For children and youth in foster care, education has the potential to be a positive counterweight to abuse, neglect, separation, impermanence, and instability. Studies have shown that education is a significant factor in determining the success of youth as they exit the foster care system and beyond.

Some Facts and Figures

• Less than 70 percent of youth in foster care finish high school before leaving care.
• Children and youth in out-of-home care experience an average of one or two placement changes per year.
• Students in foster care score 16 to 20 percentile points below others in statewide standardized tests (Washington state study).
• Only about 3 percent obtain a bachelor's degree within a few years of emancipation.
• Click here to download the fact sheet on educational outcomes for children and youth in foster care.