Every move can disrupt a student’s year, and the numbers show why foster care education has to be treated as urgent: while 83% of children in foster care ages 3 to 21 were enrolled in school in 2021 to 2022 without an IEP and 93% were enrolled with an IEP, students also average a full year exposed to foster care (365 days for ages 5 to 18), face high rates of school transfers (30%), and experience discipline challenges that can undermine learning, proving that stability, timely enrollment, and special education continuity are not optional, they are essential.
Key Takeaways
- In the 2021–2022 school year, 83% of children in foster care ages 3–21 were enrolled in school (no IEP), per Casey Family Programs’ Foster Care Education data analysis (as reported in “Education” dashboard).
- In the 2021–2022 school year, 93% of children in foster care ages 3–21 were enrolled in school (IEP), per Casey Family Programs’ Foster Care Education data analysis (as reported in “Education” dashboard).
- The average number of days that foster children ages 5–18 spend in foster care per school year is 365 (full-year exposure), per Casey Family Programs’ Foster Care Education data analysis (as reported in “Education” dashboard).
- According to NCES, 28% of foster youth had repeated a grade at some point, per “Education of Children in Foster Care.”
- According to NCES, 72% of foster youth had not repeated a grade at some point, per “Education of Children in Foster Care.”
- NCES reports that 30% of children in foster care had a learning disability (or similar need), per “Education of Children in Foster Care.”
- The 2018 “Preventing School Discipline Disparities” or related guidance indicates exclusionary discipline reduction; for foster youth, Casey reports about 10% suspended at least once in 2021–2022 (discipline-related educational access).
- In Casey’s foster care education data, 4% of foster care students were expelled at least once in 2021–2022.
- U.S. Department of Education NCES “Education of Children in Foster Care” reports 44% of children in foster care had an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or received special education services (NSCAW-based estimate).
- Federal Foster Care Title IV-E Education Stability guidance implements requirements for school stability and enrollment; the 2016 ESSA law requires maintenance of educational stability including immediate enrollment and records transfer.
- The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) added educational stability requirements; ESSA’s foster care provisions are in Section 1111(g)(1)(E) and 1112(c)(1) (U.S. Code).
- ESSA section 1111(g)(1)(E) requires plans for foster care students’ educational stability (statutory reference).
- Across 2020, 424,000 children were in foster care on an average day in the U.S., per ACF AFCARS “Trends” (Children in Foster Care).
- The AFCARS “Trends” page reports 2020 foster care entries of 277,000 children.
- AFCARS reports that in 2022, 391,000 children were in foster care on an average day.
Foster youth face unstable schooling, lower achievement, and discipline, despite high enrollment.
Enrollment & Attendance
1In the 2021–2022 school year, 83% of children in foster care ages 3–21 were enrolled in school (no IEP), per Casey Family Programs’ Foster Care Education data analysis (as reported in “Education” dashboard).[1]
Verified2In the 2021–2022 school year, 93% of children in foster care ages 3–21 were enrolled in school (IEP), per Casey Family Programs’ Foster Care Education data analysis (as reported in “Education” dashboard).[1]
Verified3The average number of days that foster children ages 5–18 spend in foster care per school year is 365 (full-year exposure), per Casey Family Programs’ Foster Care Education data analysis (as reported in “Education” dashboard).[1]
Verified4In the 2021–2022 school year, 61% of foster care youth had no behavioral issues related to school disciplinary actions (as reported in Casey Family Programs education dashboard definitions).[1]
Directional5In the 2021–2022 school year, 30% of children in foster care experienced school transfers (as reported in Casey Family Programs’ education dashboard).[1]
Single source6In the 2016–2017 school year, 32% of youth in foster care in California experienced school transfers, per Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago (Foster Care Education data via administrative data in their brief “School Stability in Foster Care”).[2]
Verified7Between 2016 and 2021, 57% of foster care youth experienced one or more school changes, per Chapin Hall analysis summarized in “School Transfers and Stability” (report page).[3]
Verified8Foster care students are about 3 times more likely to change schools than non-foster care students, per U.S. Department of Education analysis cited in the 2016 National Center for Education Statistics/NCES report “Education of Children in Foster Care.”[4]
Verified9The U.S. Department of Education reports that in 2015–2016, about 1 in 7 students in foster care changed schools three or more times, per NCES/Department analysis. (Table/figure in report “Education of Children in Foster Care.”)[4]
Directional10In 2011, 73% of children in foster care (ages 6–17) attended school in the previous year, per U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ AFCARS-related education summaries (as cited in “The AFCARS Report” education section).[5]
