San Francisco Unified School District Student Support Services Department Families and Youth In Transition Program & Foster Youth Services Program

McKinney-Vento Act Immediate Enrollment and Placement School of Origin Transportation to and from school Provide all the services the student need

Definition of Homeless Any child or youth without a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence is considered homeless under the McKinney Vento law. Living in shelters, motels, and hotels. Staying with family and friends (Double-up). Living in places not ordinarily used for sleeping. Awaiting foster care placement

Causes of Homelessness Lack of Affordable Housing Low Wages Unemployment Domestic Violence Foreclosure Mental Health Issues Addictions

Tips for Identifying Transition Students Chronic hunger or fatigue Erratic school attendance Attendance at multiple schools Poor grooming A marked change in behavior Development delays Lack of school supplies Difficulty trusting people

Statistics on Homelessness 20% of homeless students does not attend school 41% of homeless students will attend two schools and 28% of homeless students will attend three or more schools With every school change, the student is set back academically four to six months Reference from the National Center Homeless Education Center at Serve

Enrollment Enroll and enrollment are defined to include attending classes and participating fully in school activities Transition children must be immediately enrolled No prior records are needed, but should be obtained by the enrolling school as quickly as possible This includes birth certificates, social security numbers, immunization records, transcripts, and other records

School of origin Transition youth have the right to stay in the school they went to before they lost their housing They can continue in a school of origin until the end of the school year The school districts must provide or arrange transportation for the youth

=Equal Access= Homeless students have equal access to all programs: GATE, Special Ed., Migrant Ed., ELL programs, Vocational Ed. They automatically qualify for Title I, School Meals, and After School Programs Transition Preschoolers may be given priority enrollment

Unaccompanied Youth Were asked to leave their home by parent or guardian Has no formal custody papers or arrangements because their parents/guardian are in jail, hospital, or rehabilitation center Ran away from home

District Liaison LEA liaisons must ensure that: Transition children and youth are identified Transition students enroll in, and have full and equal opportunity to succeed in, the schools of the LEA Transition families, children, and youth receive educational services

District Liaison continued …. Parents or guardians are informed of educational opportunities available to their children Public notice of the educational rights is disseminated Enrollment disputes are mediated Liaisons are required to assist unaccompanied youth in placement/enrollment decisions

San Francisco Unified School District offers the following services: Immediate Enrollment and Placement: Educational Placement Center (EPC). 555 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA. No records necessary Transportation: The student receive monthly Muni fast passes when needed and requested. Uniforms and Back Packs: One uniform is issued to those youth attending schools that require uniforms. Backpacks are given when needed and requested. Tutoring Services: SFUSD has a contract with a vendor to provide assessment and tutoring services to the transition youth. Referral Services: FYIT Liaison makes referrals to shelters, organizations, and other service providers in the community to assist families in transition.

Resources National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth National Center for Homeless Education National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty CDE Homeless Education

Shelters in San Francisco Connecting Point is an intake agency for city funded family shelters. For more information call (415) Raphael House is a shelter for families. For more information call (415) Hamilton Family Emergency Center (415) Riley Center offers safe & confidential services for women in abusive relationship. The 24 Hour Crisis Hotline is (415) La Casa De Las Madres offers emergency shelter for women in abusive relationships. The adult line is The teen line is

Who are foster youth? Foster youth are children who are removed from the care of their parents primarily because of abuse and neglect that resulted from complex family, social and environmental conditions. Foster youth are overseen by county Child Welfare Services or the Juvenile Probation Department.

Through No Fault of their own The majority of youth who enter the foster care system have been victims of abuse or neglect. Types of Abuse: Physical Sexual Emotional Neglect (not providing for basic needs)

How many foster youth are there? In the United States…………… In California…………………… In San Francisco……………… In SFUSD……………………… Over 500,000 Over 80,000 Approximately 1400 Between (estimated) How Long? 44% of current SF foster children have been in care far at least 5 years

Where do foster youth live? Kinship Care/Relative Placement Foster Family Homes (county appointed) Foster Family Agency Homes Group Homes Residential Treatment Facilities

Where do foster youth go to school? Aptos Gianinni Washington Wallenberg SOTA Newcomer Mission Lowell Lincoln John OConnell Ida B Wells Galileo Downtown Burton Balboa Everett Francisco Hoover Horace Mann James Lick Presidio

Educating Foster Youth 35% of foster youth have experienced 4 or more school changes Each school move results in a 6-month loss of educational progress 46% do not complete high school As few as 15% attend college

Foster youth services Program The FYS Program goal is to support the academic achievement, attendance, and positive school behaviors of foster and probation youth within San Francisco County. Appropriate school placement and a feeling of normalcy High school completion (in any form) The pursuit of post-secondary education (in any form)

How do we do that? Individualized case management to support academic achievement. Tutoring services for elementary and middle school foster youth students. High school to college transitional support services through the Guardian Scholars Summer Academy. Designate sited-based FYS Liaisons to link foster youth to support, resources and a caring adult. Assist with immediate and appropriate school placement in coordination with the SFUSD AB490 Liaison.

How do we do that? Support permanent relationships and stability through school-based recruitment of foster and adoptive parents. Facilitate collaboration and communication between SFUSD staff, community agencies, child welfare workers/probation officers, and care providers. Offer professional development on the educational needs of foster youth. Advocate locally and state-wide to improve school and child welfare policies. Create and distribute the FYS Census to student support services staff to target youth for services.

WHY do we do this? Children in foster care move frequently among emergency shelters, foster family, guardian homes (kinship/relative or non-relative) and group homes. These changes often result in multiple school placements. Because of these complexities in their lives, many foster youth perform below grade level, are held back in school, and have lower graduation rates than their peers.

Do foster youth have specific rights or protections Regarding their education? YES!

How can you you support foster youth in your school?

Supporting foster youth in your school Assist in the timely transfer of school records and calculation of school credits Understand that foster youth are placed in foster care at no fault of their own Help connect them to resources Be mindful of individual student needs Respect their right to privacy

What other resources are available to foster youth? Independent Living Skills Program (ILSP) (415) Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) (415) SF Human Services Agency (415) Gloria.Anthony-

What other resources are available to foster youth? First Place for Youth (510) SF State Guardian Scholars Program (415) City College of San Francisco Guardian Scholars Program (415) Larkin Street Youth Services (415)

QUESTIONS ?

Thank you for your support! For more information on ways you can support foster youth check out your handouts or ASK US!