Goal 1: Youth are Entitled to Remain in Their School of Origin
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1-A: Youth’s foster care placement decisions take school stability into account, and school stability is a priority whenever possible and in the child’s best interests.
1-B: Youth have sufficient foster home and permanent living options available in their home communities to reduce the need for school moves.
1-C: When in their best interests, youth have a legal right to remain in the same school (school of origin) even when they move outside the school district, and schools that retain children are not financially penalized.
1-D: Youth are entitled to necessary transportation to their school of origin, with responsibilities clearly designated for transportation costs.
1-E: Youth have necessary support and information to make school of origin decisions; youth, birth parents, caseworkers, foster parents, courts, attorneys, schools, and educators are trained about legal entitlements and appeal and dispute procedures.
1-F: Youth with disabilities continue in an appropriate education setting, regardless of changes in foster care placements, and transportation is provided in accordance with the youth’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).
Youth in out-of-home care live, on average, in two to three different places each year. When youth move, they often are forced to change schools. Studies indicate that frequent school changes negatively affect students’ educational growth and graduation rates. Youth in care are entitled to educational stability, and efforts must be made to keep them in their same school whenever possible. School may be the one place the youth has had (and can continue to have) consistency and continuity.
What the Data Tells Us
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School-age children in foster care commonly experience several living placement moves while in out-of home care. School changes are also a significant problem for children and youth in foster care. Numerous studies have found that children in foster care frequently experience school changes. These school changes often occur when children are first removed from home, and when they move from one foster care living arrangement to another. The rate of school mobility for children in foster care is greater than for their non-foster care peers. Black and Hispanic students in foster care are more likely to experience school changes than their white peers in foster care. LGBTQ youth in care also experienced more living placement changes than their heterosexual peers.
For more information and citations, see the National Datasheet.
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Negative effects of school mobility on academic achievement include lower scores on standardized tests and greater risk of dropping out. In multiple national studies, placement stability results in better graduation outcomes, with one study finding that youth who had even one fewer change in living arrangement per year were almost twice as likely to graduate from high school before leaving foster care.
For more information and citations, see the National Datasheet.
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Placement security contributes to a positive future orientation for youth in foster care and higher levels of school engagement, while children who experience frequent school changes may have trouble developing and sustaining supportive relationships with teachers or with peers. Supportive relationships and a positive educational experience can contribute to developing resilience and are vital for healthy development and overall well-being.
For more information and citations, see the National Datasheet.
School Stability in Federal Law
School Stability in State Law
