Supporting Students in Foster Care

The requirements for ensuring educational stability for children in foster care under section 1111 (g)(1)(E) apply to all children in foster care enrolled in public schools.  Consistent with the Fostering Connections Act, “foster care” means 24-hour substitute care for children placed away from their parents, but is not limited to placements in foster family homes, foster homes of relatives, group homes, emergency shelters, residential facilities, child care institutions, and preadoptive homes.  A child is in foster care in accordance with this definition regardless of whether the foster care facility is licensed and payments are made by the state, tribal or local agencies for the care of the child, whether adoption subsidy payments are being made prior to the finalization of an adoption, or whether there is federal matching of any payments that are made.  (45 C.F.R.  1355.20 (a)).

FOSTER CARE STUDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO:

• Attend school in the area they are currently living.
• When in the best interest of the child, attend the school of origin (the school they attended at the time they entered care), or the school in which they were last enrolled.
• Immediate enrollment and support from district foster care liaison in obtaining school records and coordinating services.
• Transportation to their school, if necessary.
• Free school meals.
• Services for English Language Learners, Special Education, and/or Highly Capable Education.
• Tutoring services focusing on academic assistance.
• Support with on-time grade progression and graduation of students.

To get more information, call your child’s school or the Health & Social Services Department at 206-631-3011. Visit our Foster Student Support webpage for additional resources.