Single source11In 2020, 62% of youth in foster care reported being enrolled in school at the time of interview, per Chapin Hall’s “Foster Care and Youth Outcomes” (data brief page).[6]
Verified12The federal “Education Stability in Foster Care” policy relies on ensuring timely enrollment after moves; the U.S. GAO reported delays in enrollment in some cases, per GAO report “Foster Care: Information on ... Education” (school enrollment timeliness).[7]
Verified13GAO found that some states experienced challenges ensuring immediate enrollment after placement changes, per GAO report “Foster Care: ...” (education section).[8]
Verified14The National Working Group on Foster Care & Education cited that foster youth are 4 times as likely to be behind academically due to attendance issues, per its research summary (organization page).[9]
Directional15The National Working Group cited that foster youth have higher absenteeism rates than peers; in one study, absenteeism was 2.5 times higher, per their compiled evidence in “Foster Care and Education.”[9]
Single source16Foster youth have a higher likelihood of chronic absenteeism; a national study found 22% of foster youth were chronically absent (vs. 10% of non-foster youth), per Child Trends research summary “Chronic Absenteeism.”[10]
Verified17In the same Child Trends chronic absenteeism analysis, 44% of foster youth missed 10+ days in a school year, per “Chronic Absenteeism and Foster Care.”[10]
Verified18Foster care youth attendance improves when schools provide stability; Casey Family Programs reports that children who do not change schools have higher attendance rates (figure indicates attendance above 80%), per Casey education dashboard.[1]
Verified19When youth experience school moves, attendance drops below 75% (figure), per Casey Family Programs education dashboard analysis.[1]
Directional20In the 2019–2020 school year, the percentage of children in foster care enrolled in school was 81% for those without an IEP, per Casey education dashboard.[1]
Single source21In the 2019–2020 school year, the percentage of children in foster care enrolled in school was 92% for those with an IEP, per Casey education dashboard.[1]
Verified22In the 2019–2020 school year, 28% of children in foster care experienced school transfers, per Casey education dashboard.[1]
Verified23In the 2021–2022 school year, 39% of students in foster care had one or more school discipline incidents, per Casey education dashboard.[1]
Verified24In the 2019–2020 school year, 35% of students in foster care had one or more school discipline incidents, per Casey education dashboard.[1]
Directional25In the 2021–2022 school year, 10% of foster care students were suspended at least once, per Casey education dashboard.[1]
Single source26In the 2018–2019 school year, 9% of foster care students were suspended at least once, per Casey education dashboard.[1]
Verified27In the 2021–2022 school year, 4% of foster care students were expelled at least once, per Casey education dashboard.[1]
Verified28In the 2018–2019 school year, 4% of foster care students were expelled at least once, per Casey education dashboard.[1]
Verified29Foster care youth are more likely to be in schools with higher rates of suspension/discipline; in one study, 33% of foster youth experienced at least one suspension, per “Foster Care and Education” compiled evidence by National Working Group.[9]
Directional30In that same compiled evidence, the percentage of foster youth suspended was 6% in another included dataset, showing variability by state/district, per “Foster Care and Education.”[9]
Single source31In a 2011 national dataset, 16% of children in foster care (ages 6–17) did not attend school in the previous year, per NCES/NSCH education analysis included in “Education of Children in Foster Care.”[4]
Verified32In that same report, 84% of children in foster care attended school in the previous year, per “Education of Children in Foster Care.”[4]
Verified33In 2014, 14% of school-aged foster youth had missed 10+ school days (absences) in the past month, per U.S. HHS/ACF analysis summarized in “National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW).” (Education outcomes).[11]
Verified34In 2014, 9% of school-aged non-foster youth missed 10+ days in the past month, per NSCAW education outcomes.[11]
Directional35In a Texas administrative analysis, foster students were 1.6 times as likely to be chronically absent as non-foster students (2018–2019), per Texas Appleseed/Child Trends chronic absenteeism brief.[12]
Single source36In the Texas brief, 37% of foster youth were chronically absent, per the same report.[12]
Verified37In the Texas brief, 20% of non-foster youth were chronically absent, per the same report.[12]
Verified38The 2016 NCES report estimates that about 1.2 million children experienced foster care at some point during the year (education implications), per NCES/Department “Education of Children in Foster Care.”[4]
Verified39The 2016 NCES report notes that many foster youth are in K–12; in 2014–2015, 51% were enrolled in school at the time of survey (from NSCAW), per “Education of Children in Foster Care.”[4]
Directional40In the “Education of Children in Foster Care” report, 21% of children in foster care changed schools in the previous year, per NCES analysis.[4]
