Education of Foster Youth

There are 100,000 foster youth in California. What are the educational challenges for these children?

• 43% of California’s children in foster care are moved 3 or more times, and 11 % are moved 5 or more times.
• 30% of foster youth function below their educational grade level.
• Half of all foster children have been held back in school.
• Over 35% of foster youth are in special education.
• 46% of foster youth fail to complete high school, compared with 16% of non-foster youth.
• Fewer than 10% of foster youth enroll in college.

What are their future prospects?

Within two to four years after emancipation:

• 51% of foster youth are unemployed.
• 62% have not maintained a job for at least one year.
• Close to 40% of foster youth receive public assistance.
• Approximately 25% of foster youth experience homelessness.
• One in five foster youth will be incarcerated.

Despite this dismal outlook, these children continue to have high aspirations:

• 70% of foster youth hope to attend college.
• 19% of foster youth intend to continue their studies beyond a college degree.

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