The regional Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) staff must research and determine if the college tuition and fee exemption letter can be issued to the youth based on one of the following criteria:

• The youth, while in DFPS’s conservatorship, is taking a dual credit course or other course for which a high school student may earn joint high school and college credit.
• The youth was in DFPS conservatorship:
  • On the day preceding his or her 18th birthday.
  • On or after the student’s 14th birthday, and the student was eligible for adoption on or after that day (refer inquiries to Adoption Assistance eligibility specialists).
  • On the day the student graduated from high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma.
  • On the day permanent managing conservatorship of the student was granted to an individual, other than the student’s parent, if that date is on or after September 1, 2009.
  • At age 14 or older, on or after June 1, 2016, and subsequently exited DFPS’s permanent managing conservatorship to a parent’s legal responsibility (a parent means a biological parent, an adoptive parent, or a parent whose parental rights have been terminated).
  • At age 16 or older, on or after June 1, 2016, and subsequently exited DFPS’s temporary managing conservatorship to a parent’s legal responsibility (a parent means a biological parent, an adoptive parent, or a parent whose parental rights have been terminated).

 Texas Education Code §54.366External Link

DFPS Rules, 40 TAC, §700.1630External Link

For certain youth who return to a parent’s legal responsibility, PAL staff must check Legal Actions or Legal Status in IMPACT or must make a request to the caseworker to review the court order to see if the case was dismissed with legal authority to a parent.

In addition, PAL staff must:

• Prepare the letter for signature by the PAL supervisor level or higher.
• Track the number of tuition fee exemptions issued each year for eligible youth.
• Enter information into IMPACT in the PAL stage under PAL Services when a signed college tuition and fee exemption letter is issued to eligible youth or young adults.
• Maintain a copy of the letter in the youth’s case file.