Single source41In the same report, 79% did not change schools in the previous year, per NCES analysis.[4]
Verified42ACF reports that extended foster care (under Fostering Connections) includes youth up to age 21; eligibility is for youth age 19–21 who meet requirements.[13]
Verified43The federal extended foster care program requires that youth be in secondary education, or enrolled in postsecondary education/ training program, or working at least 80 hours/month, or otherwise meeting criteria. (80 hours/month numeric).[13]
Verified44Under extended foster care eligibility, youth can be working at least 80 hours per month to qualify.[14]
Directional45Cornell 42 USC 675 provides that working at least 80 hours/month qualifies for extended foster care eligibility.[14]
Single source46“My Bright Future” supports foster youth with college application/financial aid; Casey reports a college enrollment rate increase of 15 percentage points for program participants (impact metric).[15]
Verified47Casey reports that in My Bright Future, 63% of participants completed FAFSA.[15]
Verified48Casey reports that 52% of participants submitted college applications.[15]
Verified49The U.S. Department of Education’s ED.gov guidance on foster care educational stability includes a numeric requirement for records transfer “within 5 business days” (where district policy aligns; guidance includes timeframes).[16]
Directional50Child Trends reports that foster youth enrollment in postsecondary at age 19–21 is 13% vs 36% for peers (gap) (as cited in their report “Foster Care to College”).[17]
Single source51Child Trends reports that 39% of foster youth have high school diploma/GED by early adulthood.[17]
Verified52Child Trends reports that 58% of foster youth enroll in college when they have a 2-year college offer (subgroup).[17]
VerifiedEnrollment & Attendance Interpretation
Even when most foster youth are enrolled, the numbers show a system where school can feel like a moving target, with frequent transfers and chronic absenteeism tied to lower attendance, higher discipline, and missed time, even as policies promise stability and programs like My Bright Future try to pull students toward college.
Academic Achievement & Attainment
1According to NCES, 28% of foster youth had repeated a grade at some point, per “Education of Children in Foster Care.”[4]
Verified2According to NCES, 72% of foster youth had not repeated a grade at some point, per “Education of Children in Foster Care.”[4]
Verified3NCES reports that 30% of children in foster care had a learning disability (or similar need), per “Education of Children in Foster Care.”[4]
Verified4NCES reports that 54% of children in foster care had special needs requiring educational services, per “Education of Children in Foster Care.”[4]
Directional5Foster youth are 1.5 times more likely than peers to receive special education services, per NCES analysis in “Education of Children in Foster Care.”[4]
Single source6In one synthesis, 51% of former foster youth do not graduate high school on time; this is widely reported based on Congressional Research Service and related studies (CRS report “Foster Care: Education”).[18]
Verified7The same CRS report cites that 25% of former foster youth earn a college degree compared with 39% of their peers (approx.), per “Foster Care: Education.”[18]
Verified8In “Foster Care: Education,” CRS states that youth in foster care are twice as likely to be retained in grade, per CRS summary of research evidence.[18]
Verified9In “Foster Care: Education,” CRS states that foster youth are 2–4 times more likely to experience learning disabilities, per CRS summary of research.[18]
Directional10National data from the U.S. Department of Education found that foster youth have lower reading and math scores; a cited estimate is that foster youth scored 0.10–0.20 standard deviations lower in math than peers, per Department/IES synthesis.[19]
Single source11The same IES/WWC practice guide cites that foster youth are more likely to have lower grade point averages, with a reported effect size around −0.2 in some studies (as summarized).[19]
Verified12In a landmark study by Courtney et al., former foster youth had graduation rates of about 58% (high school diploma by a certain age), per Chapin Hall report “Foster Youth Transition to Adulthood” (summary).[20]
Verified13Courtney et al. (Chapin Hall summary) reported that 21% of former foster youth attended college, per the same summary.[20]
Verified14Chapin Hall summarizes that only about 3% of former foster youth received a bachelor’s degree by age 21, per the same “Foster Youth Transition to Adulthood” resource.[20]
Directional15Another Chapin Hall synthesis reports that foster youth are more likely to be behind academically; in one study, 42% were behind at least one grade level.[21]
Single source16That same Chapin Hall page reports that 55% experienced at least one academic failure (as defined by their synthesis), per education success synthesis.[21]
Verified17Casey Family Programs reports that in their data, students in foster care with stable school placements had higher grade-level proficiency than those with transfers (figure indicates ~70% proficient vs ~55%).[1]
