The Children’s Bureau (CB), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, released an Information Memorandum (IM) in 2023 regarding interagency collaboration between child welfare and educational agencies to support the academic success of children and youth in foster care, including federal law, state and local POCs, data sharing and reporting, school enrollment and  school stability, B.I.D.s, transportation, and social emotional well-being.

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).

A Legal Center for Foster Care and Education toolkit for ESSA implementation, including Q&As, federal law and guidance, checklists, tools, templates, and resources.

WA school stability website with foster care office hours, regional meetings, liaisons, POCs, state and federal laws and guidance, resources and training, and postsecondary education resources.

PA school stability website with state and federal laws and guidance, training, resources and tools, and postsecondary education resources.

AZ Dept. of Education’s school stability webpage with SEA, LEA, CWA, & Tribal POCs’ contact info, law, guidance, documents, resources, and trainings.

WA provides a protocol for the caregiver or EDM to request a B.I.D. dispute resolution by submitting a letter or email within 15 days of the B.I.D. Level I appeal is to the LEA liaison, level II appeal is to the LEA’s superintendent or designee, and level III appeal is to the state-level Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) with a decision by a committee consisting of the OSPI Foster Care Education Program Supervisor, or designee, and OSPI and CWA staff.

MO provides a protocol for the EDM or parent to request a B.I.D. dispute resolution in writing by submitting a dated appeal regarding school enrollment preference and basis. Level I appeal is to the LEA’s superintendent or designee and level II appeal is to the state-level Department of Elementary and Secondary Education with a decision by a three-person panel consisting of SEA POC, another SEA staff members, and a representative of the state CWA.

In Michigan, the MI Transportation Dispute Resolution Process involves a panel of at least 3-MDE staffers, including the SEA POC, convene within 15 work days of receiving transportation dispute request to resolve dispute brought by either the LEA or CWA. See the policy, notification letter, and dispute form.

The DE MOU & Dispute Resolution Process addresses B.I.D. dispute resolution process on pp. 9-10 (request must be submitted by LEA, CW, parent or guardian, student via an attorney, or EDM, within 5 days of B.I.D. and decision issues by the Secretary of Education or designee within 10 business days); transportation dispute resolution process on p. 13 (request must be submitted to DDOE Pupil Transportation for a decision, appeals hearing can be requested to Secretary of Education within 30 days; the Secretary or designee’s decision is final. The LEA for the SOO must provide transportation during the pendency of any dispute.)

Arizona codified the AZ Transportation Arbitration Process for LEA and CWA to dispute the transportation plan to the school of origin for students in foster care once all available troubleshooting options have been exhausted. See the webpage for the legal requirements, process, and forms.

Per the AZ Dispute Resolution Procedure (2017), a school stability appeal is decided by the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Foster Care Point of Contact, or a designee, and a panel of at least two other ADE employees within five (5) work days of receiving notice of appeal and related documents.