• Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Title I, Part A ensures the educational stability of students in foster care.

    The term “foster care” is defined as follows: placement by DCF of a student into 24-hour out-of-home care, away from his/her parents or guardians.

    These placements include, among others: • foster family homes; • foster homes of relatives; • emergency shelters (including STARR programs and Transitional Care units); • residential facilities; • child care institutions; • group homes; and • pre-adoptive homes.

    In addition, according to ESSA students in foster care have the right to,

    Immediate Enrollment: when it is in a student’s best interest to leave the school of origin, enrollment in a school in the local school district (see below) must take place without delay, to prevent disruption of the student’s education.

    Local School District: the Massachusetts school district in which the student’s foster care home, provider, or facility is physically located. When it is determined to be in a student’s best interest to leave the school of origin, the local school district must enroll the student immediately.

    School of Origin (See above for District of Origin): the school that a student was attending at the time of placement in foster care or the school a student is attending at the time of any subsequent change in a foster care placement.

     

    For further information please contact: Dr. Ann Dargon, Director of Student Services at 508-699-1309.

     

    DESE Link: https://www.doe.mass.edu/sfs/foster/