Why Are Teens in Foster Care Failing School?
Written By: Hannah Adkison
The statistics are staggering. Foster youth in California are almost twice as likely as their peers to be chronically absent from school. They are over 20% less likely to graduate from high school compared to a traditional student and over 4 times more likely to be suspended. Where 43% of traditional students are deemed “college ready”, only 13% of foster youth are prepared for higher education.
These statistics aren’t a fluke. When our minds and bodies undergo trauma, we tend to function from our emotional “survival brain”. This is the part of us that runs our fight or flight response, assessing potential threats and how we should react. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score, gives a great summary of this system HERE.
For our kids in foster care, this means keeping up with their peers at school is incredibly taxing, many finding it nearly impossible. From falling asleep in class because their parents’ fighting kept them up, misreading situations and acting out in class, to never having had an educational advocate, we recognized that our kids in foster care need help.
That’s why we created Youth Connected Program.
YCP Foster Family
Since the 1980’s, Orangewood Foundation has served foster youth in Orange County in a variety of ways. Primarily, it focused its resources on the TAY population: Transitional Age Youth (18-24yo) who were transitioning out of foster care and into adulthood, often with little to no support.
To Board of Directors Members Susan Samueli and Sandi Jackson, a specific need began to stick out: Education. They were concerned with the low high school graduation rates of teens across Orange County, especially youth coming out of foster care, and sought to do something about it. Beginning in 2001, they spent countless hours collaborating with individuals from a variety of sectors, researching best practices and innovative models in education.
At first, they envisioned a charter school that might only serve youth in foster care, but through focus groups recognized that youth in foster care deeply desired to be counted amongst a traditional student body. And as it turns out, all the best practices that would benefit a child who has lived experience in the foster care system can equally benefit those without those experiences. Trauma Informed Practices, Work- and Project-Based Learning, and a Whole Student Approach are foundational to ANY kids’ success.
Samueli Academy | Santa Ana, CA
Samueli Academy opened in 2013, serving an initial freshman class of 120 students. Originally intended to be just a high school, it now serves over 800 7th-12th grade students annually with a jaw-dropping 98% graduation rate. One of the final building completions was a three story, 6-suite dormitory: Youth Connected Program (that’s us!), functioning separately from but collaboratively with the school. The core dream of serving foster youth with innovative solutions in Orange County was becoming a reality.
In 2021, Youth Connected Program opened its doors to its first youth, envisioning a world where all youth in foster care are able to graduate high school well supported throughout their teenage years, ready to take on college, careers, relationships, and daily living with confidence and security. This vision takes a village, so let’s break down our chief collaborators:
1. YCP Staff
Our youth have a comprehensive staff team who are ensuring their education has all the support needed. Our dorm staff are checking grades and attendance, helping with homework and providing reminders about tutoring. Our social work team works tirelessly to ensure needs and services are coordinated and IEP’s (Individualized Education Program) are advocated for. They also work with our juniors and seniors on an MVP, a specialized Mission and Vision Plan that ensures everyone is on the same page about what their transition into adulthood will look like.
2. YCP Foster Parents
In training and approving our foster parents, we ensure they have a commitment to their child’s education. Whether it’s calling to see out a big presentation went during the week, showing up for school conferences, or providing extra reading comprehension help at home, our parents are a crucial part of our kids’ success. In fact, many of our foster parents come to us because of how robust and unique our educational ambitions are for our youth!
3. Samueli Staff
Samueli Academy has an incredibly dedicated team helping our kids meet their goals. Their Student Success Coordinator, Psychologist, and Student Development Coordinator know all our kids by name, ensuring they are supported in the classroom throughout the school day. Restorative Justice is utilized in an effort to keep kids in class and out of suspension. On top of all this, Samueli offers state-of-the-art education and world-class teachers, equipping our kids with real-world skills that propel them towards their dreams.
4. YCP Youth
We are big on giving kids voice and choice here at YCP, which is why each youth is a primary part of their own team. We get to help them dream big, whatever “big” means to them. For some, graduating high school with basic reading comprehension skills and the ability to take a next step into community college is a major feat worth celebrating. Some want to become FBI agents and doctors, staying in-state for school or flying the nest for a broader worldview. While our support matters, we work tirelessly to ensure our kids know these outcomes are due to their own hard work, resiliency, and dedication.
We can’t do the work for them, but we can give every opportunity and support possible to ensure they can do it for themselves. We have seen students who came into our agency believing the lie that they were “stupid”, only to find that they just needed the right supports to see success and thrive. Last year YCP saw its first high school graduate walk the stage, going on to be a first-generation college student in her family. This summer we expect two new graduates, one of which will be the first to attend an out-of-state university.
In 2024, 30% of California foster youth were chronically absent. At YCP & Samueli Academy, we saw a 90% attendance rate for the same group. And we’re just getting started.
To learn more about how you can be a part of this incredible mission, fill out an info form or email us at ycp@orangewoodfoundation.org!