Transitional Student & Family Services
Foster Youth Services
Foster Youth Services (FYS) seek to address the unique educational needs of youth in foster care systems. Many youth in foster care experience multiple changes in home placements as they are placed with foster parent(s), guardian homes (kinship/relative or non-relative) and group homes. Because of the complexities of their experience, many foster youth perform below grade level, are held back in school, and have lower graduation rates than their peers. Foster Youth Services supports and advocates for the academic success of foster youth in collaboration with District offices, schools, care providers, child welfare, community-based agencies, and youth.
FYS ensures equitable access to education for foster youth by removing barriers to education in accordance with CA law (AB 490), such as:
- School Stability – The right to remain in their original school when they enter foster care or move (if in their best interests);
- Immediate Enrollment – The right to be immediately enrolled in a new school (even without health/education records);
- Partial Credit – The right to receive partial or full credit for work completed at other schools (all students have this right);
- Fairness – The right to not be punished for court-related absences.
McKinney-Vento Program
The McKinney-Vento Program provides supplemental educational services and social support to youth and families who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This means students sharing housing with one or more families due to eviction or economic hardship, living in emergency or transitional shelters, staying in hotels/motels, trailer parks/camp grounds, or somewhere that is not designed for sleeping (i.e. a garage, an attic, a car, a park or an abandoned building). This can also include unaccompanied youth (students not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian).
The services provided by our program include enrollment assistance, school supplies, backpacks, advocacy, and assistance with transportation.
McKinney-Vento Housing resources
OUSD Directory of Community Based Resources for Students and Families