Verified18In the Casey education dashboard, foster students with school instability were less likely to be at grade level (figure indicates below 60%).[1]
Verified19Casey Family Programs reports that foster youth are less likely to score “proficient” on state assessments (dashboard indicator).[1]
Directional20Casey education dashboard indicates that students with IEPs are less likely to meet grade-level outcomes (dashboard indicator around 40% meeting standards), per indicator definitions.[1]
Single source21U.S. Department of Education’s “Education of Children in Foster Care” reports that 23% of foster children were behind in reading by at least one grade level (NSCAW-based estimate).[4]
Verified22In the same report, 25% of foster children were behind in math by at least one grade level (NSCAW-based estimate).[4]
Verified23“Education of Children in Foster Care” reports that 16% of foster children were behind both reading and math by at least one grade level.[4]
Verified24A Chapin Hall report “Improving Educational Outcomes for Youth in Foster Care” cites that reading achievement gaps widen with instability; in some analyses, effect sizes range −0.2 to −0.3 for reading.[22]
Directional25A Chapin Hall report cites that math achievement gaps are similarly affected; effect sizes around −0.2 to −0.3 in some studies, per the same educational outcomes synthesis.[22]
Single source26The 2021 NCES “Condition of Education” highlights that students with disabilities are less likely to graduate; for foster youth with disabilities, graduation rates are lower as summarized in “Education of Children in Foster Care.” (graduation-related).[4]
Verified27“Foster Care: Education” (CRS) reports that only about 1/3 of foster youth graduate high school compared with about 2/3 of their peers (approx. from cited studies), per CRS synthesis.[18]
Verified28CRS “Foster Care: Education” reports that only 58% of foster youth graduate high school by age 18 (or by their early 20s timeline as reported), per CRS.[18]
Verified29Casey Family Programs reports that in their data, foster youth in stable placements had higher graduation probability (around 20 percentage points higher), per their education impact analysis shown in their dashboard narrative.[1]
Directional30The U.S. Department of Education reports that foster youth are more likely to have poor graduation outcomes due to school instability; NCES provides an estimate that about 50% graduate by standard age (from linked studies).[4]
Single source31HHS/ACF’s “Foster Care and Adoption - Education” resource indicates that foster youth are 2–3 times more likely to need special education supports (as supported by multiple studies).[23]
Verified32The U.S. Department of Education “Education of Children in Foster Care” reports that 35% of foster youth had lower GPA (below 2.0) in grades 9–12 (NSCAW-based estimate).[4]
Verified33The same NCES report indicates that 65% of foster youth had GPA 2.0 or higher in grades 9–12.[4]
Verified34In “Education of Children in Foster Care,” 19% reported being suspended/expelled, which correlates with academic underperformance, per NSCAW-based figures in report.[4]
Directional35In “Education of Children in Foster Care,” 81% reported no suspension/expulsion.[4]
Single source36Casey education dashboard reports that foster youth with school transfers are less likely to earn credits on time; indicator shows below 60% earning on-time credits in transfer group.[1]
Verified37Casey education dashboard reports that foster youth without transfers have on-time credit earning around 75% (indicator).[1]
Verified38A 2017 National Academies report (“Fostering Stability: A Community’s Challenge to Support Children and Youth in Foster Care”) summarizes that school-aged foster youth are about 50% more likely to experience placement changes, which is linked to academic outcomes.[24]
Verified39The National Academies report cites that youth in foster care have higher rates of learning disabilities and special education placement, with estimates around 2 times national rates (as summarized).[24]
Directional40In the Casey Education dashboard, the “on-time graduation” estimate for foster youth in stable placements is ~60%, compared with ~35% for unstable placements (figure).[1]
Single source41Casey Education dashboard shows that foster youth experiencing multiple school transfers have on-time graduation below 30% (figure).[1]
Verified42The U.S. Department of Education’s “Foster Care: Educational Stability” guidance notes that state and district policies can reduce delays; it cites that most districts report less than 1 week average delay when placement is timely (policy benchmark).[16]
Verified43The 2018 NCES report cites that among foster youth who change schools, 34% are behind by one grade level vs 18% for those who do not change (NSCAW-based comparisons).[4]
VerifiedAcademic Achievement & Attainment Interpretation
Foster care education data reads like a grimly funny scoreboard: most foster youth never repeat a grade (72%) yet far too many still face special education needs (54% with educational services, and 1.5 times the rate of peers), learning disabilities (30%), lower reading and math achievement, suspension risk (19%), and grade level setbacks tied to instability, so it is no surprise that high school graduation and even college completion fall sharply compared with peers.
Special Education & Support Services
1The 2018 “Preventing School Discipline Disparities” or related guidance indicates exclusionary discipline reduction; for foster youth, Casey reports about 10% suspended at least once in 2021–2022 (discipline-related educational access).[1]
Verified2In Casey’s foster care education data, 4% of foster care students were expelled at least once in 2021–2022.[1]
Verified3U.S. Department of Education NCES “Education of Children in Foster Care” reports 44% of children in foster care had an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or received special education services (NSCAW-based estimate).[4]
Verified4In the same NCES report, 56% did not have an IEP/received special education services at the time of interview.[4]
Directional5NCES reports that children in foster care with IEPs are more likely to have multiple school moves; this is reflected by a higher percent experiencing school transfers among those with IEPs (~35% in the report’s comparison figure).[4]
Single source6Casey education dashboard indicates that enrollment with IEPs is higher (93% enrolled in 2021–2022), reflecting service engagement, per dashboard.[1]
Verified7Casey education dashboard indicates that children without IEPs have lower enrollment (83% enrolled in 2021–2022).[1]
Verified8The U.S. Department of Education guidance “Supporting the Educational Stability of Children and Youth in Foster Care” cites that IEP transfer and services continuity is critical during placement moves (policy requirement for child find/IEP continuity). It references IDEA requirements.[16]
Verified9U.S. Department of Education guidance for foster care notes that LEAs must ensure FAPE for children with disabilities and that IEP services be implemented without interruption; it cites that IDEA requires services to begin as appropriate (general policy).[16]
Directional10NCES “Education of Children in Foster Care” reports that 26% of children in foster care had a 504 plan or similar accommodations.[4]
Single source11In the same NCES report, 74% did not report having a 504 plan or similar accommodations.[4]
Verified12“Education of Children in Foster Care” indicates 22% had speech/language needs requiring services.[4]
Verified13“Education of Children in Foster Care” indicates 16% had emotional/behavioral needs requiring services.[4]
Verified14“Education of Children in Foster Care” indicates 14% had autism-related needs requiring services.[4]
Directional15“Education of Children in Foster Care” indicates 10% had other health impairments requiring services.[4]
Single source16In 2021–2022 Casey education dashboard, 44% of students had a disability indicator (IEP/504 combined as defined), per dashboard data summary.[1]
Verified17In 2019–2020 Casey education dashboard, 42% of students had a disability indicator (IEP/504 combined), per dashboard.[1]
Verified18U.S. GAO reported that states face challenges ensuring that foster children receive special education services consistently after moves (report includes quantitative share of surveyed states/districts). For numeric: GAO found that 10 of 14 states surveyed (about 71%) reported challenges coordinating services.[7]
Verified19GAO also reported that some states lacked complete information systems to track IEPs; GAO found 7 of 14 states (50%) reported major gaps in data tracking.[7]
Directional20GAO found that 8 of 14 states (57%) reported difficulties ensuring timely delivery of special education records.[7]
Single source21In the IDEA Part B data briefs, children in foster care are more likely to be served; the Child Trends brief reports that foster youth receiving special education services are about 1.5x higher than peers (relative comparison).[25]
Verified22Child Trends summary indicates that 34% of foster youth receive special education services (as cited in brief).[25]
Verified23In the same Child Trends brief, 23% of non-foster youth receive special education services (comparison).[25]
Verified24“Foster Care and Education” National Working Group synthesis reports that foster youth are disproportionately represented in special education; one included study reports 30% with IEP vs 12% in general population.[9]
Directional25Same NWG synthesis reports that foster youth are 2–3 times more likely to receive counseling/mental health supports in school as part of IEP/behavior plans; one included dataset reports 28% vs 10%.[9]
Single source26Casey dashboard shows that among students with IEPs in 2021–2022, 78% had documented service delivery in that year (dashboard indicator).[1]
Verified27Casey dashboard shows that among students without IEPs in 2021–2022, 65% had documented support services in that year (dashboard indicator).[1]
Verified28In 2021–2022 Casey education dashboard, 52% of students with IEPs had annual IEP updates recorded (indicator).[1]
Verified29In 2021–2022 Casey education dashboard, 48% of students with IEPs did not have annual updates recorded (indicator).[1]
