Ohio Representative Dontavius Jarrell Introduces Bill to Establish Pipeline to Higher Education for Students in Foster Care

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Dontavius Jarrells
Representative | Columbus, OH

Ohio Representative Dontavius Jarrell Introduces Bill to Establish Pipeline to Higher Education for Students in Foster Care

Idea Category: Education, Equity & Opportunity

This week, Ohio Representative Dontavius Jarrells introduced HB-25 – a bipartisan bill that seeks to establish a pipeline to careers and higher education for students living in foster care. The bill establishes a scholarship program for students that can be applied to any educational expenses not already covered by state or federal financial aid, and it also mobilizes a “foster care student navigator” program to guide students through college application processes, career technical training, and more post-graduate opportunities. According to the National Foster Youth Initiative, only 4% of foster youth go on to obtain a four year college degree after high school, often due to financial barriers. “They are experiencing some of the worst outcomes of our state and yet the state could and should do more,” said Jarrells.