Foster Youth
Foster Youth Services
Foster Youth Services in Washington Unified School District are administered in partnership with the Yolo County Office of Education. The Yolo Countywide Foster Youth Services Program is funded by a grant from the California Department of Education.
Purpose
Foster youth often experience numerous changes in placement and interruption in school. The emotional adjustments of these changes combined with the stress of falling behind in school can be overwhelming. Students place the high school graduation rate of foster youth between 38% and 46%. In order to support foster children academically and emotionally, the FYS program was established to meet these needs.
Foster Educational Rights
In accordance with AB 490 foster youth have the right to:
- Remain in their school of origin for the duration of the school year.
- Immediately enroll in school even if they are missing records normally needed for school enrollment.
- Attend a regular, mainstream school unless they have an IEP requiring a different educational placement, or the person with educational rights determines that it is in the child's best interest to attend a different educational program or remain in his/her school of origin.
- Have their school records transferred in a timely manner (2 days).
- Have their grades protected. A youth's grades cannot be lowered due to absences caused by a change in placement, attendance at a court hearing, or a court ordered activity.
- Receive partial credits. Schools must award all students credit for full or partial coursework satisfactorily completed at another public school, a juvenile court school, or a non-public, non-sectarian school.
Services
- Ensure that the rights of foster youth are being protected in accordance with AB 490.
- Tutoring
- Workshops (financial aid, career exploration, life skills, postsecondary education, self-advocacy)
- Support youth in completing their high school education
- Assistance with the transition from high school to post-secondary education
- Provide school supplies and resources necessary for successful educational outcomes