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)

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 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.

In Georgia, the Educational Programming, Assessment and Consultation (EPAC) unit, within the Division of Family & Children Services, “provides comprehensive academic support services focusing on the educational well-being of children and youth in foster care” to improve educational stability, academic success, and graduation rates. The website includes key services, priorities, federal and state laws (e.g., HB 855), practice guidance, newsletters, and other key resources.  

GA provides additional enrollment supports. When a student in foster care is enrolled in a school, this law requires local school systems to assess whether exposure to trauma has had or is likely to have an adverse impact on a student’s educational performance, including both academics and classroom behavior. This assessment is part of an overall determination of whether the student is eligible for special education and related services, and what services, if any, should be provided.

CO notification letter “to ensure a seamless transition for the student”— (1) The new school immediately enroll the student effective the date decided in the B.I.D., (2) the student’s educational records be immediately requested from the school of origin, (3) the student be enrolled in the school district’s free lunch program, (4) the school and school district waive all school fees the student may incur, and (5) special education services, if applicable.

“Upon enrollment, receiving Districts must request a youth’s education records from their prior school within two business days. The sending District must compile a youth’s complete education records as of the last day of actual attendance, including partial credit for high school youth, and forward a copy of all records to the new school within two business days of a request. Districts cannot withhold records due to outstanding fines or fees.” (Page 16)

 This WA state primer contains several key topics to help schools ensure the immediate enrollment of students in foster care: the federal legal framework of educational stability, definitions of immediate and enrollment (i.e., “as soon as practicable (e.g., within 3 business days) to avoid educational discontinuity. It also addresses the scope of record requests and timing of transfers (i.e., within 2 business days). A student is not fully enrolled if a student is not attending school or fully participating in classes, extracurricular activities, and out-of-school and summer opportunities.”), and enrollment strategies to reduce barriers and increase full participation in school, including the critical roles of local foster care liaisons.

This three-page form was created jointly by the SC Departments of Education and Social Services to be used after a joint B.I.D. meeting. It has three sections: student information (including status of parental rights), enrollment certifications, and a release of information. 

This two-page form adapts the NC form to indicate if a copy of a court order is being submitted with the form. There is a checkbox for this point between the Release of Information and Educational Services Meeting on page 2.  

This two-page form marked “confidential” is to be used for the immediate enrollment of a student in foster care. It provides notice to the school principal and/or school superintendent. It includes four sections: (1) student information; (2) enrollment certifications; (3) release of information; and (4) educational services meeting, which is to be held within 30 days of the enrollment. The form ends with contact information for the LEA and county CWA. Importantly, the form defines key terms. “Immediate” means “as soon as possible, in most cases, this should be no later than the beginning of the next school day after the presentment for enrollment.” “Enrollment” means “the child is attending classes and participating fully in school activities.” If enrollment does not occur by the second school day following presentment, then school officials must document reasons for the delay and attach those reasons to the form. Finally, the form notes that the sending and receiving schools must expedite the transfer of the student’s record. 

This is a written policy in AZ regarding identifying and assigning a surrogate parent, B.I.D., school of origin, transportation, and immediate enrollment (i.e., “the child shall be immediately (within two days) enrolled in a new school, even if the records normally required for enrollment cannot be provided. The enrolling school shall be responsible for immediately contacting the school last attended by the child to obtain relevant academic and other records.”)

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.

NC school stability website with LEA, charter schools, Lab, ISD, and virtual POCs’ contact info, POCs’ roles and responsibilities (noting 4 key responsibilities of LEA POCs, including ensuring automatic free school meals), sample forms, law (including Child Nutrition Reauthorization), guidance, resources, and trainings.

The Iowa school stability webpage includes SEA and LEA contact information, CWA POCs map and contact information, law, guidance, and other resources such as special education, supportive school discipline & prevention, and AMP Iowa—a youth-led statewide group.

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