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Educational Stability for Foster Care Youth

Person beign added to a home and family.

Map showing 5 PA counties in region 8.

Children in foster care experience frequent school changes which is linked to lower academic performance, higher rates of grade retention and absenteeism, and lower graduation rates. The Every  Student Succeeds Act of 2015 promotes school stability and success for foster youth by emphasizing dual-agency collaboration between education and child welfare partners to make decisions which best serve the foster care youth.

PA Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program: Region 8 serves Bucks, Delaware, Lehigh, and Northampton counties and is administered by the Bucks County Intermediate Unit.

What We Do

  • Ensure foster care children enroll, participate, and have the opportunity to succeed in school
  • Serve as a resource for the school district designated contact (foster care liaison) and the County Children and Youth point of contact
  • Encourage a cooperative and collaborative process for all parties involved and act as an intermediary for County Children and Youth and the school districts
  • Advocate when in the youth’s best interest as determined by the BID process, for immediate enrollment in the receiving school to avoid gaps in education
  • Provide professional development and technical assistance to our district foster care liaisons
  • Host meetings for our 5 counties on topics related to foster care

Resources

For additional information on this initiative, please visit www.pafostercare.org. Click on the following link to find your: Local Education Agency (LEA) School Point of Contact

Additional reference resources are: 

PDE and DHS Joint Guidance Sample Documents:
Transportation Memo of Understanding
PA Transportation Plan Guide
Best Interest Determination form (BID)