Foster Youth
Foster Youth
All children and youth living, who the court system has taken jurisdiction over and who are declared to be a dependent of the court, due to the presence or risk of abuse or neglect (Welfare and Institutions Code Section 300) qualify as foster youth. This includes but is not limited to the following:
- Children placed outside the home
- Children who are living at home
- Any youth who the delinquency court has taken jurisdiction over and placed out of the home (Welfare and Institutions Code Section 600)
School of Origin
- You have a right to remain enrolled in the same school after you move to a new foster care placement. Your school of origin can be:
- The school you attended when you first entered the foster care system.
- The school you most recently attended
- Any school you attended in the last 15 months that you feel most connected to and want to attend.
- Your school district must work with you, your education rights holder, your caregiver, and your social worker/probation officer to develop a plan to transport you to your school of origin.
- If you are transitioning from elementary school to middle school or from middle school to high school, you have the right to transition to the same school as your classmates.
- If there is any disagreement about which school you will attend, you have the right to stay in your school of origin until the disagreement is resolved.
Enrollment in School
- You have the right to immediately enroll in your regular home school after you move placements
- You cannot be forced to attend a continuation school or alternative education program, such as independent study, even if you are behind in credits or have discipline problems at school.
- You have a right to immediately enroll in school and begin attending classes, even if you do not have the paperwork you would normally need for enrollment (such as birth certificate, transcript, or IEP) or you did not check out from your previous school.
- Your previous school must send your education records to your new school after you enroll.
- You have the right to participate in any activities available at your new school, such as sports teams, tutoring, or after-school clubs, even if you miss a tryout or sign-up deadline.Partial Credit Policy
Partial Credit Policy
- You have a right to partial credit in all classes that you are passing when you leave your old school, even if you do not complete the entire class, if you change schools during the school year.
- Your new school must accept the partial credits issued by your previous school after you change schools.
- After you change schools, you have the right to be enrolled in the same or similar classes you were enrolled in at your last school.
- You cannot be forced to retake a class or part of a class that you have already completed with a passing grade if it would make you off track for high school graduation.
- You have the right to take or retake any class that you need to go to a California State University or University of California.
- Your grade cannot be lowered because you were absent from school for a court hearing, placement change, or a court-related activity.
Graduation Rights
- You have the right to have the application fee waived when you apply to a community college in California.
- You have the right to receive the maximum amount of federal student aid and you may be eligible for up to $5,000 per year from the Chafee Scholarship.
School Discipline
- You cannot be suspended for more than 5 school days in a row or for more than 20 days in a school year.
- If the behavior you are being suspended could subject you to criminal charges, you should consult with your education rights holder or attorney before providing an oral or written statement to the school or police.
- Your attorney and social worker must be invited to a meeting before your suspension can be extended beyond 5 days and a suspension can only be extended if you are being considered for expulsion.
- You have a right to a formal hearing, and to be represented by an attorney at that hearing, before you are expelled.
- If you are facing possible expulsion, your attorney and social worker must be notified. If you are in special education, your attorney and social worker must be invited to a meeting to decide whether your behavior was related to your disability.
School Records
- You have the right to access your school records if you are 16 years or older or have finished 10th grade.
- Your social worker/probation officer and education rights holder can access your school records as well.
Resources
Foster Youth Bill of Rights https://fosteryouthhelp.gov
Foster youth High School Graduation https://kids-alliance.org/programs/education
California Department of Education Foster Youth Supports https://cde.ca.gov/ls/pf/fy/fosteryouthedrights.asp
Contact
Cassandra Ziskind, Ed.D
Director of Student Services II
Carmel Unified School District
(831) 624-1546 ext#2081
Monterey County Office of Education
Foster Youth Liasons
Justin Parker Gloria Ramos Fabiola Rufino
(831) 784-4227 ext 227 (831) 755-0300 ext#667 (831) 755-0300 ext#019