Educational Supports for Youth in Foster Care - Arizona

Date: April 2020

Support for Completing High School

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 8-521

The Department of Child Safety (DCS) shall establish an educational case-management unit within the department consisting of two case managers to develop and coordinate educational case management plans for youth participating in the independent-living program and to assist youth in the program to do the following:

  • Graduate from high school
  • Pass the statewide assessment pursuant to § 15-741

Planning for Postsecondary Education

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 8-521; DCS Pol. & Proc. Man. Ch 5, § 35

The educational case-management unit also shall assist youth participating in the independent-living program to do the following:

  • Apply for postsecondary financial assistance
  • Apply for postsecondary education

In policy: The caseworker will discuss with the youth his or her plan to prepare for adulthood. The caseworker will engage the youth in the case-planning process to ensure necessary supports and services are made available, including plans for postsecondary education and training or other needs related to workforce readiness and career planning.

Eligibility Requirements

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 15-1809.01

A tuition waiver scholarship made be awarded to any person who is a resident of Arizona and to whom the following apply:

  • The person is currently in foster care and is at least age 14.
  • The person was in foster care when the person was at least age 14.
  • The person was adopted from foster care, and the adoption was finalized after the person reached age 14.
  • The person is a U.S. citizen or a noncitizen who is lawfully present in this country.

Financial Supports for Postsecondary Programs

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 15-1809.01

The Arizona Board of Regents shall provide a tuition waiver scholarship at any university under the jurisdiction of the board, and each community college district shall provide a tuition waiver scholarship at any community college in that community college district to any person who meets all the following conditions:

  • Resides in this State
  • Is any of the following:
    • Is currently in foster care and is at least age 14
    • Was in foster care when the person was at least age 14
    • Was adopted from foster care, and the adoption was finalized after the person reached age 14
  • Is a U.S. citizen or a noncitizen who is lawfully present in this country
  • Has total personal assets, not including scholarships or grants received by the person, that are worth less than $10,000
  • Is younger than age 23
  • Is accepted into or enrolled in a degree, certificate, or other accredited program at a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona Board of Regents or a community college under the jurisdiction of a community college district
  • Has completed and submitted to the U.S. Department of Education a Free Application for Federal Student Aid before each year in which the person receives a tuition waiver scholarship pursuant to this section
  • After the first academic year in which the person receives a tuition waiver scholarship, annually completes at least 30 hours of volunteer service during the previous academic year
  • Remains in good standing with the policies established by the university or community college at which the person is enrolled

The person must demonstrate continuous progress toward a degree or certificate to remain eligible for a tuition waiver scholarship issued pursuant to this section.

A tuition waiver scholarship shall be reduced by the amount of any other Federal aid scholarships or public grants and any other public aid received by that person from or through the university or community college at which the person is enrolled, except that a tuition waiver scholarship may not be reduced by the amount of Federal grants received by the person from DCS under the Arizona Education and Training Voucher program.

If the tuition waiver scholarship is terminated before a tuition waiver scholarship recipient obtains an associate degree, a baccalaureate degree, or a certificate and before the recipient reaches age 23, that person shall continue to be awarded a tuition waiver scholarship until the person reaches age 23 or obtains a baccalaureate degree, an associate degree, or a certificate, whichever occurs first, if the person continues to meet the scholarship criteria prescribed by this section.

For the purposes of this section, 'tuition' means tuition and mandatory fees charged by the university or community college.

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