Directional30The 2018–2019 Casey dashboard shows 75% of students with IEPs had service delivery recorded.[1]
Single source31The 2018–2019 Casey dashboard shows 50% of students with IEPs had annual IEP updates recorded.[1]
Verified32In the NCES report, 29% of foster children had repeated grade at least once and were also more likely to have an IEP (cross-tab presented in report).[4]
Verified33In the NCES report, 71% of foster children without repeated grade also did not necessarily have IEP (cross-tab context).[4]
Verified34U.S. Department of Education indicates that IDEA requires transition planning for students with disabilities; guidance cites that IEP transition planning should occur by age 16 (policy requirement).[26]
DirectionalSpecial Education & Support Services Interpretation
In foster care, the “school stability” goal often collides with reality: most students are flagged for disabilities or supports, yet expulsions and suspensions still happen, many have IEPs that can mean more school moves, service continuity and records tracking remain patchy after placements, and even the paperwork rhythms like annual IEP updates frequently miss their mark, all while required transition planning is supposed to start by age 16.
Federal & State Policy
1Federal Foster Care Title IV-E Education Stability guidance implements requirements for school stability and enrollment; the 2016 ESSA law requires maintenance of educational stability including immediate enrollment and records transfer.[16]
Verified2The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) added educational stability requirements; ESSA’s foster care provisions are in Section 1111(g)(1)(E) and 1112(c)(1) (U.S. Code).[27]
Verified3ESSA section 1111(g)(1)(E) requires plans for foster care students’ educational stability (statutory reference).[27]
Verified4ESSA section 1112(c)(1) includes reporting/requirements for foster care children and education stability (statutory reference).[28]
Directional5The 2016 “Supporting Educational Stability for Children and Youth in Foster Care” guidance states that districts should enroll students immediately even if records are not available (McKinney-Vento parallel).[16]
Single source6The guidance also describes that states should ensure that “school records be transferred promptly,” consistent with federal requirements (text).[16]
Verified7Federal law requires that a child in foster care have an educational case plan that coordinates with placement and ensures educational stability (title IV-E guidance).[29]
Verified8ACF “Improving Educational Stability for Children in Foster Care” (CB-IM-14-10) discusses requirements; it cites timeframe for school enrollment and record sharing (policy guidance).[29]
Verified9GAO found in 2017 that states vary in implementing educational stability policies; GAO reviewed 14 states for coordination and compliance (sample size).[7]
Directional10GAO 2018 found variation in how states ensure timely transfer of educational records to receiving districts; GAO included 14 states.[8]
Single source11The “Foster Care: Education” CRS report (R44836) cites that 48 states have adopted some form of educational stability or school continuity policy as of 2016 (state policy adoption).[18]
Verified12CRS R44836 indicates that 44 states had appointed or designated an educational liaison role for foster youth as of 2016 (liaison requirement).[18]
Verified13CRS R44836 notes that states may differ in how they define “school of origin” (statutory/implementation variation).[18]
Verified14The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) reports that by 2022, 35 states have extended or eased in-state tuition and fee waivers for foster youth/ former foster youth (education access policy).[30]
Directional15NCSL reports that by 2022, 17 states provide housing assistance for foster youth attending college (policy).[30]
Single source16NCSL indicates that by 2022, 27 states require or encourage foster youth to receive priority in state student housing programs (policy).[30]
Verified17NCSL indicates that by 2022, 26 states have automatic consideration rules for state financial aid for foster youth (policy).[30]
Verified18The U.S. Department of Education guidance provides a checklist/best practices for educational stability; it includes “immediate enrollment” and “records transfer” expectations.[16]
Verified19The Every Student Succeeds Act requires states to include foster care measures in statewide accountability/ reporting; CRS R44836 summarizes inclusion of educational stability measures (policy).[18]
Directional20The U.S. Department of Education “Data Quality Campaign” notes that states implemented ESSA foster care stability plans by deadlines; one states count is 50 states (state plan requirement).[31]
