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Fostering Success in Education: Educational Outcomes of Students in Foster Care in the United States

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Abstract

Supporting educational needs of students in foster care is a fundamental responsibility of child welfare agencies, education agencies, and courts. The systems and all other sectors of the community such as business, housing, health care, voluntary sector and faith-based organisations must work together to improve policies and practices. For more than a decade, momentum has grown at the federal, state and local levels to prioritize the educational needs of students in foster care. Increased data collection and reporting at state and local levels helps evaluate what programs are working and identify where interventions are needed. This Chapter reviews research and promising programs in the U.S. affecting the educational success of children in foster care.

This chapter reprints a sub-set of material, with some adaptation, from the National Working Group on Foster Care and Education. (2018). Fostering success in education: educational outcomes of students in foster care. Washington, D.C.: American Bar Association. Retrieved from http://www.fostercareandeducation.org/desktopmodules/bring2mind/dmx/download.aspx?entryid=2100&command=core_download&method=inline&portalid=0&tabid=124. We are grateful to the national work group members who have provided information to make this resource a valuable compilation of data, research, and promising interventions. For a full list of national working group members see http://www.fostercareandeducation.org/ourwork/nationalworkinggroup.aspx. This publication was compiled by the Legal Center for Foster Care and Education, a project of the ABA Center on Children and The Law, with the Education Law Center and Juvenile Law Center. Copyright 2018, ABA Center on Children and the Law. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and have not been approved by the House of Delegates or the Board of Governors of the American Bar Association and, accordingly, should not be viewed as representing the policy of the ABA. For more information visit www.fostercareandeducation.org.

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National Working Group on Foster Care and Education., Pecora, P.J., O’Brien, K. (2019). Fostering Success in Education: Educational Outcomes of Students in Foster Care in the United States. In: McNamara, P., Montserrat, C., Wise, S. (eds) Education in Out-of-Home Care. Children’s Well-Being: Indicators and Research, vol 22. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26372-0_3

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