From Foster Care to Freshman

Posted by NPR on January 26, 2015

College support for foster youth who’ve aged out

Over the last few years, a nationwide push has arisen to get more foster youth to college, and to help them stay and graduate, reports Jennifer Guerra for NPR. More than 20,000 youths around the country age out of foster care every year. Roughly half drop out of high school. Those who make it to college rarely graduate — less than 3 percent. Now some states, like Michigan, are actively helping former foster kids persevere in college. Working in conjunction with its colleges and universities, Michigan is among a growing list of states that offer essentially a full college ride — or close to it — for foster youth who have aged out. The goal is to help every former foster youth in the state matriculate and graduate. To succeed, these youth need more: Many leave foster placement with next to nothing — no family, no money, no support. The most successful support programs offer year-round housing, a way to connect with other former foster youth, and campus coaches on call 24 hours a day. Schools across the country that have undertaken this kind of comprehensive approach have a promising track record in improving foster-youth graduation rates. Outcomes from programs that offer tuition assistance alone are less successful.

More: http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=368436717