Many foster youth like Wagoner face similar educational hurdles. A 2013 study conducted by WestEd called The Invisible Achievement Gap found that foster youth change schools frequently. They also have low test scores and high dropout rates.
These problems concern California Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), a former school board member and college professor. Weber views education as the path to success for foster youth, as long as they receive the support they need to stay in school and keep up academically. As a result, she has introduced AB 854, a bill that seeks to strengthen the California’s Foster Youth Services (FYS) program.
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