Resources

U.S. Department of Education Resources

SEA Foster Care Points of Contact

Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act, requires each State educational agency to identify a foster care point of contact. Each State foster care point of contact is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Title I, Part A educational stability provisions for students in foster care across his or her State. Additionally, each State foster care point of contact is the lead point of contact for collaborating with the State’s child welfare agency.

OESE has compiled a roster of the State foster care points of contact from across the country: State Foster Care Points of Contact (Last Updated: December 2023).

Data-Sharing Snapshots (March 2023)

In 2022, the U.S. Department of Education funded a study to better understand the ways that State educational agencies (SEAs) and State child welfare agencies (CWAs) share data and information to support students in foster care. As part of this study, we are publishing a series of data-sharing snapshots that show how eight SEAs collaborate with their respective State CWAs to share data and information about students in foster care. These data-sharing snapshots briefly describe each State’s approach to data and information sharing. We hope this may provide suggestions for how other States may structure or enhance their own interagency data-sharing practices. Access the SEA-specific snapshots below to learn more about each SEA’s approach to this work. Access the “Data Exchange for Students in Foster Care” document to learn more about the Department’s study and methodology.

Data Exchange for Students in Foster Care: State Snapshots 2022
State Snapshot—California
State Snapshot—Georgia
State Snapshot—Indiana
State Snapshot—Michigan
State Snapshot—Montana
State Snapshot—Texas
State Snapshot—Washington
State Snapshot—Wisconsin

Webinar for SEA Foster Care Points of Contact (March 2022)

OESE hosted a webinar for SEA foster care points of contact on March 16, 2022. The webinar featured presentations from OESE’s program staff and OESE’s partners, including the American Institutes for Research, the American Bar Association’s Center on Children and the Law, and the SERVE Center. Topics covered in this webinar include OESE’s programmatic monitoring activities, initiatives related to data on students in foster care, and the Foster Care Exchange platform.

Supporting Students in Foster Care: Updates from U.S. ED and Its Partners (March 16, 2022)

2021 NAEHCY Conference Sessions (November 2021)

OESE presented two sessions at the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth’s (NAEHCY’s) 2021 conference. Both sessions focused on the implementation of the ESEA’s Title I, Part A educational stability provisions for students in foster care. The session entitled “Ensuring Educational Stability for Students in Foster Care” included representatives from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Children’s Bureau, while the session entitled “Interagency Collaboration to Ensure Educational Stability for Students in Foster Care” featured speakers from the American Bar Association’s Center on Children and the Law, and State and local foster care points of contact.

Interagency Collaboration to Ensure Educational Stability for Students in Foster Care (November 15, 2021)
Ensuring Educational Stability for Students in Foster Care (November 16, 2021)

Convening for Foster Care Points of Contact – Virtual Convening (August 3-5, 2020)

OESE partnered with the State Support Network and subject matter experts from the SERVE Center and the American Bar Association’s Center on Children and the Law to host a virtual convening for foster care points of contact from SEAs and State child welfare agencies. Presenters included staff from the U.S. Department of Education, staff from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and SEA and child welfare points of contact.

Virtual Convening Agenda
Topic: Interagency Collaboration (August 3, 2020)
Topic: Data & Information Sharing (August 4, 2020)
Topic: Transportation (August 5, 2020)
- Plenary Sessions

Additional resources from the virtual convening, including resources shared by convening attendees, are available on both the SERVE Center’s website and the American Bar Association’s website.

Community of Practice – Webinar Series (September 2019 – February 2020)

OESE, in partnership with the State Support Network and the American Bar Association’s Center on Children and the Law, hosted a five-part community of practice for twelve SEA foster care points of contact from across the country. Community of practice members collaborated to analyze common implementation challenges, share resources related to implementation successes, and develop tools to benefit the entire field.

