6173.1 - Education for Foster Youth

The San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS) recognizes that foster youth may face significant barriers to achieving academic success due to their family circumstances, disruption to their educational program, and their emotional, social, and other health needs. To enable such students to achieve state and SBCSS academic standards, the Superintendent or designee shall provide them with full access to SBCSS educational program and implement strategies identified as necessary for the improvement of the academic achievement of foster youth in SBCSS local control and accountability plan (LCAP).

• (cf. 0460 - Local Control and Accountability Plan)
• (cf. 3100 - Budget)
• (cf. 5131.6 - Alcohol and Other Drugs)
• (cf. 5147 - Dropout Prevention)
• (cf. 6011- Academic Standards)
• (cf. 6145 - Extracurricular and Co-curricular Activities)
• (cf. 6145.2 - Athletic Competition)
• (cf. 6164.2 - Guidance/Counseling Services)
• (cf. 6173 - Education for Homeless Children)
• (cf. 6179 - Supplemental Instruction)

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 the SBCSS liaison for foster youth to help facilitate the enrollment, placement, and transfer of foster youth.

The Superintendent or designee and SBCSS liaison shall ensure that all appropriate staff, including, but not limited to, each principal, school registrar, and attendance clerk, receive training on the enrollment, placement, and transfer of foster youth and other related rights.

• (cf. 4131 - Staff Development)
• (cf. 4231 - Staff Development)
• (cf. 4331 - Staff Development)

SBCSS desires to provide foster youth with a safe, positive learning environment that is free from discrimination and harassment and that promotes students' self-esteem and academic achievement. The Superintendent or designee shall develop strategies to build a foster youth's feeling of connectedness with his/her school, including, but not limited to, strategies that promote positive discipline and conflict resolution, the development of resiliency and interpersonal skills, and the involvement of foster parents, group home administrators, and/or other caretakers in school programs and activities.

• (cf. 0410 - Nondiscrimination in District Programs and Activities)
• (cf. 0450 - Comprehensive Safety Plan)
• (cf. 5131 - Conduct)
• (cf. 5131.2 - Bullying)
• (cf. 5137 - Positive School Climate)
• (cf. 5138 - Conflict Resolution/Peer Mediation)
• (cf. 5145.3 - Nondiscrimination/Harassment)
• (cf. 5145.9 - Hate-Motivated Behavior)
• (cf. 6020 - Parent Involvement)

To address the needs of foster youth and help ensure the maximum utilization of available funds, the Superintendent or designee shall collaborate with local agencies and officials including, but not limited to, the county placing agency, social services, probation officers, and juvenile court officers. 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. 1020 - Youth Services)

At least annually and in accordance with the established timelines, the Superintendent or designee shall report to the Superintendent on the outcomes for foster youth regarding the goals and specific actions identified in the LCAP, including, but not limited to, school attendance, student achievement test results, promotion and retention rates by grade level, graduation rates, and suspension/expulsion rates. As necessary, evaluation data shall be used to determine and recommend revisions to the LCAP for improving or increasing services for foster youth.

• (cf. 0500 - Accountability)
• (cf. 5123 - Promotion/Acceleration/Retention)
• (cf. 5144.1 - Suspension and Expulsion/Due Process)
• (cf. 5144.2 - Suspension and Expulsion/Due Process (Students with Disabilities))
• (cf. 6162.51 - State Academic Achievement Tests)
• (cf. 6162.52 - High School Exit Examination) 

Legal Reference

EDUCATION CODE

• 32228-32228.5 Student safety and violence prevention
• 42238.01-42238.07 Local control funding formula
• 42920-42925 Foster children educational services
• 48645-48646 Juvenile court schools
• 48850-48859 Educational placement of students residing in licensed children's institutions
• 48915.5 Suspension and expulsion; students with disabilities, including foster youth
• 48918.1 Notice of expulsion hearing for foster youth
• 49061 Student records
• 49069.5 Foster care students, transfer of records
• 49076 Access to student records
• 51225.1 Exemption from district graduation requirements51225.2 Pupil in foster care defined; acceptance of coursework, credits, retaking of course
• 51225.3 High school graduation
• 52052 Definition of numerically significant student subgroups
• 52060-52077 Local control and accountability plan
• 56055 Rights of foster parents in special education
• 60851 High school exit examination

HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE

1522.41 Training and certification of group home administrators
1529.2 Training of licensed foster parents
120341 Foster youth: school placement: immunization records

WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE

300 Children subject to jurisdiction
309 Investigation and release of child
317 Appointment of legal counsel
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
16000-16014 Foster care placement

UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20

1415 Procedural safeguards; placement in alternative educational setting

UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 29

794 Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504

UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 42

670-679b Federal assistance for foster care programs
11431-11435 McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

Approved: February 3, 2016