Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signs law to improve educational outcomes for over 11,000 children in foster care
Phoenix, Ariz. – Late yesterday, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signed SB 1205 into law to improve educational outcomes for over 11,000 children in the state’s foster care system. The reform was adopted unanimously by legislators and designed by the Center for the Rights of Abused Children.
“Children in foster care face tremendous obstacles that negatively impact their educational performance,” said Darcy Olsen, CEO of the Center for the Rights of Abused Children. “This bill will give them greater stability in their education and consequently help them succeed now and throughout life.”
Children in foster care require special education services at twice the rate of peers and drop out of school twice as often as the average student. This reform:
- Presumes that staying in the child's school of origin is best, transferring a student only when it is in the child's best interest;
- Requires the best interest determination be made no later than five days after the child enters care;
- Ensures that a child receives transportation during and following the best interest determination;
- Minimizes inefficiencies when transferring schools by ensuring records are transferred to the new school no later than two days following the best interest determination; and
- Allows DCS and ADE or local education agencies to enter necessary agreements to ensure fulfillment of their obligations and establishes a process to resolve disputes.
SB 1205 brings Arizona into compliance with federal law and will improve educational stability and outcomes for children in foster care.
About the Center for The Rights of Abused Children: The Center for the Rights of Abused Children fights for better futures for America’s abused children with a pro bono Children’s Law Clinic, common-sense reforms and public interest litigation. Join our lifesaving work to end violence against children today.
Contact: Aimee Jolley at (602) 689-4052 or aimee@thecenterforchildren.org or Lindsay Hansen at 480 (205) 6195 or lindsay@ldhconsulting.net.