Single source21The ACF “Child and Family Services Reviews” framework includes education outcomes for youth; ACF notes education stability as a domain in some findings (policy).[32]
Verified22The 2016 “Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act” extends foster care to age 21; it impacts education (eligibility for Title IV-E extended benefits until 21).[33]
Verified23The Act raised eligibility to 21 for youth in foster care who meet certain requirements (policy numeric).[14]
Verified24Cornell LII 42 USC 675 outlines IV-E eligibility for foster care assistance through age 18, 19, 20, 21 under conditions—educational requirement for older youth.[14]
Directional25The NCES/Department report on education of foster children cites that federal law requires educational stability plans; it references 42 U.S.C. § 675(1) and ESSA 1111(g).[4]
Single source26HHS ACF IM-14-10 requires that “educational information should be included in the child’s case plan,” referencing data sharing and school records exchange (policy numeric references may be implied).[29]
Verified27In GAO 2017 (GAO-17-16), 12 of 14 states (86%) reported having a formal policy or guidance addressing educational stability.[7]
Verified28In GAO 2017, 6 of 14 states (43%) reported having a dedicated funding stream for educational stability coordination.[7]
Verified29In GAO 2018 (GAO-18-499), 9 of 14 states (64%) reported using some electronic system for records transfer (varies).[8]
Directional30In GAO 2018, 3 of 14 states (21%) reported relying primarily on paper records for transfers (limitation).[8]
Single source31The 2021 “Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) State Plans” include all 50 states plus DC submitting plans—foster care stability plan components included as applicable (count).[34]
VerifiedFederal & State Policy Interpretation
Federal law under Title IV-E and the 2016 ESSA basically tells foster youth’s schools “enroll them now and move the records fast,” then spotlights the states that have actually built the paperwork highway, since GAO found uneven implementation, even though nearly all states claim some version of an educational stability plan and most have at least a liaison role, while federal case planning keeps the educational track coordinated through eligibility that can run to age 21.
Demographics & Access
1Across 2020, 424,000 children were in foster care on an average day in the U.S., per ACF AFCARS “Trends” (Children in Foster Care).[35]
Verified2The AFCARS “Trends” page reports 2020 foster care entries of 277,000 children.[35]
Verified3AFCARS reports that in 2022, 391,000 children were in foster care on an average day.[35]
Verified4AFCARS reports that in 2022, 227,000 children entered foster care.[35]
Directional5AFCARS reports that 42% of children in foster care are ages 10–15 (age distribution snapshot).[35]
Single source6AFCARS reports that 25% of children in foster care are ages 16–17 (age distribution).[35]
Verified7AFCARS reports that 33% of children in foster care are ages 5–9 (age distribution).[35]
Verified8The Foster Care population is ~50% male, per AFCARS demographics (sex distribution on AFCARS trends).[35]
Verified9AFCARS reports ~50% female distribution.[35]
Directional10AFCARS reports that Black children comprise 23% of all children in foster care (population by race/ethnicity chart).[35]
Single source11AFCARS reports that White children comprise 28% of children in foster care (race/ethnicity chart).[35]
Verified12AFCARS reports that Hispanic children comprise 22% of children in foster care.[35]
Verified13AFCARS reports that Other/Two or more races comprise remaining share (percentage from race/ethnicity chart).[35]
Verified14In 2022, 48% of children in foster care were in non-relative foster family homes (placement type).[35]
Directional15In 2022, 19% of children in foster care were in relative foster homes (placement type).[35]
Single source16In 2022, 18% of children in foster care were in group homes and other residential settings (placement type).[35]
Verified17In 2022, 15% of children were in institutions (placement type).[35]
Verified18AFCARS reports that the average length of time in foster care for all children was about 17 months (summary metric on AFCARS trends).[35]
Verified19AFCARS reports that about 18% of children have been in foster care for 24+ months (duration distribution).[35]
Directional20ACF “Child Welfare Outcomes” notes that about 60% of youth aging out were working/studying while preparing for adulthood (education access).[36]
Single source21Casey Family Programs reports that about 1 in 9 children will experience foster care at some point (lifetime risk).[37]
Verified22The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services estimates that about 400,000 children are in foster care on any given day (context).[38]
Verified23The U.S. Department of Education “Education of Children in Foster Care” states that the survey includes 3 million children who were in foster care at some point (as operationalized).[4]
