The Board of Trustees recognizes its obligation to ensure that foster youth have access to the academic resources, services and extracurricular and enrichment activities that are available to District students. The District shall provide students in foster care within the district with access to educational opportunities and other services necessary to help such students achieve the District's performance standards.
(cf. 6011- Academic Standards)
(cf. 6145 - Extracurricular and Cocurricular Activities)
(cf. 6173 - Education for Homeless Children)
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.
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 regarding the enrollment, placement, and rights of foster youth.
(cf. 4131 - Staff Development)
(cf. 4231 - Staff Development)
(cf. 4331 - Staff Development)
The Superintendent or designee shall collaborate with the county placing agency and other appropriate agencies to ensure maximum utilization of available funds and to meet the educational needs of foster youth within the District. 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.
(cf. 1010 - Youth Services)
(cf. 1400 - Relations between Other Governmental Agencies and the Schools)
(cf. 5141.6 - Student Health and Social Services)
(cf. 5149 - At-Risk Students)
The Superintendent or designee shall regularly report to the Board on the educational outcomes of foster youth enrolled in the District including, but not limited to, school attendance, student achievement test results, promotion and retention rates by grade level, and graduation rates.
(cf. 0500 - Accountability)
(cf. 5123 - Promotion/Acceleration/Retention)
(cf. 6162.31 - Standardized Testing and Reporting Program)
(cf. 6162.32 - High School Exit Examination)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
42920-42925 Foster children educational services
48645.1 Juvenile court schools
48645.5 Acceptance of coursework
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
56055 Rights of foster parents in special education
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
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 29
794 Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 42
11431-11435 McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
Management Resources:
CSBA PUBLICATIONS
Educating Foster Youth: Best Practices and Board Considerations, Policy Brief, March 2008
AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION PUBLICATIONS
Mythbusting: Breaking Down Confidentiality and Decision-Making Barriers to Meet the Education Needs of Children in Foster Care, 2005
WEB SITES
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
California Department of Education, Foster Youth Services: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/pf/fy
California Department of Social Services, Foster Youth Ombudsman Office: http://www.fosteryouthhelp.ca.gov
California Youth Connection: http://www.calyouthconn.org/site/cyc
Cities, Counties, Schools Partnership: http://www.ccspartnership.org/default.cfm
Policy CARLSBAD UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: July 26, 2006 Carlsbad, California
revised: August 13, 2008