Foster and Homeless Youth

The Foster and Homeless Youth Program exists to support students who experience foster care placement or housing instability, ensuring they have consistent access to education and the support needed to succeed. These students often face challenges such as frequent moves, interrupted schooling, transportation barriers, and difficulty accessing basic resources.

By working closely with students, families, schools, and community partners, the program helps reduce these barriers, promote school stability, and uphold students’ educational rights. This support benefits not only students, but also schools and communities by strengthening collaboration, improving attendance and engagement, and creating more stable, supportive learning environments.

Who We Serve

• Students experiencing foster care placement or housing instability
• Families, caregivers, and Education Rights Holders
• School districts and school sites
• School staff, including liaisons, counselors, and administrators
• Community partners and service providers supporting children and families

What We Do

Student Support & Stability

• Promote educational stability and support school placement decisions
• Assist with enrollment, attendance, and school engagement
• Help remove barriers such as transportation and access to basic needs

Family & Caregiver Support

• Partner with families, caregivers, and Education Rights Holders
• Provide guidance on educational rights and school options
• Connect families to community resources and services

School & District Collaboration

• Work alongside school and district staff to support students
• Provide training, consultation, and technical assistance
• Support best interest determinations and dispute resolution when needed

Community Coordination

• Collaborate with community agencies and service providers
• Strengthen connections to housing, health, and family support services
• Promote coordinated, student-centered systems of care

We Commonly Help When…

• A student enters foster care or experiences a change in placement
• A family or caregiver is experiencing housing instability or homelessness
• A student is having difficulty enrolling in or staying in school
• There are questions about school placement or educational stability
• Attendance concerns or frequent school absences arise
• A school change is being considered and guidance is needed
• Families or schools need help navigating educational rights and available supports
• Community partners are seeking coordination to better support a student or family

How Districts and Partners Engage With Us

Districts, schools, and community partners engage with our program through referrals, consultation, and ongoing collaboration to support students experiencing foster care or housing instability. We work alongside school staff to provide guidance on enrollment, school stability, attendance, and educational rights, and to help identify and remove barriers to student success.

Partners also collaborate with us by sharing information, coordinating services, and participating in planning conversations to ensure students and families receive timely, consistent support. Through regular communication and relationship-building, we strengthen connections across systems and create coordinated, student-centered responses that benefit schools, families, and the broader community.

What Success Looks Like

• Students remain enrolled and experience greater school stability
• Improved attendance, engagement, and academic progress
• Students and families feel supported, informed, and connected to resources
• Schools and districts feel confident navigating student needs and educational rights
• Strong collaboration between schools, families, and community partners
• Reduced barriers to education and smoother transitions for students
• Stronger, more responsive systems that support long-term student success

Our Impact in Action 

Supporting a student through a placement change by coordinating with schools, caregivers, and community partners to ensure the student remains enrolled and connected to supports without interruption.

Assisting families and schools with immediate enrollment and attendance challenges, helping remove barriers such as transportation or lack of documentation so students can stay engaged in learning.

Bringing together schools, districts, and partner agencies to problem-solve complex situations, ensuring decisions are made collaboratively and in the best interest of the student.