It’s Back-to-School Season!
Back-to-school season is a busy time for students, parents and caregivers, caseworkers, foster care and education Points of Contact (POCs), service providers, and allies. It is also an opportunity to prioritize educational stability, holistic well-being, and success for children and youth experiencing foster care. The Legal Center for Foster Care and Education compiled resources to help ensure a strong start to the 2026-2027 school year.
An updated checklist to assist in back-to-school preparations and ongoing support for students experiencing foster care. It provides child welfare caseworkers with suggested best practices based on key federal requirements and key resources to help ensure educational stability and success for students experiencing foster care. It can be used prior to the start of the school year so that all students currently in care have what they need, but also referred to throughout the school year and for students who enter care at any time.
The National Working Group on Foster Care & Education (NWG) hosted webinar in September 2024, which explained how child welfare professionals can promote educational stability and success for students in foster care. View the recording here: Back-to-School 101 Webinar: Fostering Connections So Every Student Succeeds.
Legal Center Bulletin- Back to School Edition (Sept. 2026)(Resources; federal and state updates; upcoming conferences; news & research; and local content.)
Questions about preparing to support students in foster care in the upcoming school year? You can reach out to us at ccleducation@americanbar.org
FosterClub created a revised education rights guide for students experiencing foster care. It serves as a know-your-rights (KYR) doc for youth and a resource for advocates.
Additional State & National Resources!
Education Law Center (ELC) in PA:
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) in WA:
National Foster Care Youth & Alumni Policy Council:
National Working Group on Foster Care & Education:
