This document from Virginia Department of Education provides a summary of resources and policy changes following the passage of House Bill 777 into law in 2024, Enrollment of and Provision of Free Public Education for Certain Students; Kinship Care and Foster Care.
The law provides that certain provisions of law relating to continuity of public-school enrollment and attendance, and immediate enrollment for students in foster care, apply to a student who has transitioned out of foster care and whose custody has been transferred to the student’s parent or prior legal guardian, or who has been emancipated.
If a student in a kinship care arrangement moves into a different school division during the school year as a result of safely returning home, being emancipated, or transitioning to a new kinship care arrangement, such student shall be deemed a resident in the previous school division of residence for the remainder of the school year for the purpose of tuition-free enrollment and attendance.
Broadcast live on October 4, 2023, this webinar from FFF was the 2nd of 3 in the Fall 2023 Helping Foster, Adoptive and Kinship Families to Navigate Special Education series. The presentation focused on formal avenues for securing services and supports for children and youth with special needs including 504 plans and individualized education programs (IEPs), and addressed potential sticking points for foster, adoptive and kinship families.
Slides from webinar
Webinar Recording
This page on the Center for Family Involvement website offers links to video and print resources designed for Virginia military-connected families who are raising children and youth wtih disabilities. Additional resources from Formed Families Forward and PEATC are also linked.
Military Family Resources
Mental Wellness and Trauma-Informed Practices in Military Families video from FFF
Turning 18 in Military Families fact sheet from PEATC
This federal letter from the US Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services issued 11/10/22 to State Special Education Directors clarifies requirements for highly mobile children and youth such as military-connected children, migratory children, children who are homeless, and children in the foster care system.
Specific issues addressed are:
This brief article from Understood.org overviews some education issues specific to children and youth in foster care to foster/resource parents.
Originally broadcast on March 1, 2022, this webinar presented by Kelly Henderson of Formed Families Forward includes a review of the why, when, who and what of special education reevaluations or “triennials”. The 4 steps of reevaluation and the specifics of the ‘developmental delay’ category are covered.
Recording of Reevaluation Webinar
Slides
This article by FFF Executive Director Kelly Henderson offers an overview of special education considerations for children and youth in foster care. It was published in Fostering Families Today magazine in July 2021.
Article on website
PDF version of article
Delivered on February 22, 2022 by FFF staff experts, this was first in the Winter 2022 Accessing Special Education: Evaluation & Eligibility Basics webinar series. This session covered initial referral and evaluation processes, timelines and requirements. Eligibility categories and approaches were shared.
Recording of webinar
Presentation slides
Broadcast live on March 18, 2021, this webinar from FFF covered the topics of referral, evaluation and eligibility for special education.
Webinar recording
Getting through the Gate slides
A podcast featuring Formed Families Forward, recorded in July 2020, with Special Parents Confidential.
Special Parents Confidential
Formed Families Forward was pleased to be featured on the Fairfax Public Access television show “Your Need to Know”. Learn more about how FFF started and the wealth of services and programs we offer to foster, adoptive and kinship families!