Youth and Caseworker Perspectives on Older Adolescents in California Foster Care: Youth’s Education Status and Services

Older adolescents in foster care often struggle in school due to life disruptions, setbacks, or issues like being suspended or repeating a grade. Nonetheless, they remain academically ambitious and aspire to complete a college degree. This memo explores academic status and services among older adolescents in foster care in California, including their educational history, perceptions of their readiness to pursue academic goals, and access to and usefulness of educational services. Findings show these young people felt optimistic about their success in school, with more than 80% expecting to graduate from college. Encouragement from trusted members of their social network and receipt of extended foster care were linked to their academic optimism and ambition, although only a third said they received a lot of services to help them succeed academically.