Role of the County Placing Agency
When making out-of- home placements, the placing agency must consider both the placement’s proximity to the child’s present school and the impact the placement will have on the child’s educational stability. (WIC 16501.1(c)).
Role of the School
Educational placements of foster youth must be made to ensure that youth have access to the same resources available to all students, that the educational placement is the least restrictive environment, and that the educational placement in the youth’s best interest. (WIC 361, 726, Ed Code 48853).
- Right to remain in school of origin: If the child’s residential placement changes, the school district must allow the child to remain in his/her school of origin for the duration of the school year, provided it is in her best interest to do so. The child’s best interest is determined by the school district’s foster care liaison, the person who holds education rights, and the child. If a dispute arises, the child has the right to remain in her school of origin until the dispute is resolved. (EC 48853.5).
School District Foster Care Liaison
Every school district and County Office of Education must have an educational liaison for foster children. The duties of a liaison are:
- To ensure proper school placement, enrollment and checkout from school
- To assist with the transfer of grades, credits and records when youth transfer schools
- To complete school record transfers within 2 business days. (EC 48853.5).
Preference for Public School
Foster children must attend programs operated by the local education agency unless the child has an IEP requiring a different educational placement, or the person with education rights determines that it is in the child’s best interest to attend a different educational program or to remain in the school of origin. (EC 48853).
Immediate Enrollment
The child has the right to be immediately enrolled in the new school without school records, immunization records, uniforms, etc. (EC 48853.5(d)(4)(b)).
