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PACEs in Higher Education

Former Foster Youth in California Colleges Will Receive Support After Age 26 (imprintnews.com)

 

There’s now no age cap on California’s NextUp program, which helps former foster youth get through college, if they started school by age 26. Illustration by Christine Ongjoco.

Author: To read Jeremy Loudenback's article, please click here.



Former foster youth Christina Torrez turned 26 in May. And although she was a first-generation college student pursuing an admirable future after overcoming homelessness, the mother of three hit a new barrier.

Her eligibility for the program that had provided her with everything from the cost of books to bus passes while attending Bakersfield College came to an abrupt end. The state-funded NextUp program only served former foster youth in community colleges through age 25.

“I basically got kicked out,” Torrez said. “When I found out that news, I was devastated due to the fact that I really needed help.”

But beginning this academic year, Torrez and hundreds of students who have grown up in foster care in California won’t face that cut-off assistance. A trailer bill signed last month by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) removed the age cap for the NextUp program, so students remain qualified as long as they begin taking community college classes before they turn 26. The funding can be used for a range of services, from academic counseling and tutoring to emergency housing and childcare.

The state budget passed earlier this year included a $30 million increase over last year’s funding for NextUp, bringing the total annual funding to $50 million and expanding it to additional college campuses. In September, the age cap was removed, addressing a lingering issue for many older students, said John Burton Advocates for Youth Director of Education Debbie Raucher.

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