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. 

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.

FosterClub’s “Permanency Pact” tool is designed to create a formalized process to connect youth in foster care with a supportive adult who has been identified by the youth and willing to commit to a lifelong relationship with the youth. The pact offers 45 different types of supports that adults may consider committing to, including educational assistance such as serving as a tutor, educational advocate, or as a support to help with college applications, finding financial aid, and visiting college campuses. 

Fostering Success Coachingis designed for professionals who are working with students and youth who have experienced foster care or adverse childhood experiences. The Fostering Success Coach Model was developed within the Seita Scholars Program, a campus support program for students from foster care at Western Michigan University. The model was developed in 2008 and evolved over time with input from students who shared their experiences of attending college after foster care involvement. In 2013, the “FS Coach Training,” which teaches professionals the Fostering Success Coaching Model, was piloted with over 50 professionals in Michigan; since then, over 1,000 professionals across the country have been trained as Fostering Success Coaches.

Friends of the Children is based on the premise that having a long-term relationship with a consistent and caring adult is the most important factor in overcoming childhood adversity. “Friends” are full-time, paid professional mentors who work with 8-10 youth for 3-4 hours each week from kindergarten through graduation. The program partners with community organizations, schools, and foster care agencies to identify children aged four to six who are eligible to participate. It also incorporates trauma-informed approaches to working with children and caregivers.  

In Washoe County, Nevada, Achievements Unlocked matches students in foster care with tutors and educational advocates, resulting in more students on track to graduate. This multidisciplinary team model changes the educational trajectory of students in foster care by providing advocacy, tutoring, mentoring, and case management to high school-aged foster youth. In addition to being paired with a tutor who comes directly to the foster home, each youth is also paired with an Educational Advocate (EA) to ensure educational services and interventions match the youth’s needs.

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.  

Keeping Foster and Kin Parents Supported and Trained (KEEP): KEEP provides evidence-based support and skill enhancement to foster and kinship caregivers of youth in foster care. The program supports families by promoting child well-being and preventing placement breakdowns. Foster and kin caregivers are assigned to a group with a trained group leader and participate in an evidence-based, trauma-informed curriculum over 16 weeks that is tailored to the group’s needs.