Foster Care Post Secondary Education

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Things You Should Know if You Are In Post-Secondary & College

Paying for College- Tuition for 2 or 4 year schools can be expensive but CFSA will help pay for tuition, room and board. You can receive up to $5,000 a year through the Chafee Education and Training (ETV) program (LINK). It is vital that you stay on top of your bills and regularly correspond (email and call) with the OYE educational unit to make sure that your bills are paid. In order to receive the support you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • 18-20 years old
  • US citizen or legal residency
  • Must have a high school diploma or equivalent
  • Can be enrolled full or part time
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0

Allowance while in college- You will receive an allowance when you are in college. If you live with your foster parents or in a group home then you will receive the normal monthly personal allowance of $100 a month. If you are away then you will receive $300 if you have a meal plan or $500 if you do not have a meal plan.

Health Insurance- CFSA will make sure that you are fully covered by health insurance when you are in college. You will either be covered by DC Medicaid if you are attending school locally or they will arrange for you to enroll in a campus health plan.

Educational Resources, Transportation & Supplies—You will need books, a laptop and other supplies when you enter a 2 or 4 year educational program. CFSA will help you purchase all of these items. If you are attending school locally they you are eligible to receive a transportation stipend from OYE. If you are away at school then CFSA will pay for your transportation to and from school—for daily traveling as well as when you return home for holidays and breaks.

Tutoring-If you are having trouble with your classes then you should use all on-campus resources for assistance. You should also contact your social worker and resource provider about getting a CFSA paid tutor. Do not wait until the end of the semester but seek help right when you start to have issues.
 
IF YOU ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH YOUR EDUCATION
It is important to immediately seek help when you have an issue with your education. Do not wait until the end of the semester or when you have missed multiple assignments or failed tests. When you have an issue you should always contact both your social worker and your resource provider.  When talking to them be as specific as possible and provide details about what you need and issues you are facing.  Highlight the severity of the issue. If your social worker does not get back to you within two days then contact their supervisor. Do not give up.  Always document your efforts to obtain help by writing emails (creates a paper trail) and copying supervisors or others when you send an email.  You should also contact the following people

  1. Guardian Ad Litem (GAL)- It is your GAL’s job to advocate for your best interests.  They should assist you with getting a tutor, uniforms, paying school expenses, etc.
  2. CFSA Youth Ombudsman- “Yo BUD” If you are 14 years old and older you can contact the CFSA Youth Ombudsman when you are having issues with your placement (or any other issues as well).
  3. Educational Advocate- Even though you are in foster care your parents might have the right to make decisions about your education. You should talk with your social worker and your parent(s) to see if they have been assigned an Educational Advocate. This person is usually an attorney who assists your parents with making education related decisions.
  4. OYE Educational Specialists Team-This team is in place to support you in exploring, applying to and, financing and enrolling in college (2/4 year).

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