Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators:

May is National Foster Care Month

Approximately 46,000 foster youth attend our schools in California. This is a time to recognize that we can play a part in enhancing the lives of children and youth in foster care. We hope that you will join the California Department of Education (CDE) in raising awareness of the needs of our state's foster youth.

Students in foster care represent one of the most vulnerable and academically at-risk groups enrolled in California schools. The CDE monitors the educational outcomes for foster youth and partners with multiple state agencies and nonprofit organizations to ensure these students receive the support and services they need. Please see the CDE Foster Youth in California—Information, Resources, and Educational Outcomes web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sg/fosteryouth.asp for more information.

The CDE also administers the Foster Youth Services Coordinating Programs (FYSCPs) through county offices of education to provide support services to foster children who suffer the traumatic effects of displacement from family and schools and multiple placements in foster care. These FYSCPs have the ability and authority to ensure that health and school records are obtained to establish appropriate placements and coordinate instruction, counseling, tutoring, mentoring, vocational training, emancipation services, training for independent living, and other related services. The FYSCPs increase the stability of placements for foster youth. These services are designed to improve the children's educational performance and personal achievement, directly benefiting them as well as providing long-range cost savings to the state. For more information, please see the CDE Foster Youth Services web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/pf/fy/.

If you have any questions regarding foster youth, please contact Mindi Parsons, Education Administrator, Professional Learning Support and Monitoring Office, at 916-319-0505 or mparsons@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction