Students in Foster Care

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Why it works

Students in foster care often experience significant instability, placement and school changes, trauma and loss, and gaps or disruptions in their education, and they tend to have poorer educational outcomes without support. Law (including ESSA provisions) protects their educational stability and rights. Research and practice point to supports that help: understanding their circumstances with sensitivity (and without prying or stigmatizing), providing stability and steady connection, being trauma-informed, easing transitions, coordinating with caseworkers and caregivers, and knowing their educational rights. For a student whose life is in flux, a caring, stable teacher and school matter enormously.

The research: ESSA foster-care provisions; research on foster care and education.

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

The core activity: support a student in foster care

Teachers leave with ways to offer stability, sensitivity, and awareness of rights.

For a student in foster care, provide stability and steady connection (school may be their most stable place).
Be trauma-informed and sensitive, without prying or stigmatizing.
Ease transitions and protect their privacy.
Coordinate with caregivers and caseworkers and know their educational rights.

Stability, connection, and sensitivityFor students in foster care, school can be the most stable thing in their life. Offer steady connection, be trauma-informed, ease transitions, and know their rights.

Facilitator notes

Provide stability and connection, and be trauma-informed and sensitive.
Ease transitions and protect privacy.
Know rights and coordinate.

Instability compounded is a serious riskStudents in foster care who get no stability or support at school face compounding disruption. Offer steady connection, sensitivity, and awareness of their rights.

Adapt it

Elementary: stability, connection, sensitivity.
Secondary: stability, trauma-informed support, rights, transitions.
All settings: stability, connection, sensitivity, rights.

Participant handout

One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

K12 Academics · Professional Learning

Students in Foster Care: stability and sensitivity

School as stability: steady connection, trauma-informed sensitivity, eased transitions, and awareness of their rights.

The student in foster care and what stability I can offer:
How I provide steady connection:
How I am trauma-informed and sensitive:
How I protect their privacy:
The rights and points of contact I should know:

Make it stick

Stability and sensitivity:

Offer stability and connection.
Be sensitive and trauma-informed.
Bring a foster-care support that helped to the team.

Common questions

What do students in foster care need from school?

Stability and steady connection above all, school is often the most stable thing in their life. Also sensitivity, a trauma-informed approach, eased transitions, and awareness of their rights and circumstances.

How do I handle their circumstances sensitively?

Be caring and aware without prying, stigmatizing, or singling them out. Offer stability and connection, respect their privacy, and coordinate with caregivers and caseworkers appropriately.

What are their educational rights?

Law (including ESSA) protects their educational stability (such as staying in their school when possible) and rights. Know the basics and your school's point of contact.