Foster Care

Every Student Succeeds Act

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) emphasizes the educational stability of vulnerable students, including those in foster care. Children in foster care face many educational barriers, including high mobility, increased incidences of trauma, and mental, behavioral and physical health conditions. ESSA required new guidelines and resources to ensure improved educational outcomes for children in foster care. These new educational provisions took effect on Dec. 10, 2016.

Included on this webpage are state and federal guidance documents, resources from national and state organizations that support foster youth, access to contact information for local school district foster care liaisons and sample PowerPoint presentations that districts and schools can use to train local school district and building staff, as well as child welfare agency staff on the educational rights and supports available for students in foster care.

State Support Documents and Resources

• Ohio Department of Education and Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services Joint Foster Care Guidance
• Ensuring the Educational Stability of Students in Foster Care
• Flowchart: Ensuring Educational Stability for Students in Foster Care
• Ohio’s Model Best Interest Determination Form
• Ohio’s Sample Foster Care Transportation Memorandum of Understanding
• Checklist: Ensuring Immediate Enrollment for Students in Foster Care
  • Best Practice for Education Professionals: Districts and schools should share this checklist with all front office and enrollment staff to ensure staff who handle enrollment procedures and paperwork are aware of the rights and services available for students in foster care.
  • Best Practice for Child Welfare Professionals: Share this checklist with caseworkers to ensure all paperwork is complete and shared with each student’s local school district.

Finding a Local School District Foster Care Liaison

The Ohio Educational Directory System (OEDS) has the name, phone number and email of each local school district foster care liaison in Ohio. A local school district foster care liaison is required in every district, and that staff member can collaborate with child welfare agencies to ensure the educational stability of youth in foster care.

To access the information for a foster care liaison, follow these steps:

1. Go to the OEDS Directory
2. Search the school district name and then click on the district.
3. Once on the district’s page, select “personnel” from the top search bar.
4. In “Roles Available to this Organization,” search: Foster Care Contact – ESSA.

New: Foster Care Liaison Duties and Responsibilities 

PowerPoint Presentations for ESSA Foster Care Requirements

Best Practice for Education Professionals: Use these presentations during school district or school building staff meetings to provide all school staff with the knowledge and resources they need to understand the rights and supports available for students in foster care.

Best Practice for Child Welfare Professionals: Use these presentations during meetings and professional development sessions in local child welfare agencies to ensure caseworkers understand the ESSA educational stability requirements for students in foster care.

• Every Student Succeeds Act: Foster Care Educational Stability Overview 
• Every Student Succeeds Act: Best Interest Determination, Immediate Enrollment and School Records Transfer 
• Every Student Succeeds Act: Local School District Foster Care Liaisons 
• Every Student Succeeds Act: Foster Care Transportation Requirements
  • Best Practice for Education Professionals: Share this presentation and information with school district transportation coordinators and staff.
• Collaboration for Students in Foster Care: Schools, Child Welfare Agencies, Courts and Families 

Funding Educational Services for Students in Foster Care

Services like transportation; mental, behavioral or physical health care; family engagement; academic supports such as tutoring services; and child nutrition should be considered for students in foster care. Below is more information regarding the funding available for these services:

• Title 1, Part A Spending Guide
  • Foster Care transportation: See page 6 or contact the district’s assigned Federal Programs consultant or local school district’s Title 1 Coordinator.
• Student Wellness and Success Funding Information for Districts
  • One of the 11 allowable uses of the funds is “Services for Child Welfare Involved Youth.”
• CARES Act Funding for Ohio’s Schools and Districts

Federal Guidance Documents and Resources   

• US Department of Education Foster Care Guidance
• US Department of Education Foster Care Webpage
• American Bar Association: Legal Center for Foster Care and Education: Data Sharing Resources for Students in Foster Care

COVID – 19 Resources for Youth in Foster Care

• ODE: Ensuring the Educational Stability for Students in Foster Care during COVID – 19
• Tip Sheet for School Districts for Students in Foster Care During COVID – 19
• Checklist: Preparing for the New School Year for Students in Foster Care during COVID – 19
• ODE: Youth and Adults Mental Health and Wellness Outreach
• ODE: Preventing Abuse and Neglect During COVID - 19
• ODE: Pandemic-Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) Guidance for School Districts

Whole Child Supports for Students in Foster Care

Students in foster care benefit from additional supports and services in school to ensure educational stability and emotional well-being. Connecting with a student’s foster family, caregiver or provider and linking them with local community resources can help students in foster care.

• Ohio’s Resource Guide to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism
• Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
• Trauma-Informed Care Resources
• Ohio’s School-based Healthcare Toolkit

Transitional Services for Youth in Foster Care

When students are reaching the age to transition out of foster care, it is important for school staff, teachers, counselors and other trusted adults to help them plan for next steps and connect them to resources for continuing education, housing and employment.

• Ohio Reach
  • Supporting current and former foster youth as they reach for higher education.
• Ohio Bridges
  • Supporting former foster youth with housing, employment and educational services.
• Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services: Young Adult Services
• US Department of Education Foster Care Transition Toolkit

State and Federal Organizations Supporting Youth in Foster Care 

• Public Children’s Services Association of Ohio (PCSAO)
• Ohio Children’s Alliance
• Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO) Youth Initiative
• American Bar Association: Legal Center for Foster Care and Education
• SchoolHouse Connection  
• National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) - Children in Foster Care

Last Modified: 8/30/2021 8:10:02 AM

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