In the 2024-2025 school year, Ohio had 14,455 students in foster care. Foster care is defined as 24-hour substitute care for children placed away from their parents or guardians for whom a custodial agency has placement and care responsibility. A child can be removed from their home and placed into custody of a custodial agency through an official court order or emergency intervention by law enforcement. A “custodial agency” is a public children services agency or Title-IV juvenile court. A child placed in foster care could live in a foster family home, foster home of relatives, group home, emergency shelter, residential facility, childcare institution, or pre-adoptive home.
To support students in foster care, the Every Student Succeeds Act provides that all traditional public school districts and community schools:
- Designate a foster care education liaison,
- Allow students in foster care to remain in their school when it is in their best interest,
- Immediately enroll and transfer records when the determination is that it is in the student’s best interest to enroll in a new district, and
- Coordinate school transportation for students in foster care when necessary.
Virtual Training Opportunity: Serving Students in Foster Care and Students Experiencing Homelessness
State coordinators from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce will outline the requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act in this webinar. The training is open to all liaisons, as well as any staff involved in the enrollment, well-being, and academic success of students experiencing homelessness and/or students in foster care.
Click the link for the preferred date and time below to register:
Tuesday, October 20, 2026: 9:30 to 10:45 a.m.
Friday, November 20, 2026: 9:30 to 10:45 a.m.
Friday, December 11, 2026: 9:30 to 10:45 a.m.
Friday, January 22, 2027: 9:30 to 10:45 a.m.
Tuesday, February 16, 2027: 9:30 to 10:45 a.m.
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:
- Go to the OEDS Directory.
- Search the school district name and then click on the district.
- Once on the district’s page, select “personnel” from the top search bar.
- In “Roles Available to this Organization,” search: Foster Care Contact – ESSA.
Email
fostercare@education.ohio.gov for assistance with finding your local foster care liaison's contact information.
Every Child Seen: How Schools Support Ohio's Foster Youth
Intended audience: School and District staff
Check out the recording that reviews supports for students in foster care, including the importance of designating the appropriate foster care liaison for each district and updating that information in the Ohio Educational Directory System (OEDS).
Slide deck
New Resource
Ohio schools and districts report their foster care liaison information in the Ohio Educational Directory System (OEDS). Each entry in this list includes the liaison's name, phone number, and email, and is sorted by school and district.
Access this list here.
Please note that some schools and districts may provide contact information for multiple foster care liaisons, and some liaisons may have more than one phone number or email listed.
Last Modified: 9/29/2026 8:51:49 AM