Foster Youth

cartoon of 5 students looking at sun

Foster Youth

The foster care system is a temporary arrangement in which adults provide for the care of a child or children whose birth parent is unable to care for them. When a child is in foster care this can affect his/her education due to circumstances beyond his or her control. By providing on-site services, students will have increased opportunities for success. The foster youth liaison works with each foster youth student attending CUSD providing the following support. Assembly Bill 490 (2003) created new rights and duties related to the education of dependents and wards in foster care. Students in foster care must have access to the same academic resources, services, extracurricular and enrichment activities available to all students.  All educational and school placement decisions must be based on the child's best interests and consider, among other factors, educational stability and the least restrictive educational setting necessary to achieve academic progress.  EC 48850(a)(1), 48853(h); WIC 361(a)(5), 726(c)(2)

School Stability

If the court’s jurisdiction ends while the child is in high school, the right to remain in the school of origin lasts through graduation. EC 48853.5(e)(1)-(4)

Immediate Enrollment

If a foster child changes schools, s/he has a right to be enrolled in the new school immediately, even if there are outstanding fees, fines, textbooks, or other items or money due to a school or if s/he does not have the clothing or records normally required for enrollment, including but not limited to academic records, medical records, proof of immunization history, proof of residency, or school uniforms. EC 48853.5(e)(8)(B)

A student shall not be denied enrollment or readmission to a public school solely on the basis that s/he has had contact with the juvenile justice system, including but not limited to arrest, adjudication by a juvenile court, supervision by a probation officer, detention in a juvenile facility, or enrollment in a juvenile court school. EC 48645.5(b)