Section 42921.

(a) In addition to the six program sites specified in Section 42920, any county office of education, or consortium of county offices of education, may elect to apply to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for grant funding, to the extent funds are available, to operate an education-based foster youth services program to provide educational and support services for foster children who reside in a licensed foster home or county-operated juvenile detention facility. The provision of educational and support services to foster youth in licensed foster homes shall also apply to foster youth services programs in operation as of July 1, 2006, and receiving grant funding.

(b) Each foster youth services program operated pursuant to this chapter, if sufficient funds are available, shall have at least one person identified as the foster youth educational services coordinator. The foster youth educational services coordinator shall facilitate the provision of educational services pursuant to subdivision (d) to any foster child in the county who is either under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 300 of the Welfare and Institutions Code or under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 601 or 602 of the Welfare and Institutions Code who is placed in a licensed foster home or county-operated juvenile detention facility. A program operated pursuant to this chapter may prescribe the methodology for determining which children may be served. Applicable methodologies may include, but are not limited to, serving specific age groups, serving children in specific geographic areas with the highest concentration of foster children or serving the children with the greatest academic need. It is the intent of the Legislature that children with the greatest need for services be identified as the first priority for foster youth services.

(c) The responsibilities of the foster youth educational services coordinator shall include, but shall not be limited to, all of the following:

(1) Working with the child welfare agency to minimize changes in school placement.

(2) Facilitating the prompt transfer of educational records, including the health and education passport, between educational institutions when placement changes are necessary.

(3) Providing education-related information to the child welfare agency to assist the child welfare agency to deliver services to foster children, including, but not limited to, educational status and progress information required for inclusion in court reports by Section 16010 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(4) Responding to requests from the juvenile court for information and working with the court to ensure the delivery or coordination of necessary educational services.

(5) Working to obtain and identify, and link children to, mentoring, tutoring, vocational training, and other services designed to enhance the educational prospects of foster children.

(6) Facilitating communication between the foster care provider, the teacher, and any other school staff or education service providers for the child.

(7) Sharing information with the foster care provider regarding available training programs that address education issues for children in foster care.

(8) Referring caregivers of foster youth who have special education needs to special education programs and services.

(d) Each foster youth services program operated pursuant to this chapter shall include guiding principles that establish a hierarchy of services, in accordance with the following order:

(1) Provide, or arrange for the referral to, tutoring services for foster youth.

(2) Provide, or arrange for the referral to, services that meet local needs identified through collaborative relationships and local advisory groups, which may include, but shall not be limited to, all of the following:

(A) Mentoring.

(B) Counseling.

(C) Transitioning services.

(D) Emancipation services.

(3) Facilitation of timely individualized education programs, in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.), and of all special education services.

(4) Establishing collaborative relationships and local advisory groups.

(5) Establishing a mechanism for the efficient and expeditious transfer of health and education records and the health and education passport.

(e) For purposes of this section, "licensed foster home" means a licensed foster family home, certified foster family agency home, court-specified home, or licensed care institution (group home).

(Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 75, Sec. 4. Effective July 12, 2006.)