In California, the Youth Education Advocates Cohort is comprised of youth with foster care experience who meet monthly to work on foster care and education policy issues with the Education Program staff at the Alliance for Children's Rights. The youth education advocates also consult on such matters. 

In 2024, the Michigan Departments of Education and Health and Human Services engaged with the Michigan Youth Opportunity Initiative (MYOI) in partnership with advocacy agency and college staff who engage directly with students in foster care. Youth were invited by staff to participate in a series of four sessions to share their experiences as students in foster care. Participants included youth currently in high school and recent graduates, including college students. Foster care alumni helped to facilitate the sessions and create a safe environment for authentic youth engagement. Youth shared freely and were financially compensated for their time. Adult supporters were allowed to attend, but they could only participate as listeners to truly center youth voice. Positive outcomes included the issuance of the Michigan Educator Resource Guide for Understanding and Implementing LEA Stability for High School Youth Experiencing Foster Care, which included quotes and lessons learned from the youth, and a state board of education presentation report.

This 2024 report, by Chantal Hinds, shares findings from a qualitative research study conducted with youth and parents experiencing the foster care system in New York. Recommendations include providing students in foster care with information about their rights and creating personalized education plans for students utilizing a collaborative team approach that involves students and is student-centered to help meet their “academic, vocational, behavioral, mental health, and social-emotional needs and goals.” (Pages 18-19)

This authentic youth engagement research study was based on an evaluation of the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative® program, which is “a system-level intervention designed to improve the educational, employment, permanency, housing, parenting readiness, health, and financial capability outcomes of youth aging out of foster care.” (Id.) The initiative defines authentic youth engagement (AYE) as “young people fully understand[ing] their rights and responsibilities... actively lead[ing] the process of making decisions on issues that affect them in order to support their successful transition to adulthood and a healthy, productive adult life.” (Id.) The study sought to address two questions: (1) How do youth and staff/professionals define/conceptualize AYE? (2) What are youths’ and staff/professionals’ recommended strategies and approaches for authentically engaging youth? The results are based on responses from four of the high-performing sites in different states: Georgia, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Tennessee. Four themes emerged regarding AYE: youth-adult partnership and connection, youth empowerment/voice/agency, adult engagement skills, and making change/having impact. Three recommendations emerged regarding building trust, relationships, connections with youth; being youth-centered and youth-empowering; and facilitating improved adults/staff/program efforts. To learn more, see the full article and figures & data.

The My Life Model (MLM) is an intervention program for students in foster care with positive results based on a 2012 randomized study and a 2020 report, which explains that MLM is adapted from the “TAKE CHARGE self-determination model” previously utilized for students with disabilities. For students in foster care, the target ages are 15-19, and the program is intended for youth who are able to go into the community with their program coach, including youth with disabilities and/or mental health conditions. It is designed to be a 9- or 12-month positive youth development intervention, which consists of youth-directed weekly coaching, provided at school, community, or home locations and at times convenient to the youth to help achieve stated academic and transition goals. Youth also participate in supportive workshops to connect with, and learn from, peers with foster care experience.

Utah utilizes Check & Connect (C&C) (Univ. of MN cited by Utah in the linked Roles and Responsibilities), a student engagement intervention, with youth in foster care to help students engage and thrive at school. C&C is anchored by a mentoring relationship between a student and an adult mentor who is supports the student via commitment –  long-term; connection – student and mentor meet weekly; check – mentor monitors student engagement and academic progress for encouragement and accountability; and family engagement – mentor partners with family to enhance educational opportunities and outcomes for students in foster care. 

This Michigan Educator Resource Guide for Understanding and Implementing LEA Stability for High School Youth Experiencing Foster Care is comprehensive. In addition to B.I.D.s, LEAs can “check in with youth to find out if they need support advocating with school staff, including teachers and coaches, to avoid unnecessary consequences” as a result of challenges due to foster care placement. (p. 5) There are also tips regarding attendance support, trauma-informed practices, and school discipline. Id. 

This FosterClub toolkit provides a comprehensive, youth-led approach to developing a unique transition plan. It includes planning worksheets, record keeping, detailed maps, and resources to help youth with their journeys. Of note, there is an education planning sheet for students (p. 23) and a message to supportive adults (p. 6). 

This Texas Supreme Court Children's Commission Tool Kit (2024) provides a checklist with information on how the court can better “engage youth” as a best practice, generally, and regarding school, specifically, at statutory hearings. (p. 87) Under well-being issues, education and educational decisions are addressed. Id. There is also a section on Child’s Attorney Issues, which addresses school placement and school success, postsecondary education, and special education. (p. 130) It includes specific questions to ask the youth (and relevant foster care and education contacts) regarding school, academic classes, extracurricular activities, transportation, challenges, supports, and “a personal graduation plan.” Id.

This ABA factsheet (2019) provides tips on how attorneys can meaningfully engage youth in foster care case planning and court hearings. The information is based on the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Brain Frames resources, which utilize adolescent brain research to help child welfare professionals create positive interactions with youth in foster care. It is essential for attorneys to listen to what youth want in order to support school stability, youth-driven case planning and decision making, and advocacy regarding academic services and extracurricular activities. Moreover, attorneys should educate their youth clients about extended foster care, high school graduation, and post-secondary opportunities. 

This Child Welfare Information Gateway factsheet (2021) provides information about how youth can engage with the child welfare system and advocate for themselves and others. It includes specific suggestions for active youth engagement and participation in case planning, including educational aspects. Youth are encouraged to set expectations and build a relationship with their caseworker, as well as collect contact information from all planning team members. Youth can ask for what they need or want to know, request options, write letters, help set meeting agendas, make their case plan personal, utilize their support network, attend court hearings, ask for legal documents, and create a transition plan. (See pages 4-6.)

U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services released updated Joint Guidance in November 2024 with critical new information about how federal laws support students in foster care, including ESSA, Fostering Connections, and disability rights law. The guidance covers a range of topics, including school stability (A-H), academic success (I-K), special populations (L-Q), funding (R-V) and data collection (W-Z)

In addition to OH’s highlights, NC incorporates youth and parent perspectives, including school preference and desires, as well as the youth’s feelings. The youth’s participation is identified as essential as well as “other significant person(s) the student wishes to attend.” Also, this form contains a "next steps/educational services needed" section, which asks what, who is responsible, and by when.

Fair Futures launched in December 2019 across 26 foster care agencies in New York City, helps young people in foster care reach their academic and life goals. It provides 1:1 coaching and individualized academic, career development, social/emotional, and life skill supports. A program for middle school students helps students in grades 6-8 transition to high school through targeted educational advocacy, assistance to students who have individualized education programs (IEPs), connections to afterschool programs, 1:1 tutoring, and 1:1 assistance for eighth graders transitioning to high school. A coaching program for high school students and young adults provides long-term academic and life support to students to help them succeed in school and transition to adulthood. A recent evaluation found that program participants were more likely to complete high school.

The Treehouse - Graduation Success Program in Washington State supports foster youth high school students through high school graduation. In this program, Education Specialists and Treehouse-trained mentors each support a caseload of about 20 high school students. They meet weekly with youth to coach them in education planning, building self-advocacy and problem-solving skills, and to support each youth in setting and making progress towards personally meaningful goals. The Education Specialist also ensures that students have access to needed resources, guide youth as they explore career options and map out their plans through high school graduation and beyond.