Expansion of education and workforce training opportunities for youth who have experienced foster care

Section 477 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677) is amended—(1)in subsection (a)(5), by striking aged out of foster care and inserting experienced foster care at age 14 or older;(2)in subsection (h)(2), by striking age out of foster care and inserting experience foster care at age 14 or older;(3)in each of subsections (a)(6) and (i)(2), by striking 16 and inserting 14;(4)in subsection (i)(3), by striking in no event may a youth participate in the program for more than 5 years (whether or not consecutive) and inserting may not allow a youth to participate in the program for more than 5 years (or, in the case of a youth who was involved in a remedial education activity referred to in paragraph (4)(B), for more than 6 years), whether or not consecutive;(5)in subsection (i)(4)—(A)by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:

(A)may be available for the cost of attendance—(i)at an institution of higher education, as defined in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, including a community college or postsecondary vocational institution; or(ii)at a short-term training program that is eligible for the Workforce Pell program under section 401(k), as described in section 481(b)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088(b)(3)), as added by section 83002(b) of Public Law 119–21;

;

(B)by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and(C)by inserting after subparagraph (A), as so amended, the following:

(B)may be available for costs—(i)associated with participation in an apprenticeship program;(ii)to obtain a general equivalency degree; or(iii)to receive remedial education; and

; and

(6)in subsection (i), by adding at the end the following:

(7)In this section, the term remedial education means education or skill training needed to support obtaining a high school diploma or qualifying for postsecondary education, training, or an apprenticeship that is—(A)not already available through the school district of the student or another free local, State, or Federal program; and(B)is provided by an instructor with credentials relevant to the subject area of instruction, as determined by the State.