Higher Education Access and Success for Homeless and Foster Youth Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37]
Introduced
Summary
Focuses federal higher education aid and campus support on homeless, foster, and unaccompanied youth. This bill would redefine those groups in law, expand eligibility and outreach across major Higher Education Act programs, and add campus housing priority, liaisons, and a Student Loan Ombudsman to help with independence decisions.
Show full summary
- Homeless and foster youth would get clear statutory definitions tied to child welfare and McKinney-Vento rules, expanded eligibility across TRIO and GEAR UP, priority for campus housing and federal work-study, and in-state tuition protections with dates tied to July 1, 2009 and the Act’s effective year.
- Students seeking independence and loan help would gain a Student Loan Ombudsman to speed reviews of independence determinations and coordinate with child welfare agencies.
- Colleges and federal program operators would need designated liaisons, online disclosure of liaison contacts, outreach assurances for Talent Search, Upward Bound, Student Support Services, and GEAR UP, project-level outreach and post-project reporting, a new data point for undetermined homelessness determinations, and Secretary-led guidance plus annual professional development.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 7 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
In-state tuition for foster and homeless youth
The bill would require States that get help under this Act to charge homeless youth and foster care youth no more than the in‑state resident tuition rate at public colleges. The rule applies to public schools in States receiving assistance under the Act. This would take effect for each public institution for the first enrollment period beginning in the first full award year after the bill's effective date.
Campus liaisons and housing help
The bill would require colleges that take federal student aid to name a trained campus liaison for homeless, foster care, unaccompanied, and similar students. Schools would post liaison contact info and explain independence and aid rules online, offer a voluntary admissions question to self-identify, and give priority for institution-run housing (including break housing) to these students. The Department of Education would issue guidance within 120 days, start annual liaison training within one year, and report to Congress within one year and then at least every five years.
Clear definitions for foster and homeless youth
This bill would add clear legal definitions for "foster care youth," "homeless youth," and "unaccompanied youth." Foster care youth would include people who were under State or Tribal responsibility at age 13 or older, even if later adopted or placed in guardianship. Homeless and unaccompanied youth would be defined by reference to the McKinney-Vento Act. These definitions would apply under the FAFSA timing rules, so they would affect how and when students can claim special status for financial aid.
More TRIO and GEAR UP outreach
The bill would require TRIO programs and GEAR UP grant applicants to show they reviewed and removed barriers to include homeless and foster care youth, describe outreach plans, and promise to submit project reports. At project end, grantees must report how many homeless and foster youth they served and which strategies worked. GEAR UP projects could partner with community and child welfare groups and adopt rules so students stay in the program after moving and get transition help.
Quick reviews by Student Loan Ombudsman
The bill would let the Student Loan Ombudsman get and quickly review complaints about whether a student qualifies as independent under specific FAFSA independence rules. The Ombudsman would consult child welfare agencies, McKinney‑Vento liaisons, and State Coordinators for Education of Homeless Children and Youth when handling these cases. The change would follow the FAFSA Simplification Act timing rules.
Apply changes under FAFSA timing
The bill would make its Higher Education changes take effect under the FAFSA Simplification Act timing rules. In practice, that means these new rules and definitions would follow the same effective‑date and sequencing rules already set for FAFSA reforms. This would clarify when students and schools must start following the new rules.
Work-study priority for foster and homeless students
The bill would require colleges to give priority for Federal Work‑Study jobs to students who are homeless youth or foster care youth. If enacted, these students would be more likely to get campus jobs and modest earnings while in school. The change would apply under the FAFSA timing rules.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9]
IN • R
Sponsored 7/27/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov