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I am creating this legal guide as a school counselor to inform other school counselors, teachers, administrators, and other school employees about working with students in foster care in the educational setting. I chose this topic because students in foster care are a very vulnerable population and often times get overlooked due to so many transitions and changes. I had a personal experience with two student this past year in foster care. I feel that from the students moving from one school to another caused the students to lack many of the foundational skills needed to improve the students' academic success. I want educators to have a knowledge of how important it is to help students in foster care so that we can support them and provide the resources needed to gain academic success. I hope that this resource will provide some valuable knowledge and information for other educators to learn more about the law when it comes to foster students and how we can better serve this population so that they can reach their full academic potential.

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School counselors implement a comprehensive school counseling program to meet the needs of all students and also understand that some students may be at higher risk due to certain situations such as being placed in foster care. It is the school counselor's role and duty to support students in foster care through collaboration with other educators to support the individual needs of students in foster care. Also, school counselors must stay informed of the local district and state policies when it comes to serving students in the foster care system (2022, ASCA).

https://www.schoolcounselor.org/Standards-Positions/Position-Statements/ASCA-Position-Statements/The-School-Counselor-and-Supporting-Students-in-Fo

Reference:
American School Counseling Association (2022). The school counselor and supporting students in foster care. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/Standards-Positions/Position-Statements/ASCA-Position-Statements/The-School-Counselor-and-Supporting-Students-in-Fo

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The School Counselor and Supporting Students in Foster Care

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School counselors recognize students in the foster care system are resilient, have many strengths and may require additional support in obtaining resources, social/emotional care, academic planning and college/career guidance. School counselors recognize it is their duty to be knowledgeable about legislation, resources and needs for students in foster care.

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This article describes:

Students in foster care miss a great deal of school compared to other students putting them at risk.

Most states are slow to share data with school districts and child welfare agencies are called for under the Every Student Succeeds Act, most educators do not even know when a family or student is being investigated.

Many schools struggle to know how to handle absenteeism when it comes to home instability or abuse.

Schools are the most common to report abuse which means that is so important for child welfare systems and schools to work closely together in supporting the family.

Outreach to families with students missing school can help to support the families and also decrease the number of students entering foster care.

The Family First Act provides money for state efforts to reduce the number of students entering foster care as well as reimburse mental health care and classes for parenting skills (Spark, 2019).

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/school-changes-can-help-keep-students-in-class-out-of-foster-system/2019/04

Reference:
Sparks, S. (2019, April 6). School can help keep students in class, out of foster system. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/school-changes-can-help-keep-students-in-class-out-of-foster-system/2019/04

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Toronto
In the United States, entering the child welfare system doubles a student's risk of chronically missing school-but for educators hoping to boost attendance, context is key.

A new study previewed here at the American Educational Research Association's annual meeting suggests that different kinds of family problems can aggravate students' absenteeism in different ways, and schools should work to understand that context when crafting supports to help students get to class.

Kevin Gee, an associate education professor at the University of California Davis, looked at national absenteeism data for a representative sample of 250 school-age students who were involved in a formal child protective services investigation between 2008-09 and 2011-12. That information, which came from the National Survey on Child and Adolescent Well-Being, represented 160,000 students involved in the system.

Eighteen percent of the students missed at least 15 days of school in the year they were involved in investigations, Gee found-twice the national absenteeism rate. Nearly 3 in 4 of those students were investigated because of suspected neglect, but Gee found those students weren't driving the increase in absenteeism. Rather, physical abuse was associated with significantly more school absences than neglect or emotional or sexual abuse. Interestingly, Gee found a student's physical-abuse history was more strongly associated with chronic absenteeism than a student switching foster care placements.

While a few states, such as Oregon, require districts to take student trauma into account when planning to improve student attendance, Gee said many schools know little about how to address issues of abuse or home instability in efforts to address chronic absenteeism. In fact, because most states have been slow to share data among school districts and child welfare agencies as called for under the Every Student Succeeds Act, in many schools, teachers aren't even aware when a student's family is under investigation, much less why.

"The most common reporter of abuse and neglect for adolescents are the schools themselves," said Rob Geen, the director of policy reform and advocacy at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which studies children in foster care. "So having child welfare systems work collaboratively with the schools would ... provide an opportunity to wrap around services and supports to the family. That's better for everyone involved."

Schools Supporting Families

In fact, school outreach to families in distress can be critical to reduce both student absenteeism and the number of students entering foster care, Geen said.

Data released earlier this week by the Casey Foundation show fewer children entering the foster care system, in part due to changes in state and federal laws that encourage more family supports.

The Family First Act, passed last year as part of the Congressional budget reconciliation, provides money for state efforts to reduce the number of children entering foster care, as well as to keep those who are in the system in family placements rather than group homes. The law allows states to reimburse mental health care, drug and alcohol abuse treatment, and in-home training programs to boost parenting skills.

"We're at a sort of unique moment in time, a moment of opportunity right now," Geen said. "States now have new resources and an opportunity to design interventions that are focused on preventing kids from coming into care. If I was an education person, I would want to be at the table providing advice on what I see and what I think is needed."

For students who are removed, the Casey Foundation found the percentage of foster children placed with families, as opposed to group homes, has ticked up over the last decade across all states and Washington, D.C., from 81 percent in 2007 to 86 percent in 2017.

"We believe that if a child can't be with someone they already know, the next best option is a well-supported family that can give them individualized attention and care," Geen said.

That matched Gee's findings. Children placed with a biological or adoptive parent were less likely to miss school than those placed with a relative, he found, and children cared for in homes with more children overall missed more school than students placed in homes with fewer children.

"I think in some ways we need to flip the narrative on absenteeism. We focus a lot on problems with the kids, or drama with the family, but I thing there are also broader systemic issues involved," Gee said.

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School Changes Can Help Keep Students in Class, Out of Foster System

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Toronto In the United States, entering the child welfare system doubles a student's risk of chronically missing school-but for educators hoping to boost attendance, context is key. A new study previewed here at the American Educational Research Association's annual meeting suggests that different kinds of family problems can aggravate students' absenteeism in different ways, and schools should work to understand that context when crafting supports to help students get to class.

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This article describe:

Students in foster care have experienced some type of trauma in their life such as neglect or physical, emotional, or sexual abuse.

By third grade, 83% have already repeated a grade in school.

Only 52% of students in foster care graduate high school  compared to 84% of all students.

Teachers can look for signs of trauma in students by fight, flight, or freeze behaviors.

A goal for classroom teachers would be to create an environment with the least amount of trauma triggers.

Giving students a safe environment, an environment that they feel a sense of control in, and a place where they feel connected can help to support students in foster care (Alber, 2019).

https://www.edutopia.org/article/supporting-students-living-foster-care

Reference:
Alber, R. (2019, August 30). Supporting students living in foster care. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/supporting-students-living-foster-care

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In the U.S. today, more than 400,000 children are in foster care at any given time, and they have a high likelihood of having experienced neglect or physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, according to Jill Rowland, director of the Alliance for Children's Rights.

Rowland told me that the following statistics on students in foster care in my home state of California are representative of the nation as a whole:

By third grade, 83 percent of students in foster care have repeated a grade.

The dropout rate for students in foster care is 31 percent, compared to 10 percent for all students.

Only 52 percent of foster youth graduate high school, compared to 84 percent of all students.

More than 70 percent of foster youth aged 7 and above have experienced trauma and/or exhibit mental health symptoms.

"Teachers can identify signs of trauma and trauma triggers by looking for fight, flight, or freeze behaviors," explains Rowland. "Fight behaviors really mean any large or explosive behaviors that don't seem to line up with whatever was the stimulus or trigger." An example of a fight behavior would be screaming or cursing at a teacher when they ask the student to answer a math problem. Flight behaviors can look like a student checking out, falling asleep in class, always keeping their hoodie up, or hiding under a desk or table. Freeze behaviors can be a student appearing confused when spoken to, or staring blankly when asked a question.

An essential goal for classroom teachers is to create a classroom environment with few potential trauma triggers. According to the U.S. Department of Education, "A positive pre-K-12 education experience has the potential to be a powerful counterweight to the abuse, neglect, separation, impermanence, and other barriers these vulnerable students experience."

Supportive Classroom Practices

When I taught at a public high school in a high poverty part of Los Angeles, I had dozens of students in foster care come through my classroom. Some would be with me for a whole school year, others for just a few months or even weeks. I often felt ill equipped to support them.

