HB 777

Abstract

Enrollment of and provision of free public education for certain students; kinship care and foster care. Provides that in the event that a student in a kinship care arrangement moves into a different school division during the school year as a result of safely returning home, being emancipated, or transitioning to a new kinship care arrangement, such student shall be deemed to continue to reside in the previous school division of residence for the remainder of the school year for the purpose of tuition-free enrollment and attendance. The bill also provides that certain provisions of law relating to continuity of public school enrollment and attendance for students in foster care apply to a student who has transitioned out of foster care and whose custody has been transferred to the student's parent or prior legal guardian or who has been emancipated.

Enrollment of students transitioning into, between,and out of foster care and kinship care placements. Requiresthe school division in which a student who has transitioned into,between, or out of a foster care or kinship care placement by a localsocial services agency last attended school prior to such transitionand the school division in which such a student resides after suchtransition to cooperate in facilitating the enrollment of any suchstudent for the purpose of enhancing continuity of instruction. Thebill provides that any such student shall be allowed to continueto attend the school in which he was enrolled prior to his placement transition upon the joint determination of the placing social servicesagency and the local school division that such attendance is in thebest interest of the student. Current law contains similar provisionsbut is limited to students who have transitioned into foster careplacements.