ENSURING EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND STABILITY FOR FOSTER YOUTH
January 1, 2004 California votes in AB490 which imposes new duties and rights related to education of dependents in foster care including:
- Allows immediate enrollment of foster youth in school despite missing records, immunizations or uniforms
- Requires transfer of records from one school to another within 2 days of receiving transfer request
- Allows foster youth to remain enrolled in and attend his/her school of origin pending resolution of school placement disputes
- Placement in the least restrictive educational placement
- Access to same academic resources, services, extracurricular and enrichment activities as all other children
- All school placement and educational decisions are determined by child's best interest
- Allows foster children to remain in their school of origin for the duration of the school year when placement changes (if in the child's best interest)
- County placing agencies to consider educational stability must consider home placements in child's school attendance area
- Foster care educational liaisons are designated by LEAs to ensure proper placement, transfer and enrollment in school
- LEAs and social workers/probation officers jointly responsible for timely transfer of records when foster youth change schools
- Comprehensive schools will be considered first school placement option for foster youth
- Requires school districts to calculate and accept credit for full or partial coursework satisfactorily completed by the student while attending a public school, juvenile court school, or nonpublic school. Ensures that foster youth are not penalized for absences due to court appearances, placement changes, or related court ordered activities