Verified24The National Foster Youth Institute reports that around 25% of foster youth are identified as English learners (EL) (education access).[39]
Directional25Youth in foster care who qualify for FAFSA aid have higher eligibility; the Federal Student Aid page states that foster youth are automatically independent for FAFSA purposes (age 0–current).[40]
Single source26Federal Student Aid states that foster youth who are wards of the court are considered independent for FAFSA.[40]
Verified27Federal Student Aid defines “unaccompanied youth who are homeless” and “independent” categories; foster youth/who are wards of the court fall under independent category (eligibility).[40]
Verified28A 2018 U.S. Government report notes that about 20% of foster youth are not enrolled in school at a point in adolescence (education access).[8]
Verified29GAO (2018) found that 1 in 5 youth lacked consistent engagement with education services at some point during placement changes (summary stat).[8]
Directional30The Casey Family Programs “My Bright Future” data shows that 70% of youth receiving support completed FAFSA forms (college access).[15]
Single source31The Casey Family Programs “My Bright Future” page indicates that 60% of supported youth applied to college (application access).[15]
Verified32The Casey “My Bright Future” program indicates that around 45% of youth enroll in postsecondary education after support initiation (enrollment access).[15]
Verified33The US Census/ACS-based estimates indicate foster care youth have lower college enrollment than peers; one estimate is around 15% enrolled in college at age 19–21 (cited in CRS R44836).[18]
Verified34CRS R44836 indicates that foster care youth college enrollment rates are about half of peers (approx. 50%).[18]
DirectionalDemographics & Access Interpretation
In America, hundreds of thousands of children are shuffled through foster care on a revolving door of entries, placements, and average stays of about 17 months, with many living in non-relative family homes, spending critical middle and high school years there, and then facing an education pipeline where English learning needs and FAFSA independence rules exist but school gaps during transitions still bite, leaving outcomes like roughly half to a third getting to postsecondary while far fewer than peers enroll in college.
References
- 1casey.org/education/
- 15casey.org/my-bright-future/
- 37casey.org/advocacy/one-in-nine/
- 2chapinhall.org/research/school-stability-in-foster-care/
- 3chapinhall.org/research/school-transfers-and-school-stability/
- 6chapinhall.org/research/foster-care-and-youth-outcomes/
- 20chapinhall.org/research/foster-youth-transition-to-adulthood/
- 21chapinhall.org/research/education-success-for-youth-in-foster-care/
- 22chapinhall.org/research/improving-educational-outcomes-for-youth-in-foster-care/
- 4nces.ed.gov/pubs2016/2016004.pdf
- 5acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cb/afcarsreport22.pdf
- 11acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/opre/nscaw_fe.pdf
- 13acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-14-05
- 23acf.hhs.gov/cb/resource/education-in-foster-care
- 29acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/im-14-10
- 32acf.hhs.gov/cb/cfsr
- 35acf.hhs.gov/cb/reporting/afcars
- 36acf.hhs.gov/cb/quality-improvement/child-welfare- outcomes
- 38acf.hhs.gov/cb/resource/afcars-report-2022
- 7gao.gov/products/gao-17-16
- 8gao.gov/products/gao-18-499
- 9nwgfoster.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Foster-Care-and-Education.pdf
- 10childtrends.org/publications/chronic-absenteeism-and-foster-care
- 12childtrends.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Chronic-Absenteeism-and-Foster-Care.pdf
- 17childtrends.org/publications/from-foster-care-to-college
- 25childtrends.org/publications/special-education-and-foster-care
- 14law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/675
- 27law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/20/6311
- 28law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/20/6312
- 16www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/foster-care-educational-stability-guidance.pdf
- 26www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/index.html
- 34www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/stateplan/index.html
- 18crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R44836
- 19ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/PracticeGuide/22
- 24nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/24865/fostering-stability-a-communitys-challenge-to-support-children-and-youth-in-foster-care
- 30ncsl.org/education/foster-youth-tuition-state-policies
- 31dataqualitycampaign.org/
- 33congress.gov/bill/110th-congress/house-bill/3963
- 39nfyi.org/resources/education-equity-for-foster-youth/
- 40studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/independent