Foster Youth Graduation Requirements- Plan F

1
Foster Youth Graduation Requirements- Plan F
2
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.

3
Where do foster youth live?

• Kinship Care/Relative Placement
• Foster Family Homes (county appointed)
• Foster Family Agency Homes
• Group Homes
• Residential Treatment Facilities

4
Foster Care Education FactsNational Statistics

• 35 of foster youth have experienced 4 or more
  school changes
• 75 perform below grade level
• 46 do not complete high school
• Only 4 percent of former foster youth obtain any
  type of degree or certificate, and only about 2
  earn a bachelors degree or higher
• 80 of foster youths did not earn enough to be
  fully self-supporting four years after leaving
  care

5
Foster Care Education FactsLocal Statistics
SFUSD foster youth scoring proficient and above
on CA Standardized Tests
ELA 170 Math 158
6
AB 167
Foster Youth High School Graduation Requirements
7
Assembly Bill 167

• Exempts foster youth who transfer schools or
  school districts in eleventh or twelfth grade
  from local graduation requirements if they would
  not be able to reasonably meet these additional
  local requirements.
• Requires school districts and schools to provide
  notice to foster youth being exempted from
  additional local requirements if failure to
  satisfy such local requirements will affect the
  pupils ability to gain admission to a
  postsecondary educational institution.
• EC 51225.3 (c)

8
What problem does AB 167 seek to address?

• Addresses challenges of educational instability
  of foster youth who transfer in the middle of
  their high school career.
• Ensures that foster youth receive their high
  school diploma, if they are forced relocate to
  another school that may have increased
  graduation requirements compared to their former
  school

9
California Minimum High School Graduation
Requirements

• A pupil shall complete all of the following while
  in grades nine to twelve, inclusive, in order to
  receive a diploma of graduation from high school?
  
• at a minimum, the following numbers of courses
  in the subjects specified, each course having a
  duration of one year, unless otherwise specified
  
• Three courses in English
• Two courses in mathematics
• Two courses in science, including biological and
  physical sciences
• EC 51225.3 (a)

10
California Minimum High School Graduation
Requirements (continued)

• Three courses in social studies, including United
  States history and geography world history,
  culture, and geography a one-semester course in
  American government and civics and a
  one-semester course in economics.
• One course in visual or performing arts or
  foreign language. For the purposes of satisfying
  the requirement specified in this subparagraph, a
  course in American Sign Language shall be deemed
  a course in foreign language.
• Two courses in physical education, unless the
  pupil has been exempted.
• EC 51225.3(a)

11
California Minimum High School Graduation
Requirements (continued)

• One course of the math requirements needs to be
  Algebra 1
• EC 51224.5
• http//www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/hs/hsgrmin.asp
• Passage of the California High School Exit Exam
  (CAHSEE)
• EC 60851(a)
• http//www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/hs/

12
How do you determine whether or not a student
transfers in the 11th or 12th grade?

• For the purposes of AB167 (only), SFUSD grade
  level will be determined as follows
• Students fourteen (14) through sixteen (16) years
  old, grade level is determined by credits.
• Students seventeen (17 through twenty-one (21),
  grade level is grade 12.

13
Does AB 167 apply to foster youth who transferred
prior to the passage of AB 167?

• Legislative language makes clear that AB 167
  applies to all currently enrolled foster youth
  who transferred in the 11th or 12th grade,
  regardless of when the transfer occurred.

14
Determining Reasonableness

• Review academic records and ensure all prior high
  school credits are included in transcript
• Complete a transcript analysis to determine
  courses and credits needed to meet SFUSD
  graduation requirements (Available Tool AB 167
  Reasonableness Worksheet)
• Consult with county social worker to specify how
  long the student is expected to remain in foster
  care.
• Consult with student and educational rights
  holder (if applicable) to review the students
  school performance history and if the student
  wants a waiver. Consulting the childs social
  worker, attorney, caregiver, or anyone else
  familiar with the students educational history
  is encourage

15
May a school district reconsider its
reasonableness finding?

• Given a districts limited familiarity with a
  recent transferee, it is best practice to
  reevaluate their reasonableness finding in light
  of the students performance post-transfer. While
  a district might have initially thought it
  reasonable for the youth to complete their
  additional requirements, post-transfer evidence
  might suggest otherwise.

16
What must a school do if it determines that a
pupil in foster care will be exempt from its
additional requirements?

• Notification to student and the education rights
  holder of any ineligibility for admission into
  post-secondary education institution
• Provide CA Community College transfer information
  to the student and education rights holder
• Refer to the SFUSD AB167 Graduation Requirement
  Waiver Protocol and AB167 Notification Letter

17
Does a diploma awarded under AB 167 weigh the
same as all other diplomas?

• Yes. AB 167 recognizes that some foster youth
  transferring in the 11th or 12th grade, through
  no fault of their own, are not able to complete
  the additional requirements of their new school
  district. AB 167 provides an exemption for these
  students, allowing those who cannot reasonably
  fulfill the districts additional requirements to
  obtain a diploma of graduation. While AB 167 says
  nothing about a districts ability to award
  special certificates to students who fulfill
  additional requirements, foster youth falling
  under AB 167s exemption must receive the same
  diploma of graduation as all other students in
  that district.

18
How does this impact a child who has an IEP?   

• IDEA requires an transition plan for all students
  receiving special education services
• Thus, whenever a student is receiving special
  education services the applicability of AB 167
  should be addressed in the students
  Individualized Education Program (IEP) team
  meeting. 
• CAHSEE exemptions for students with disabilities
  may be granted.

19
AB 167 Resources

• San Francisco Unified School District Board
  Policy (P6105.2)
• SFUSD Administrative Regulation
• AB167 Graduation Requirement Waiver Protocol
• AB167 Notification Letter
• AB167 Reasonableness Worksheet
• AB167 Frequently Asked Questions
• For more information or assistance, contact the
• Foster Youth Services Program at 242-2615,
• Maya Webb, Ext. 3310, webbm1_at_sfusd.edu
• Shira Andron, Ext. 3055, androns_at_sfusd.edu

20
Check out our FYS website www.healthiersf.org/fys
21
QUESTIONS?
22
Thank you for your support!

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