Educational Advocacy
Educational Advocacy
As a CASA, you are expected to support your youth’s education in these ways.
Include information about their education in court reports.
Determine who holds educational rights for your youth and inform the court when there is a need for a new ERH (see: Holding Educational Rights). This could be a youth's biological family member, foster parent, CASA, or other designated individual.
Make contact and develop a relationship with the district Foster Youth Liaison.
Monitor and support the youth’s school attendance
Request school records at the end of each school year, and upload to A.L.
Ask your student how they like school and about the quality of their education. Document any concerns and discuss them with the teacher, social worker, or foster youth liaison.
If your youth changes foster homes, advocate that they remain in the same school, if in their best interest. In case of a school change, facilitate enrollment and transfer of records.
Ensure that the youth has an opportunity to make up work missed for court appearances, medical appointments, or other conflicts.
Learn about age-appropriate developmental milestones and help identify potential areas of delay.
If concerns are identified, request an evaluation for special education services.
If the youth is eligible for special education services, attend special education meetings and monitor progress towards IEP goals.
Recommend tutoring or other academic help for youth that need extra support.
Identify your youth's strengths and recommend academic or extracurricular activities that support them.
Both CASAs and ERHs have the right to:
All education records
Presence at all school meetings (including IEPs)
Request special education assessments
Request IEP meetings as needed (school transition, youth’s needs are not being met)
Communicate with school staff, foster youth liaisons
ERHs only:
Submit a special ERH court report
Sign off on enrollment
Sign off on special education services
Be primary contact for the school
Foster Youth Services and Liaisons in CA: Foster Youth Services Coordinating Programs (FYSCPs) provide support services to foster children at school. Each school district has at least one Foster Youth Liaison, and many have a liaison at each school. FYS staff are required to facilitate the transfer of health and school records and establish appropriate school and class placements. FYS staff also coordinate counseling, tutoring, mentoring, vocational training, emancipation services, training for independent living, and other related services. As a CASA, you are expected to have a relationship with the Foster Youth Liaison at your youth’s school and/or district.
California Foster Care Education Fact Sheet: A go-to resource for CASAs on education for foster children and the challenges youth may face.
Foster Youth Education Toolkit: Must have Information and useful tools to support educational advocacy for foster youth.