Education
Paying for College as a Student with Foster Care History: Findings and Recommendations from Discussions with Students in California
Foster youth continue to lag far behind their peers when it comes to college completion, and college affordability has long been cited as the most common barrier that foster youth face. In recognition of the multitude of disadvantages that these students often confront, the 2023-24 state budget included additional funding for the Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) for current and former foster youth pursuing a bachelor’s degree at a CSU, UC or California community college.
This report, conducted by the Urban Institute, analyzes the usage of this expanded aid across the 2023-24 academic year and sheds light on the impact that has been realized as a result of this expansion. In addition, this report highlights findings from thirteen focus groups with students who were eligible to receive MCS funding to better understand the impact of financial aid in their postsecondary educational journey, from their decision to enroll and their perceptions of affordability to the impact it makes on their current college experience. s
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Trainers Guide – This guide is intended to assist trainers in successfully facilitating the Turning Dreams into Degrees Education Course 1. The guide summarizes key learning objectives for each section, provides additional context and ideas for facilitation. The guide concludes with a list of suggested readings for those looking to further deepen their knowledge on this topic. (Updated April 2024)
Special Considerations for Facilitating in Spanish – This tip sheet provides information about special considerations for facilitating Turning Dreams into Degrees in Spanish.
Education Course 1 PowerPoint – English + Spanish
Education Course 1 Video Handout – English + Spanish: Provides trainers with easy access to links for student videos featured in Education Course 1.
Webinar – Turning Dreams into Degrees Train the Trainer Updates, April 2024: This one-hour training provides course updates made to both Education Course 1 and Education Course 2 in 2024. This training is designed for returning trainers to learn about recent updates made to the curricula. A PDF copy of the presentation is available here.
Webinar – Full-Length Turning Dreams into Degrees Education Course 1 Train-the-Trainer: This full-length train-the-trainer walks through the Education Course 1 content in its entirety to help equip new trainers to successfully provide this course. This webinar features detailed facilitator instructions to provide this course either in-person or virtually to caregivers with youth in grades 6 – 10. A PDF copy of the presentation is available here. (Updated April 2024)