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P 2760 Foster Care Bill of Rights

The District is committed to ensuring and facilitating the proper educational placement, enrollment in school and checkout from school for foster children.

In order to facilitate this process and to serve as the educational liaison for District foster children, the District will designate _the Director of Special Services_ to oversee and assess the District's foster care program.

A foster care child whose home placement is changed may remain enrolled and attend their school of origin, or to return to a previously attended school in an adjacent district. The District will accept for credit full or partial course work satisfactorily completed by a foster child while attending a public school, nonpublic school or non-sectarian school in compliance with District policies, regulations and practices.

If a child in foster care is absent from school due to a decision to change the placement of a pupil made by a court or child placing agency, or due to a verified court appearance or related court-ordered activity, the grades and credits of the pupil will be calculated as of the day the pupil left school and no reduction in grades will occur as a result of the pupil's absence under these circumstances.

If a foster care student transfers into the District prior to or during a school year, the District will initially honor the placement of the student in educational courses and programs based on the student's prior enrollment or educational assessments; will provide comparable services to transferring foster care students with disabilities based on the student's current IEP; and will make reasonable accommodations and modifications to address the needs of a student with disabilities, subject to an existing 504 or Title II Plan in order to provide equal access to education. The District will conduct evaluations, where necessary, to ensure proper placement and services.

The District will waive specific courses required for graduation if similar course work has been satisfactorily completed at another school. Similarly, the District may waive prerequisites for placement in a District course or program based upon courses taken at a prior school. If a waiver is denied for reasonable justifications, the District will provide an alternative means of acquiring the required course work so that graduation may occur on time. If foster care students who transfer at the beginning of their senior year or during their senior year are deemed ineligible to graduate after all alternatives have been considered, the sending District and this District will ensure that a qualified student who satisfied graduation requirements of the sending school, will receive a diploma from the sending school.

Students in foster care who have completed the graduation requirements of the District while under juvenile court jurisdiction will receive a diploma in the same manner as other District students.

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Board Approved Date: January 15, 2018
Last Updated: July 2012