What can we do as educators? In my conversation with Rowland, she emphasized that when teachers are assisting struggling students like those in foster care, it's critical to cultivate and maintain a comfortable and safe classroom community.

Creating a sense of safety: Give students additional space when they need it-for example, allow them to leave a group they're working with and sit elsewhere to finish a task independently if they need space.

Giving students a sense of control of their environment: This primarily comes in the form of choices such as asking students where they'd like to sit or how they'd like to complete an assignment.

Working to ensure that students feel connected: Check in with students often so they feel cared for and seen. Rowland recommends the 2x10 method: The teacher spends two minutes, for 10 school days in a row, simply talking to a struggling student about anything of interest to the student-it could be sports or music, for example. Or just ask how the student's day is going. These conversations should not be about schoolwork, homework, home life, or any other stressor, unless the student brings it up.

Use this method to build better relationships with your students who struggle the most, or who give you the hardest time by repeatedly testing boundaries.

Teaching self-regulation skills: Teach students deep breathing and meditation or mindfulness exercises, and allow them to take time out to use these techniques when needed.

There are a couple of other simple things we can do as educators. First, use the term "caregivers" along with "parents" in your classroom. This is inclusive and works for all of your students who are not experiencing a home situation with parents. They'll notice this small but powerful change.

Also, you won't always know if you have a child in foster care in your classroom, but you can just assume that you do and act accordingly-the ideas above are good for all students. Most school districts receive a weekly notification concerning students in foster care and then decide who needs to know a student's foster care status for legitimate educational purposes. "I think that arguably teachers do need to know who their foster youth students are so that they address their needs," says Rowland, "but that is ultimately a district decision."

When a Student Shares Personal Details With You

I had students confide in me that they were in foster care, and I had hunches about others who did not share that with me. According to Rowland, there are several points to keep in mind when a student does share their foster care status with you.

If or when students feel safe and choose to disclose foster care status, it must be on their terms. Make sure the student has a private space to speak with you, and keep in mind that this information is confidential.

Don't ask questions about trauma. Rowland says, "It's important to remember that appropriate interventions don't require the child telling their trauma history, which can often retraumatize a student, but rather can focus on helping a child feel safe."

Be empathic. Use statements like, "That must be so horrible for you," "I'm so sorry you are going through that," and "What can I do to help?" Asking if they need anything-clothing, food, or school supplies-is a signal that you care about their well-being.

Supporting Foster Youth as They Exit the System

About 20,000 students exit foster care each year-a process also called emancipation or aging out. If you're teaching high school juniors or seniors who have discussed their foster care status with you, you can guide them to a resource called the Foster Care Transition Toolkit and offer time during lunch or before or after school to read through it together. This toolkit is intended to help the students access the information and resources they need to begin their transition to young adulthood. It's also a resource for caring and supportive adults in their lives so they are best informed during this transition.

"Teachers often have a profound impact on the students they connect with, and that is especially true in the turbulent lives of foster youth," explains Rowland. "Many of the youth that I work with talk about the teachers and other adults at school that they felt cared for them and who inspired them to pursue their education."

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Supporting Students Living in Foster Care

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In the U.S. today, more than 400,000 children are in foster care at any given time, and they have a high likelihood of having experienced neglect or physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, according to Jill Rowland, director of the Alliance for Children's Rights.

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According to a recent study, one-third of foster students transitioned to a minimum of five schools before they entered the age of 18 causing them to become invisible to educators resulting in missing valuable health and educational information (Foulk & Esposito, 2016). Students in foster care need lots of support to help them transition into new school settings when placed in foster care homes. They need to feel a sense of belonging. Students in foster care often struggle with depression, anxiety, loneliness, and are often absent from school. Through the counseling role, it is important to understand how important laws are in dealing with students in foster care. School counselors have a code of ethics to follow when certain situations arise. I have learned so much valuable information that will help me in my future role as a school counselor. Also, school counselors can serve as advocates for students in foster care by informing teachers of ways that they can support and help students in foster care in the classroom. I think that more emphasis and resources should be put in place for students in foster care. This past school year, I worked with two students in foster care this past year and I feel that these students need more resources to be able to be successful in the school setting. I want to educate others on how to support students in foster care. This is a topic that I feel passionate about and want others to have an understanding about so that we can all work together in supporting and providing the best resources for students in foster care. These students experience trauma and deal with many life changes, so it is important for the school setting to provide the stability needed for students to be successful.

Reference:
Foulk, S. M. & Esposito, M. C. K. (2016). Ensuring educational equity for children and youth in foster care. Leadership, 46(1), 30-33

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School counselors must adhere to the legal and ethical principles when it comes to serving as an advocate for students in foster care.

It's important to remember that a child in foster care still has family that they love and care about and to reach out to the child's caseworker before reaching out to a family member to verify if there are no contract restrictions.

Students in foster care are entitled to remain in the same school unless it is not in their best interest.

Building trust between child welfare systems and school is essential in working with students in foster care to improve academic success.

All new school employees must be trained in neglect, child abuse, human trafficking, and sexual abuse as part of new orientation training.

Trainings and resources should be provided about foster care to school districts and campuses and can be coordinated with child welfare and community partners to increase cross-system awareness

Texas law requires the Family Department of Protective Services to enroll a student in foster care within 3 days of being placed.

When a student is transitioned from one school to another, it is important for the schools to work together making sure that all records were transferred.

Local Educational Agencies must maintain confidentiality  of information that was shared and only use it to benefit the well being of the student in foster care.

Schools can create a safe and connected environment where students in foster care can build resilience.

Take time to build positive relationships and trust with students in foster care so that they will feel valued and understood.

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The Texas Education Agency has created a resource guide to support foster care students and promote success in their education. The Texas Education Agency has collaborated with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and the Supreme Court of Texas to develop a resource for educators to address the needs of students in foster care. This guide is a great resource for school counselors to have accessible to learn about more ways that we can be a support system for students in foster care (Foster Care and Student Success, 2022).

https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/2022-fcss-resource-guide.pdf

Reference:
Texas Education Agency (2022). Foster care and student success: Texas systems working together to transform education outcomes of students in foster care. https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/2022-fcss-resource-guide.pdf

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Federal Statutory Law:
According to The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), this federal law protects the privacy of student records, however students in foster care; FERPA allows the school to share the records with the state or local child welfare worker without the parents' consent or agreement (FERPA, 34 CFR § 99.31)

Records of students in foster care are able to be shared without parent consent in situations where the child welfare worker needs access.

State Statutory Law:
According to the Texas Education Code, a student placed in foster care shall attend the public schools in the district in which the foster parents live free of charge (25 TEC § 25.001(f)).

This gives the student the support and resources needed in the place where the foster parent lives.

References:
Admission, 25 TEC § 25.001(f).
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, 34 CFR § 99.31

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Federal Law:
In the United State Supreme Court Case, Smith v. Organization of Foster Families, the foster parents whose foster children had been removed filed suit against the state of New York and the city of New York, stating that the removal procedures violated the child's due process and equal protection.
(Smith v. Organization of Foster Families, 1977)

In the court case, Prince v. Massachusetts, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the government has authority to regulate the treatment of children if the child's welfare is in harm.
(Prince v. Massachusetts, 1944).

State Law:
In the court case, M.D. v. Abbott, decided to require changes to Texas's foster care system. The case filed a federal civil rights suit stating that Texas's foster care system harmed the children through abuse, neglect, and their well-being. Judge ruled in favor of children that Texas must make changes to it's foster care system.
(M.D. v. Abbott, 2020)

References:
M.D. v. Abbott, 19-41015 (2020)
Prince v. Massachusetts, 321 U.S. 158 (1944)
Smith v. Organization of Foster Families for Equality and Reform, 431 U.S. 816 (1977)

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According to the Center ISD 2021-2022 Student Handbook, a student in foster care who enrolls after the beginning of the school year will be allowed credit by examination at any time during the school year and the district will assess the available records to determine the credit transfers before the student's enrollment. According the Center ISD 2021-2022 Student Handbook, " a student in the conservatorship of the state who is moved outside the district’s or school’s attendance boundaries—or who is initially placed in the conservatorship of the state and moved outside the district’s or school’s boundaries—is entitled to remain at the school the student was attending prior to the placement or move until the student reaches the highest grade level at that particular school"(Center ISD, 2021, p. 19).

In the Center ISD Student Handbook, there is a section on how to support students in foster care. It explains how credits are transferred and also discusses the best situation possible for the child be successful so that academic success is reached. Emphasis is placed on students in foster care, which will provide the support and resources for students in foster care to exhibit performance in achievement.

Reference:
Center Independent School District (2021). Center Independent School District 2021-2022 Student Handbook.https://www.centerisd.org/upload/page/0073/21-22StudentHandbook.pdf

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According to the American School Counselor Association Standard A. 1. (c), school counselors support all students and work to eliminate barriers that hinder student performance and development (ASCA, 2016).

School counselors must create a positive learning environment for students in foster care by working with others to provide the best situation possible so that learning can take place.

School counselors are responsible for working with students in foster care to eliminate bias or barriers that work against them by supporting them and providing resources that will help them succeed in school. Creating a safe and connected environment for students in foster care will help them to trust and build a relationship. When students know that you care about them, then they will want to share information and ask for help.

Reference:
American School Counselor Association. (2016). ASCA ethical standards for school counselors. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/44f30280-ffe8-4b41-9ad8-f15909c3d164/EthicalStandards.pdf

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Federal Law:
According the United States Department of Education, Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA), this law holds public schools accountable for how students learn and achieve while also providing an equal opportunity for disadvantaged students (Every Student Succeeds Act, 2015).

Collaboration is essential between education agencies and child welfare agencies.

Collaboration on the best decision making processes between child welfare and education agencies to determine if child should remain in original school if it is child's best interest.

State Law:
According to the Texas Administrative Code, caregivers are responsible for receiving educational information such as report cards and information received from school authorities  (749 TAC §749.1893).

It is important for educators at school districts to support the home and school connection by staying in contact with caregivers of students in foster care to provide the support needed.

School counselors can help bridge the gap between the home and school by collaborating and communicating with teachers, caregivers, and welfare child workers.

References:
Every Student Succeeds Act, 20 U.S.C. § 6301. (2015).
Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies, 749. Tex. Admin. Code §749.1893

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Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) | U.S. Department of Education

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Federal Law:
Under the Fourteenth Amendment, under the due process clause, parents have rights to make decisions when it comes to the management of their children such as companionship, care, and custody (US Const. amend. XIV)

Parents require the right to a notice and a hearing before children are taken from their parents.

Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act, 2008)

The importance of school stability, maintaining the school in which the school was enrolled.

Coordination between child welfare and education agencies.

All records need to be sent to new school if staying in the same school is not in the child's best interest.

State Law:
The Family Code outlines the bill of rights for foster children in Chapter 263 (263 TFC § 263.008).

The bill of rights are designed to inform foster children their rights within the child welfare system.

The Family Code outlines child welfare services in Chapter in 264 and also explains the educational stability (264 TFC § 264.1072).

References:

Child Welfare Services, 264 TFC § 264.1072).
Foster Children's Bill of Rights, 263 TFC § 263.008.
Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act, Pub. L. No. 110-351 (2008)
U.S. Const. amend. XIV.

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Foster Children Bill of Rights and Foster Parent Bill of Rights are designed to inform foster children and foster parents of their rights within the child welfare system. Many children's bill of rights provide that they must be posted in a place where children will see them and include provisions requiring foster children to be informed about why they are in foster care and how the process will proceed. In addition, participation in extracurricular or community activities, efforts to maintain educational stability, access to guardians ad litem, access to mental, behavioral and physical health care, access to or communication with siblings and family members are major features of the foster children's bill of rights. Included in statute in 14 states is the requirement that foster parents use a reasonable and prudent parenting standard, particularly when making decisions regarding foster children's participation in extracurricular or other activities.

Foster Children's Bill of Rights have been enacted in 15 states and Puerto Rico and Foster Parent Bill of Rights have been enacted in 17 states. Also, during the 2014 legislative session, ten states introduced fifteen bills (six enacted) either seeking to enact a bill of rights or otherwise extending or defining the rights of foster children and parents including independent living services for older youth, educational consistency and enrollment, foster child input into evaluations of out-of-home care placements, and extracurricular activities.

New federal legislation, Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act of 2014 (H.R. 4980), now requires state child welfare agencies to:

Ensure that children in foster care age 14 or older participate in the development of, or revision to, his or her case plan which must describe the foster child's rights.

View the statutes providing for Foster Children's Bill of Rights and Foster Parent's Bill of Rights below.
The box allows you to conduct a full text search or use the dropdown menu option to select a state.
About This NCSL Project

The Denver-based child welfare project staff focuses on state policy, tracking legislation and providing research and policy analysis, consultation, and technical assistance specifically geared to the legislative audience. Denver staff can be reached at (303) 364-7700 or childwelfare@ncsl.org.

NCSL staff in Washington, D.C. track and analyze federal legislation and policy and represent state legislatures on child welfare issues before Congress and the Administration. Staff in D.C. can be reached at (202) 624-5400 or cyf-info@ncsl.org.

Additional Resources

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national conference of state legislatures

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Foster Children Bill of Rights and Foster Parent Bill of Rights are designed to inform foster children and foster parents of their rights within the child welfare system. Many children's bill of rights provide that they must be posted in a place where children will see them and include provisions requiring foster children to be informed about why they are in foster care and how the process will proceed.

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1)Working with Students in Foster Care is very important when it comes to the school counseling role. As a school counselor, it is my duty to provide a safe and welcoming environment for students that are transitioning into foster care. Students in foster care face many different challenges and obstacles that put them at risk for their educational success. These students may be absent many days of school due to being placed in one home and then moving to another. The trauma that they have experienced also puts them at risk for academic failure. These factors cause them to not feel safe and secure. As a result, many students in foster care suffer from mental health issues, anxiety, depression and many other health issues. School counselors and other school staff can help these students to feel comfortable and accepted, so that learning can take place. Schools must utilize different methods to help these students feel safe and secure to support academic excellence for these students. When foster care students travel from one school to another and get placed in foster homes, it puts these students at risk and also creates a barrier and causes a negative impact on their educational success (Levy et al., 2014). As educators, we can all work together to support foster care students and promote academic excellence. It is important for other educators to understand the importance of supporting our students in foster care.

2)Three best practices related to working with students in foster care are:

It is important to identify students who are in foster care, so that the necessary resources can be provided so that they reach their full maximum potential.

Collaborating and working with child welfare workers can help to increase the well-being and development of students in foster care.

Students placed in foster care should be enrolled immediately and placed in the least restrictive educational setting. These students often miss many days of school due to transitions in placement.

3) Students in foster care are already at risk causing them to have trouble in school. Foster care children often feel insecure and unstable due to so many changes in placement and welfare workers often resulting in trusting bonds being broken (Jackson & Cersaroni, 2021). As school counselors forming a relationship with these students and working together with child welfare workers can improve the development and well-being of a child in foster care. Knowing how to support these students and have the necessary training in working with students can help to support their learning environments making them feel confident and resilient. If all educators can work together in supporting students in foster care, we will see these students overcome their challenges and grow up to be life-long learners.

I interviewed Lynne Williams, who is currently an elementary school counselor at Center ISD. We discussed the topic of students in foster care. L. Williams (personal communication, July 18, 2022) explained that this was a topic that she really felt that she may need more training in and had experience with students in foster care but really felt like she needed more information to support them better. She has been a counselor for many years. Students in foster care get left out and are sometimes invisible and to ask the front office workers to please make sure to take a picture of a child welfare worker's ID badge so that documentation would be present in order to know what students are in foster care or dealing with CPS issues (L. Williams, personal communication, July 18, 2022). L. Williams (personal communication, July18, 2022) stated that this would be reliable information so that she could visit with this student to make sure that they were okay and also gather more information about the student so the necessary resources could be provided. L. Williams (personal communication, July 18, 2022) explained that building a relationship with students in foster care was the first step to success and when they feel that they can trust you then they will open up more. These students are also considered at risk, so that knowing which students are in foster care is very valuable information (L. Williams, personal communication, July 18, 2022). L. Williams (personal communication, July 18, 2022) stated that she wished there was a better way to know when a child was in foster care but sometimes she didn't always know, which made her feel that she wasn't able to support the needs of all students she served that were placed in foster care. I definitely feel that this is an issue that many school districts deal with, however; we must all work together to identify students in foster care so that they can receive the support they need. We need to have a better system in identifying our students at risk, especially students in foster care.

References:
Jackson, D. & Cersaroni, C. (2021). Striving for success: Youth formerly in foster care and their ability to lead successful lives. Child Welfare, 99(2), 1-20.

Levy, M. G., Garstka, T. A., Lieberman, A., Thompson, B., Metzenthin, J. & Noble, J. (2014).

The educational experience of youth in foster care. Journal of At-Risk Issues, 18(2), 11-19.