Californias Students in Foster Care: Challenges and Promising Practices

Overview of California's Foster Care System

• The foster care system aims to protect vulnerable children from maltreatment.
• It involves multiple complex factors often linked to poverty.
• The system impacts students' education, particularly through school moves and community disruption.

Key Statistics (2018-19)

• Approximately 47,000 K-12 students were in foster care (0.7% of the student population).
• Demographics:
  • 55% Latino/a
  • 18% African American (disproportionately represented)
  • 30% LGBTQ
  • 31% eligible for special education

Challenges Faced by Foster Care Students

School Mobility

• High rates of school changes disrupt learning progression.
• Foster students often face school and home adjustments simultaneously.
• School moves lead to curriculum adjustment challenges and loss of academic credits.

Social and Emotional Challenges

• Trauma from family separation affects concentration, resulting in behavioral misunderstandings.
• Pandemic exacerbated challenges by reducing access to in-person education and support.

Absenteeism and Suspension

• Foster students twice as likely to be chronically absent.
• High suspension rates (15%) with significant impact on African American foster students.

Academic Outcomes

• Lower proficiency in English (24%) and Math (15%) compared to non-foster peers.
• Graduation rate is 56% (below 85% for non-foster students).

Systemic Challenges

Data Systems

• Insufficient student-level and aggregate data management.
• Need for improved data sharing and analysis for better support.

Funding

• LCFF includes foster care visibility but lacks adequate resources.
• Funding is not multiplicative for students in multiple high-need categories.

Transportation and Capacity

• Transportation challenges limit school stability.
• High caseloads and placement instability affect collaboration and student support.

Promising Practices

Policies and Programs

• A.B. 490: Ensures school stability and educational rights.
• A.B. 854: Promotes data sharing and coordinated services.
• A.B. 2083: Focuses on trauma-informed care.

Co-Location of Staff

• Enhancing coordination between education and child welfare systems.

Resource Centers and Support

• Establish one-stop centers for comprehensive support (e.g., Kern County's Dream Center).

School-Level Relationships

• Emphasizing relationship-centered practices to reduce discipline and improve engagement.

Tiered Support Systems

• Multi-tiered systems address academic and non-academic barriers, utilizing community school models.

Policy Recommendations

1. Cross-System Collaboration

   • Develop interagency structures for effective support delivery.
   • Enhance community school implementations.

2. Revise LCFF

   • Adjust funding to account for multiple high-need groups.

3. Improve Case Management

   • Promote data-informed strategies and co-location for better case management.

4. School Practices

   • Implement relationship-centered and trauma-informed practices.
   • Expand professional development to equip staff with necessary skills.

Conclusion

• The report emphasizes the need for coordinated efforts and policy implementations to improve educational experiences for students in foster care.
• Ongoing collaboration and strategic planning are crucial for effective support and improved outcomes.