Arizona legislators rally to help foster youth find school success
Arizona Rep. John Allen has sponsored House Bill 2665, which would fund and authorize FosterEd Arizona to expand statewide its services for children in foster care. The bill, which has more than 20 bipartisan sponsors, requires charter schools to give enrollment preference to children who are in foster care, and establishes a statewide Foster Youth […]
Foster children get K-12 champions through Pima County Pilot Program
A Pima County pilot project that improves foster children’s educational outcomes seeks to expand statewide after a recent study found that Arizona’s foster children face many educational challenges. But House Bill 2665, which would do so, remains in committee as the Arizona Legislature works on a budget. Foster children get K-12 champions through Pima County […]
Education data grim for Arizona children in foster care
A recent WestEd report showed that Arizona youth in foster care had educational outcomes far worse than low income children and other at-risk subgroups. “Prior to this year, we never had data that looked at the actual outcomes for foster children around the state,” but this WestEd report “shows how philanthropy, the nonprofit community, our […]
Collaboration, Sharing Data Key to Helping Dual Status Youth, Experts Say at Symposium
“We really just need to grow this force of professionals that have the knowledge, the skills, the leadership to bring about the kinds of reforms that end up resulting in desired outcomes for youth.” Collaboration, Sharing Data Key to Helping Dual Status Youth, Experts Say at Symposium
Federal Education Law Delivers Vital Protections for Foster Youth
Children involved in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems face countless barriers to educational success. Our historic failure to address these challenges has resulted in a dramatic achievement gap between these youth and their peers. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), signed into law in December, provides an opportunity — and a responsibility — for […]
Our View: We are all negligent parents to foster kids
Parents are supposed to get the kids to school, follow up on homework and alert the teachers to particular student needs. This is critical to success. It’s basic. Expected. After all, what kind of parent bounces a child from school to school and does nothing when that child consistently scores far below other kids? Look in the […]
Study of Arizona foster children’s education achievement not encouraging
“This is a report that looks at a lot of data,” said Michelle Traiman, director of FosterEd, a national non-profit serving foster youth. The group raised funding for the report. “There are humans, there are young people behind this data, and their voices, their stories are not just what makes it come alive, but helps […]
Bill Would Expand School Support for California Foster Youth
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 […]
Report: Districts ‘not yet making the grade’ regarding foster youth
School district accountability plans offered “slim evidence of districts’ attention to foster youth” as required under California’s new school funding law, according to a report released Monday by SRI International and J Koppich & Associates. The first round of local control and accountability plans – which describe the goals and actions districts plan to implement […]
New legislation aims to help foster kids
Some of California’s most vulnerable children are missing out on funds to help with their education, children in foster care. Around a third of foster kids don’t receive assistance from California’s Foster Youth Services program because they live with relatives. But a new bill hopes to level the education playing field for all foster youth across […]
