SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced 57 grantees will receive $15.5 million in Foster Youth Services (FYS) Countywide grants that are designed to help thousands of displaced children throughout the state.  For a list of the grantees, please visit Funding Results: Foster Youth Services Countywide.

"When young people are removed from their homes because of an unstable family environment, they are often traumatized and have a tendency to fall behind in school," said O'Connell. "These grants will help these unfortunate children get the academic and social support they need to succeed in school and ultimately in life."

The California Legislature has long known that foster children suffer socially and academically because of circumstances beyond their control.  As a result the Legislature declared in 1981 that the instruction, counseling, tutoring, and provision of related services for foster youth be a state priority and mandated the creation of the FYS Countywide grants program.

The Child Welfare League of America reports the number of times foster youth change homes can result in at least one severe delay in their academic skills.  Other challenges that may impair their academic success include loss of education and health records, difficulties adjusting to changing environments, loss of contact with people familiar with their needs, and lack of permanent family support systems. A study conducted in connection with legislation to mandate the FYS program showed that 75 percent of foster students in California are working below grade level, 83 percent are being held back by grade three, and 46 percent become high school dropouts.

Following the success of a FYS pilot project at four sites, the grant program had grown to cover 55 county offices of education, serving approximately 11,000 foster students by fiscal year 2005-06. This represents 99 percent of the foster youth residing in licensed children's institutions, more narrowly defined as group homes.

Funding for this grant comes from the state budget and is designed to provide academic and support services to meet the needs of foster youth, aged 4 through 21. In this round, new grant applications were limited to Del Norte, San Benito, and Tuolumne counties. Fifty-five counties will receive continued funding, and Del Norte and San Benito counties qualified for new grants.  Tuolumne County will be eligible to apply for future funding. 

Eligible applicants included county offices of education or a consortium of counties as a single applicant not already participating in this program. The grant amount is determined by the number of students residing in licensed foster homes in each county. The funds must be used to provide services such as educational assessments, help with transferring records, tutoring, counseling and/or mentoring, transition services to help foster youth train for jobs or help them live independently, and advocacy, among other services. To receive continued funding, grantees must submit year-end reports on the progress and success of their programs.

For more information on the Foster Youth Services Countywide grant program, please visit Funding Results: Foster Youth Services Countywide.