Youth in foster care have had their lives uprooted by removal. How can we make sure they stay on track in school through trauma and crisis?
Back to school time is one of the most exciting times of the year for both parents and their children. Many kids look forward to new friends, new teachers and a chance for a fresh start.
But what if your first day at a new school isn’t by choice? If you’re forced to switch schools mid-year? What if you no longer have a familiar environment to come home to?
This is reality for the 350,000 foster children in the United States. Although agencies try their best to keep youth removed from their home in the same school district, sometimes it doesn’t happen.
So how do we make the transition smoother for children who have already experienced so much trauma?
The impact of foster care on academic performance
Before we dive into the solution, let’s take a closer look at the problem.
Here are some of the facts pertaining to foster youth and education according to the National Foster Youth Institute.
- Youth in foster care drop out of high school at 3 times the rate of other low-income children
- Only 50% of foster children will finish high school
- Of those, only 2-6% will finish a 2-year degree, and less than 5% will earn a four-year degree
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, adults 25 and older that didn’t graduate have the highest unemployment rates and the lowest median weekly earnings, demonstrating how important it is for all youth to graduate high school.
What are the barriers for youth in foster care to achieve educational stability?
Let’s look at some of the obstacles these youth face. Both physical and emotional disruptions to a placement can affect a child in foster care.
Most barriers to a foster child’s education are caused by missed classroom time.
How placement disruptions affect foster youth in school
What is a placement disruption? Placement disruption refers to a child’s removal from their foster home at the foster parent’s request. This tends to happen more frequently the longer the youth is in the child welfare system.
For example, over 60% of the children who have been in the foster care system for two or more years have gone through at least three placements. This heartbreaking story from Kentucky highlights the story of a youth that had been in an estimated 60 foster homes by the time they were in middle school.
School transitions happen less when children are placed with family or other loved ones, known as kinship care. Unfortunately, less than 50% of children who are removed from their homes end up being placed with a biological relative.
Why foster youth struggle with school attendance
Children who are in foster care miss more school than their peers. A national study found that children ages 5-8 missed an average of 25 school days per year, over double the rate of their classmates.
Situations of physical or emotional neglect also lead to an increase in medical or therapy appointments and absences for them as they begin to heal.
Transportation can also be an issue. School districts and local child welfare agencies must collaborate to make sure the student has transportation to their original school, which can be difficult in rural districts.
For younger children, this impacts the basic building blocks of education (often seen in lower math and reading comprehension testing). For older youth, these disruptions add to the time spent catching up after removal and eventually school avoidance.
Any of these situations can increase stress for the child in care, which can lead to behavioral issues.
Behavioral issues in the classroom and exclusionary discipline
Statistics show that older foster youth are twice as likely to face out-of-school suspension (known as exclusionary discipline) on top of other education disruptions. Traumatized youth often display attention-seeking behavior, leading to disciplinary action.
While trauma-informed districts and schools exist, it’s not promised that all teachers in the United States have received training. Meaning a child might not be getting what they need to deescalate the situation.
Strategies for improving education outcomes for foster children
The first thing that a foster parent can do to put their child on a path to academic success is pretty straightforward. Arranging a meeting with your child’s teacher or teachers is a great way to start, especially if they have not been through trauma-informed training.
In addition, stay on top of your youth’s schoolwork. Know when important dates are (tests, end of marking periods, due dates for large assignments like term papers) and make sure they are keeping up. Ask educators, your agency or other foster parents what resources are available to help your child succeed.
Be ready to be a part of a team effort in regards to schooling to create continuity – that means the foster parents, clinical team and school district are on the same page. Eric, a foster parent in Pennsylvania has found that this team approach is the key to success when he is giving feedback to the youth in his care.
“It’s not just one person’s oddball ideas,” He said. “All of these other adults are on the same page. It makes (his foster child) realize he needs to listen because they’re consistently saying this to him.
“It’s not just me. It’s five or six other people reinforcing it.”
Encourage your foster child to express any challenges they are having in school
We tell our children that they can always count on us for help, but we can learn from them, too. When a child is struggling in school, they may be the best person to help you solve the puzzle of why – especially when they’re at a new school.
Is their home study area comfortable for them? Is there a TV close by that’s causing distractions if they need quiet? Do they prefer to work in complete silence or with a little background noise?
Finding out how your child learns best can make a huge difference.
“We ended up getting a boy who had been out of school for a year, and his grades weren’t the best,” said Florida foster parent Jen. “In the year that he was with us, he went from having Ds and Fs to straight As. He got student of the month three times; student of the week twice.
“He just completely blossomed in a year, which was great for us because he wasn’t a fan of school. By the end he was planning his next year and was so excited.”
Depending on your agency and relationship, asking a biological parent how their child learns best is also an option. It may be awkward, but the goal of most placements is reunification. Finding common ground via education is a great way to build a coparenting relationship.
Helping foster youth continue to learn during transitions
If the worst happens, and a child is removed from a placement or they get expelled from their current school district, all hope is not lost.
In Pittsburgh, a Cayuga Centers clinician recounts the time their team went above and beyond to make sure a youth didn’t lose ground after they were expelled and a new school was being sought.
The treatment team created the “Cayuga School” out of an unused office and decorated it for their age level. The youth kept up their studies, routine and structure and was eventually admitted to a new school.
“We had a little graduation for him, and he made a graduation cap from paper and then gave a little speech,” said clinician Peggy Buckley. “In that speech, he said that he was grateful for his time at ‘Cayuga School.’”
If a child is in between schools, Buckley offers this advice:
“It’s helpful to work on worksheets with them,” she says. “When they’re not in the school setting you still figure out a way, whether you’re using your treatment team or, if you don’t have a treatment team, using your natural supports to create structure and stability for the youth.
“The school day not only provides [youth] that education, but it entertains the youth for an extended period of time throughout the day, and it provides consistency and structure that enhances the safety and sense of predictability that the kids have to get through the day.”
The critical need for a consistent learning environment for children in foster care
The numbers are clear. Adults who are without a high school diploma earn over $180 less per week than their peers who graduate – that’s over $9,500 less per year. Obtaining a diploma or GED is crucial for all youth to succeed in the workforce.
We must ensure that children who have already been through so much are given the chance to thrive. This begins by providing them with safe and loving homes, laying the groundwork for their future success.
Once you help your child remove barriers and strengthen their foundation for learning, the sky’s the limit.
“Occasionally I’ll get emails from a teacher saying that (foster child) is becoming their favorite student,” Eric shares. “He’s getting recognition and awards even though in prior weeks he was getting suspended.
“There are these glimmering examples of what happens when everyone is really helping.” If you would like to make a difference in the life of a foster child, contact us today to learn more about Treatment Family Foster Care. Not ready to foster? No problem. Think about being an Ambassador, donate or share a social media post (or this blog) to bring attention to the need for foster parents.
