BP 6173.1 - EDUCATION FOR FOSTER YOUTH

Instruction > Board Policy 6173.1 - Education for Foster Youth

The Board of Trustees recognizes that foster youth may face significant barriers to achieving academic success due to their family circumstances, disruption to their educational program, and their emotional, social, and other health needs. To enable such students to achieve state and district academic standards, the Superintendent or designee shall provide them with full access to the district's educational program and implement strategies identified as necessary for the improvement of the academic achievement of foster youth in the district's local control and accountability plan (LCAP).

The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that placement decisions for foster youth are based on the students' best interests as defined in law and administrative regulation. To that end, he/she shall designate a staff person as a district liaison for foster youth to help facilitate the enrollment, placement, and transfer of foster youth and other related rights.

The Superintendent or designee and district liaison shall ensure that all appropriate staff, including, but not limited to, each principal, school registrar, and attendance clerk, receive training on the enrollment, placement, and rights of foster youth.

The Board desires to provide foster youth with a safe, positive learning environment that is free from discrimination and harassment and that promotes students' self- esteem and academic achievement. The Superintendent or designee shall develop strategies to build a foster youth’s feeling of connectedness with his/her school, including, but not limited to, strategies that promote positive discipline and conflict resolution, the development of resiliency and interpersonal skills, and the involvement of foster parents, group home administrators, and/or other caretakers in school programs and activities.

To address the needs of foster youth and help ensure the maximum utilization of available funds, the Superintendent or designee shall collaborate with local agencies and officials including, but not limited to, the county placing agency, social services, probation officers, and juvenile court officers. The Superintendent or designee shall explore the feasibility of entering into agreements with these groups to coordinate services and protect the rights of foster youth.

EDUCATION CODE
32228-32228.5 Student safety and violence prevention
42920-42925 Foster children educational services
48645-48646 Juvenile court schools
48850-48859 Educational placement of students residing in licensed children's institutions
49061 Student records
49069.5 Foster care students, transfer of records
49076 Access to student records
51225.3 High school graduation
56055 Rights of foster parents in special education
60851 High school exit examination

HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE
1522.41 Training and certification of group home administrators
1529.2 Training of licensed foster parents

WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE
300 Children subject to jurisdiction
309 Investigation and release of child
361 Limitations on parental or guardian control
366.27 Educational decision by relative providing living arrangements
602 Minors violating law; ward of court
726 Limitations on parental or guardian control
727 Order of care, ward of court
16000-16014 Foster care placement 

UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 29
794 Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504

UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 42
670-679b Federal assistance for foster care programs
11431-11435 McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

 

Adopted: March 21, 2013
Revised: November 13, 2014
Evergreen School District, San Jose, California