Spotlight On:
Advocacy for Outcomes

Treehouse

Treehouse makes a difference in the lives of foster children by helping with school, fulfilling key material needs, and paying for extras that are, for most youth, just a regular part of growing up.

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Spotlight on: Advocacy for Outcomes »

Educational Opportunities

Foster youth must overcome very challenging circumstances to be successful in school. The disruption that results from being removed from their family often also results in loss of time in school. Many foster youth live with multiple families or group homes during their time in foster care and are transferred from school to school, which results in repeated re-adjustment to new circumstances and new educational requirements. Even foster youth who attend school regularly during such transitions often do not acquire the credits necessary for high school graduation.

Due to these difficult conditions, foster youth have lower test scores, higher dropout rates, and lower rates of college entry and completion than the general student population. This lack of educational achievement results in fewer economic opportunities and more adverse outcomes.

The Stuart Foundation believes that foster youth can be successful in school and in college if they are provided the opportunity and individualized support. We believe that educational success provides the opportunity for a better future for each foster youth and for future generations.

By the Numbers

  • Placement changes for foster youth occur about once every six months, resulting in an average of four to six months loss in educational attainment with each move.

  • Therefore, it is not surprising that 50% of foster youth repeat one or more grades in school.

  • Only 50% of foster youth complete high school compared to 70% of youth not in foster care.


    • Our Investments

    The Stuart Foundation invests in organizations that provide educational support and services to foster youth in the K-12 education system and who advocate for foster youth with policy makers. 

    In order to create strong and vibrant education opportunities for foster youth, we invest in organizations that:

    • Provide intensive educational supports for foster youth.
    • Promote educational advocacy for foster youth.
    • Support college access and retention for foster youth.

    We also support the following initiatives focused on educational opportunities:

    College Pathways

    Over the past decade the Stuart Foundation has dedicated significant resources to support former foster youth on college campuses. Youth in this program have proven that with well-crafted support they are able to thrive and succeed on college campuses and have even posted graduation rates that are higher than the general population.

    Ready to Succeed

    Studies have determined that children who enter foster care are often performing a year behind their grade level. The multiple moves experienced by foster children result in them falling even further behind in their studies. In California, the Ready to Succeed Initiative is pioneering practice and policy changes to improve educational outcomes for foster children in the K-12 education system.