Education and Training Vouchers

The Educational and Training Vouchers Program (ETV) for Youths Aging out of Foster Care amends section 477 of Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, adding a sixth purpose to the Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP).  ETV provides resources specifically to meet the education and training needs of youth aging out of foster care. In addition to the existing authorization of $140 million for the CFCIP program, the law authorizes $60 million for payments to States for post secondary educational and training vouchers for youth likely to experience difficulty as they transition to adulthood after the age of 18. In fiscal year 2003, a total of $42 million dollars was allocated to all 50 States, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. This program makes available vouchers of up to $5,000 per year per youth for post secondary education and training to eligible youth.

This new program authority expands and supplements the assistance authorized in the 1999 Foster Care Independence Act under section 477 (a)(3) to help children who are likely to remain in foster care until 18 years of age prepare for and enter post secondary training and education institutions. The new section 477(a)(6) provides resources to the States to make available vouchers of up to $5,000 per year per youth for post secondary education and training to youth that have aged out of foster care.  Vouchers may be used for a variety of services and supports designed to assist an individual in attending and satisfactorily completing post secondary education or training at "an institution of higher education" as defined in Section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965.  These may include, but are not limited to: tuition, fees, books, equipment (computer), supplies, uniforms, housing, internships and school-related travel.  For additional information about the ETVs, call the Student Aid Commission at 888-224-7268 (press # 3) or visit the website at www.csac.ca.gov and click on Commission Programs on the homepage.