go into the custody of a relative, referred to as kinship care. In Pennsylvania alone, there are an estimated 202,000 children who live in households that are headed by their grandparents or other relatives. While kinship care keeps the family unit intact, these custody transfers often happen unexpectedly. This means that kinship caregivers likely cannot afford the child’s college tuition because they did not plan on saving for it or are on a fixed income. On top of that, these children are not eligible for the Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program because they were never in the foster care system. This is a tragic reality for these children and families who have already lost so much. These children deserve to receive an education despite the adversity they have faced. That is why I am introducing legislation to expand the eligibility requirements for the Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program to include children who go into kinship care but would have otherwise been in the foster care system if their family did not step in. This legislation will ensure that these children who may still struggle financially are provided the same chance at an education. These families need our help. I hope you will join me in supporting this important legislation that will ensure that all children in Pennsylvania experiencing this issue can receive an education. |
Introduced as HB2288