School Newsletter: Supporting and Communicating With Foster Families

Children in foster care face educational disruptions that most students never experience: school changes when placements change, incomplete records following them between schools, and the challenge of connecting with a new school community while managing significant life instability. Foster parents navigating these systems on behalf of their foster children need school communications that acknowledge the complexity of their situation and give them the specific information they need. This newsletter covers what that looks like.

Name your school's foster care liaison

Federal law requires schools to have a designated point of contact for foster care issues. Many foster parents do not know this person exists or how to reach them. A newsletter that names the school's foster care liaison, describes their role, and provides their contact information gives foster families a direct point of contact rather than leaving them to navigate the school system without guidance.

Communicate school stability rights clearly

Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, children in foster care have the right to remain enrolled in their school of origin when their placement changes, unless remaining there is not in their best interest. When a transfer is determined to be appropriate, the child has the right to immediate enrollment in the new school without waiting for records. A newsletter that explains these rights, before a family faces a placement change, ensures foster parents know what their child is entitled to.

Describe the immediate enrollment process

Foster children who need to enroll in a new school mid-year often encounter barriers: missing records, incomplete vaccination documentation, unclear custody paperwork. A newsletter that describes the school's enrollment process for students in foster care, what documentation is required versus what can be gathered after enrollment, and who to contact to facilitate the process quickly, reduces the time children spend without school access during transitions.

Address the trauma-informed education context

Many children in foster care have experienced trauma, and schools that use trauma-informed practices serve them better. A newsletter that describes what trauma-informed education means at this school, what supports are available for students who have experienced adverse childhood experiences, and how foster parents can communicate with staff about specific needs gives foster families confidence that the school understands the context in which their foster child is learning.

Connect foster families to community resources

Foster parents are often managing a network of service providers, caseworkers, and legal contacts alongside their school relationship. A newsletter that connects foster families to community organizations that support families in the child welfare system, to legal aid resources, and to foster parent support networks extends the school's communication beyond its own resources and builds the trust that keeps foster families engaged with the school.

Recognize foster parents as a distinct community

Foster families are doing extraordinary work under complex circumstances. A school newsletter that acknowledges this, that thanks foster families for their commitment to children who need stable, caring adults, and that communicates the school's partnership with them in supporting each child's success, builds the relationship that makes communication effective. Foster parents who feel valued by the school are more likely to engage consistently with it.