Learning Cycle 1 – Community of Practice Kick-off (September 19, 2019)
Learning Cycle 2 – Data and Information Sharing (October 24, 2019)
Learning Cycle 3 – Transportation (December 3, 2019)
Learning Cycle 4 – Role of State and Local Foster Care Points of Contact (January 21, 2020)
Learning Cycle 5 – Monitoring Implementation (February 20, 2020)

Peer-to-Peer Exchange – Webinar Series (July-August 2018)

OESE, in partnership with the State Support Network and the American Bar Association’s Center on Children and the Law, hosted a four-part webinar series for SEA foster care points of contact:

Collaboration with Child Welfare Agencies (July 19, 2018)
Data Systems (August 2, 2018)
Transportation (August 16, 2018)
Roles of POCs and Liaisons at State and Local Levels (August 23, 2018)

Collaboration Call – Webinar (September 2017)

OESE hosted a collaboration call for foster care points of contact from State educational agency (SEA) points of contacts from across the country. The collaboration call allowed participants the opportunity to discuss common implementation challenges, share resources, and provide feedback to OESE about technical assistance needs.

Foster Care Collaboration Call (September 21, 2017)

Educational Stability for Students in Foster Care – Webinar Series (July-September 2016)

ED and HHS jointly released non-regulatory guidance, describing the educational stability provisions for students in foster care housed in Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act. Following the release of the guidance, ED and HHS facilitated a five-part webinar series to unpack the guidance with grantees:

An Overview of the ED/HHS Joint Guidance (July 27, 2016)
Education and Child Welfare Points of Contact (August 17, 2016)
Best Interest Determinations and Immediate Enrollment (August 24, 2016)
Transportation Procedures (August 31, 2016)
Effective Collaboration (September 7, 2016)

Combined Federal Programs Meeting – Conference Sessions

OESE’s Combined Federal Programs Meeting—a periodic conference designed for State educational agency staff managing OESE grant programs—has featured several sessions focused on the educational stability of students in foster care:

ESSA Provisions for Homeless and Foster Youth (December 2016)
Sharing Data to Support Students in Foster Care (December 2018)

Foster Care Transition Toolkit – Resource (May 2016)

ED—in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Department of Labor, and foster youth—developed the Foster Care Transition Toolkit to support youth in foster care pursuing college and career opportunities. The Toolkit includes tips and resources intended to help youth in foster care access and navigate social, emotional, educational, and skills barriers as they transition to adulthood.

Foster Care Transition Toolkit (May 26, 2016)

Highly Mobile Students with Disabilities – Dear Colleague Letter (July 2013)

The U.S. Department of Education’s (ED’s) Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) released this Dear Colleague Letter to reemphasize that highly mobile students with disabilities (including students in foster care) have the right to receive special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs in a timely manner. This Dear Colleague Letter also spotlights relevant resources and non-Federal partners.

Dear Colleague Letter on Highly Mobile Students with Disabilities (July 19, 2013)

Federal Agencies Serving Students in Foster Care

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | Administration on Children, Youth, and Families

HHS’ Administration on Children, Youth, and Families (ACYF) manages Federal programs designed to support, among other priorities, social services that promote the positive growth and development of children, youth, and their families. The Children’s Bureau, one of two bureaus housed within ACYF, focuses on improving the lives of children and families through programs that reduce child abuse and neglect, increase the number of adoptions, and strengthen the foster care system. The Children’s Bureau provides grants and technical assistance to directors of State and local child welfare agencies, who are key partners in ensuring the educational stability of students in foster care.

Interagency Initiatives

The U.S. Department of Education partners with many Federal agencies on interagency initiatives to enhance the experiences of children and youth in foster care.

National Organizations with Resources on Students in Foster Care

American Bar Association’s Center on Children and the Law

The American Bar Association’s Center on Children and the Law is a full-service technical assistance, training, and systems reform organization designed to support practitioners across the country. The Center on Children and the Law is a founding member of the Legal Center for Foster Care and Education. OESE has partnered frequently with subject matter experts from the Center on Children and the Law.

SERVE Center at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro

The SERVE Center is a university-based research, development, dissemination, evaluation, and technical assistance center. Among its areas of focus, the SERVE Center supports projects related to students in foster care and students experiencing homelessness. OESE has partnered frequently with subject matter experts from the SERVE Center.