Best Practices for Helping Foster Youth Alvord Unified School District Best Practices for Helping Foster Youth All students will realize their unlimited potential.

Belief Statement An integral part of the Alvord Foster Youth Services Program is to provide equitable services to support our diverse foster youth population in achieving their unlimited potential.

Foster Youth Services Program Ensure Foster Youth Rights are clearly defined and explained to foster students Provide guidance and support for foster students and families Services include: small groups and individual counseling for foster youth Collaborate with teachers, staff, and families to help foster youth be successful in school Collaborate with social workers, Riverside County Office of Education, other community resources

Best Practices Create District Policies and Procedures ensuring Foster Youth Rights are met Train Staff on Foster Youth Laws Remind Staff to run Foster Youth lists Create District Foster Youth Website (Laws, Resources)

Train School Counselors AB 216 Eligibility Meeting Procedures Closely Monitor Academic Progress Partial Credit Training Registrars and Counselors *Children’s Alliance Toolkit Resource Foster Youth Awareness Videos Get to Know Us Video

Teachers Training Removed Video Reminder: It’s About Relationships! Sensitivity Being Mindful Partial Credits School Transfer Challenges Challenges of Teaching and Gratitude of Students Video

150 Ways to Show Kids You Care Pick 3 Things You will Do to Show a Foster Child/Youth that You Care Share with a Person Sitting Next to You Something You will Do or Something You Have done

ESSA Foster Youth Transportation When Necessary Ensure that foster youth who need transportation to the school of origin promptly receive it in a cost-effective manner, and in accordance with the child welfare agency’s authority to use child welfare funding available under section 475(4)(A) of Title IV-E of the Social Security Act to provide transportation. Develop and implement procedures for how transportation to maintain foster youth in their schools of origin, when in their best interest, will be provided, arranged and funded.

Best Practices Relating to School Stability Best Interest Determination School of Origin Form (San Diego County) Transportation Program and Protocol MOUs/Interagency Agreements

Resources Alvord Unified School District Foster Youth Website http://www.alvordschools.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=5423 Foster Youth Education Toolkit http://kids-alliance.org/programs/education/edtoolkit/ Every Student Succeeds Act Implementation Toolkit http://fostercareandeducation.org/

Contact Anh Nguyen District Liaison-Foster Youth/Homeless Anh.nguyen@alvord.k12.ca.us 951-509-5165 Kristie Prady S.A.R.B./Staff Assistant 951-509-5143 kprady@alvord.k12.ca.us