But, it’s also seen significant changes. It was originally intended to create a Foster-to-College scholarship fund, complete with a $15 million appropriation. That idea was scrapped for the time being, and instead, H.B. 25 was drafted with a focus on creating “education liaisons” and “foster family navigators” in every K-12 school building across the state. These roles can be filled by existing school staffers, who would receive role-specific training once a year, under the bill.
In committee testimony, bill sponsor Rep. Dontavius Jarrells, D-Columbus, described the education liaison as someone “whose job is to help a student enroll immediately, transfer records quickly, stay connected to their school of origin when possible, and receive support when a move is unavoidable.”
Family navigators, Jarrells said, would provide foster students with another level of care.
“These are adults who know the students by name. They check in. They help with academics, with activities, and with planning for what comes after high school. They help students understand college options, career training, and workforce pathways. They make sure young people in foster care are not invisible in the systems meant to serve them,” Jarrells said.
In sum, Jarrells argued, the law would enhance coordination between K-12 schools, higher education opportunities, and the child welfare agencies that ultimately oversee the well-being of foster children.
On the House floor Wednesday, Jarrells said this coordination will ultimately “save lives.”
The bill received considerable bipartisan support. House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, told this outlet that he believes the bill will create a more inclusive environment for foster children, a population in Ohio that, in some ways, has “completely different needs than most kids.”
Rep. Tom Young, R-Washington Twp., who chairs the House Workforce and Higher Education Committee, told his colleagues on the House floor that passing H.B. 25 is a victory not only for foster students but also for the Ohio House itself.
The bill now heads to the Ohio Senate for further vetting.
For more stories like this, sign up for our Ohio Politics newsletter. It’s free, curated, and delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday evening.
Avery Kreemer can be reached at 614-981-1422, on X, via email, or you can drop him a comment/tip with the survey below.
About the Author
