Children and youth in foster care are more likely to have difficulty in school than those not in foster care because of the complex challenges they may face outside of the school environment, including exposure to traumatic experiences and mental health issues. They also often do not receive the comprehensive assessments required to accurately identify and meet their educational needs. As a result, it is important to prioritize policies and practices to identify and meet the educational needs of children and youth in out-of-home care. Find resources below to help meet the educational needs of children and youth in out-of-home care, including State and local examples.
Blueprint for Change (PDF - 6,638 KB)
American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law, Legal Center for Foster Care and Education
Provides a series of tools and frameworks to help work toward goals and benchmarks to achieve education success for children in out-of-home care.
Educational Needs of Children in Foster Care and Adoption
North American Council on Adoptable Children
Describes policy and practice recommendations to help children and youth in foster care access the special and general educational resources they need to thrive.
Families Leading Change in Early Childhood Systems: Phase Two Navigating the Ripples
Center for the Study of Social Policy
Provides parent leaders, service providers, and system and agency leaders with information and resources related to authentic family engagement as a strategy for advancing equity in early childhood systems.
Foster Care: Education Could Help States Improve Educational Stability for Youth in Foster Care
U.S. Government Accountability Office (2019)
Details findings of a survey related to educational stability for youth in foster care, including challenges that affected educational success.
Foster Care, Special Education, and Learning and Thinking Differences: What You Need to Know
Kaufman
Understood
Supports foster parents in identifying ways they can engage with and support their foster children in school settings, including a particular focus on legal rights in the special education process.
Helping Foster Parents and Kinship Caregivers Support High School Graduation for Children in Their Care: A Self-Instructional Workbook
NFPA Training Institute
Helps parents and caregivers partner with youth as they progress through high school, with a particular emphasis on preparing for next steps after graduation and transitioning out of the child welfare system.
Multicultural Principles for Early Childhood Leaders
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Head Start Learning and Coordination Center
Presents 10 key multicultural principles and guidance for professionals on implementing these values in practice to better support the cultural diversity of children and families.
Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Head Start Learning and Coordination Center
Provides programs with a research-based road map for implementing Head Start Program Performance Standards for parent, family, and community engagement. It can also be used as a professional development tool to help staff understand their role in systemic, multifaceted engagement efforts.
Roadmap for Foster Care and K–12 Data Linkages: Key Focus Areas to Ensure Quality Implementation (PDF – 999 KB)
Data Quality Campaign & Legal Center for Foster Care and Education (2017)
Discusses the importance and impact that data sharing between child welfare and K–12 agencies can have on the educational outcomes of children and youth in foster care.
Special Education Toolkit
National PTA
Provides age-specific information about connecting children and youth newly diagnosed with special needs with special education services and resources.
State and local examples
Foster Care and Education: How Foster Care Involvement Affects Educational Outcomes
Partners for Our Children
Summarizes a report detailing the educational needs and challenges that affect the educational outcomes of children and youth in out-of-home care in Washington State.
Illinois Youth in Foster Care Face Significant Barriers to Education During COVID-19
Medlin (2021)
Northern Public Radio
Describes how child welfare agencies in Illinois partnered with other community resources to mitigate the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic had on the educational outcomes of youth in foster care.
What You Need to Know About School Stability for Students in Foster Care
The Legal Aid Society
Answers commonly asked questions about foster care and education, including how best interest decisions are made and the consequences of these decisions, in the State of New York.