Riverside County launches Foster Youth Success Initiative

Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Edwin Gomez on Wednesday announced the new Foster Youth Success Initiative to “help students move from surviving to striving to thriving.”

Data on educational performance, attendance, suspension and post-secondary success by students who have experienced the foster-care system consistently fall below the outcomes from nearly every other student group in the county as well as statewide and nationwide, according to the Riverside County Office of Education.

The aim of the initiative is to facilitate collaboration between schools, communities and government agencies to ensure that students get the essential services and support needed for success in school and their lives future endeavors, officials said. Program features include individual student support tools, foster-parent resources, educator training tools and bridging programs to higher education.

“When all the data points are revealing that outcomes for foster youth are lower in almost every measurable category — from academics and attendance to graduation and social-emotional wellness — we have an obligation as educators to ask ourselves whether we are doing everything we can to support our foster students,” Gomez said in a statement. “This new initiative is an outgrowth of our Equity & Inclusive Practices Initiative that is re-shaping mindsets and removing barriers that stand in the way of student success. I look forward to working with educators, civic leaders, community organizations, and government agencies to pave the way for a brighter future for foster youth in Riverside County.”

The Office of Education provided these data points on students from the foster-care system:

• Nearly 30,000 foster youth are enrolled in California public schools, with 2,934 in Riverside County, according to the California Department of Education.

• Approximately 60% of foster youth in the state graduate from high school, compared with 86% of nonfoster youth, the CDE reported. They are also more likely to drop out, be chronically absent, be suspended, and switch schools frequently.

• Foster youth enrolled in college within a year of high school graduation nearly 20% less often than nonfoster youth, according to the CDE.

• Less than 4% of foster youth in the state complete a four-year college degree, according to a 2021 study published by the policy research organization Chapin Hall.

Marking the initiative’s launch are the creation of the website rcoe.us/foster-youth-success, communications materials, foster youth panel discussions, screenings of documentaries about about foster youth and collaboration within the Office of Education to determine strategic direction and partnerships.

The initiative has seven areas of focus, officials said: Academic Support, Support for Families, Social and Emotional Support, Interagency Communication and Collaboration, District Support and Capacity Building, Stability and Continuity and Transition Planning.

“The Foster Youth Success Initiative will also supplement and expand RCOE’s existing Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program that provides direct support to school districts and foster youth in Riverside County as funded by a grant from the California Department of Education,” according to the RCOE statement.

The Foster Youth Success Initiative augments four other initiatives launched in fall 2020 —  the Equity & Inclusive Practices Initiative, Literacy by 5th Grade Initiative, Mental Health Initiative and Financial Literacy Initiative. More information on all five initiatives is online at rcoe.us/initiatives. 

Community members or educators interested in getting involved in education initiatives can contact Jason Jones via email at jjones@rcoe.us or by calling 951-826-6054.