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Explains key ESSA provisions governing school of origin placement, best interest determinations, immediate enrollment in a new school without required documentation, and collaboration between LEAs and child welfare agencies to plan transportation and records transfer. Covers McKinney-Vento updates affecting eligibility and clarifies dispute, privacy, and points-of-contact responsibilities for effective joint implementation.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/","Healthcare",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/ensuring-educational-stability-for-children-in-foster-care-best-interest-determinations-and-immediate-enrollment/535549/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/ensuring-educational-stability-for-children-in-foster-care-best-interest-determinations-and-immediate-enrollment/535549.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Sarah ","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-09","2026-10-10",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",8,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"When must a child in foster care remain in the school of origin?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Children remain in the school of origin unless a determination is made that it is not in the child’s best interest to attend that school.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What happens if it is not in the child’s best interest to stay in the school of origin?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"The child must be immediately enrolled in the new school, even if required documentation is not available.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How do McKinney-Vento provisions affect youth “awaiting foster care placement”?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"The phrase “awaiting foster care placement” is removed from the definition of homeless children and youth; after the effective date, those youth must be served under ESSA, though some may still be eligible for McKinney-Vento services in specific living situations.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},535549,1791657258,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,106,110,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":102,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":107,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,40,"healthcare",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":111,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":107,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145,"preview_page_count":4},962085320529,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_9964176cb1d06d4a9deccf72a44ae3dc","Ensuring Educational Stability for Children in Foster Care: Best Interest Determinations and Immediate Enrollment  \nAugust 24, 2016  \nTODAY’S PRESENTERS  \n􀂃 Stevi Steines  \nChief Deputy, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services  \n􀂃 Mary Myslewicz  \nCasey Fellow, Office of Innovation & Improvement, U.S.  \nDepartment of Education  \n􀂃 Lessons from the Field  \n– Joan Rock, Resource Coordinator for Family Services, Vermont Agency of Human Services  \n– Andrea Burton, Social Worker, Vermont Agency of Human Services  \n– Amy Woolard, Attorney & Policy Coordinator, Legal Aid Justice Center  \n– Patricia Popp, State Coordinator, Project HOPE-Virginia  \nTODAY’S AGENDA  \n􀂃 Provide an overview of the federal framework for ensuring educational stability for children in foster care  \n􀂃 Unpack the Every Student Succeeds Act provisions related to best interest determinations and immediate enrollment  \n􀂃 Learn lessons from early implementation in Vermont and Virginia  \n􀂃 Q&A  \nEDUCATIONAL STABILITY: A TIMELINE  \nOctober 2008:  \nThe Fostering Connections to Success &  \nJune 2016:  \nED/HHS Foster Care  \nDecember 2016:  \nESSA Foster Care  \nIncreasing Adoptions Act  \nGuidance Released  \nProvisions Take Effect  \nDecember 2015:  \nThe Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)  \nAug./Sept. 2016:  \nED/HHS Foster Care TA Webinar Series  \nKEY ESSA PROVISIONS  \n􀂃 Children in foster care remain in the school of origin, unless it is determined that it is not in his or her best interest  \n􀂃 If it is not in the child’s best interest to remain in the school of origin, the child must be immediately enrolled in the new school even if they don’t have the required documentation.  \n􀂃 LEAs must collaborate with child welfare agencies (CWAs) to develop and implement clear written procedures for how transportation will be provided, arranged, and funded for the duration of a child’s time in foster care.  \n􀂃 Each SEA must designate a point of contact (POC) for CWAs. LEAs must also designate a POC for CWAs if the corresponding CWA notifies the LEA, in writing, that it has designate a POC.   \nMCKINNEY-VENTO PROVISIONS  \n􀂃 The phrase “awaiting foster care placement” will be removed from the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act’s definition of homeless children and youth.  \n– For non-covered states, this change is effective 12/10/16  \n– For covered states--that is, States that define “awaiting foster care placement” in statute or regulations--this change is effective 12/10/17  \n􀂃 After the effective date, youth “awaiting foster careplacement” must be served under ESSA  \n􀂃 Some children in foster care may still be eligible for McKinney-Vento services (e.g., youth who are living in transitional shelters or motels)  \nJOINT GUIDANCE  \n\n| Table of Contents |  |\n| --- | --- |\n| Educational Stability | Questions 1 – 9 |\n| School of Origin | Questions 10 – 11 |\n| Best Interest Determination | Questions 12 – 17 |\n| Dispute Resolution | Questions 18 – 20 |\n| Transportation | Questions 21 – 32 |\n| Immediate Enrollment/Records Transfer | Question 33 |\n| Points of Contact (POCs) | Questions 34 – 37 |\n| Student Data and Privacy | Question 38 |\n| Collaboration | Questions 39 – 40 |\n\nAccess the joint guidance here:  \n[http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/essa/edhhsfostercarenonregulatorguide. pdf](http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/essa/edhhsfostercarenonregulatorguide. pdf)  \nBest Interest Determinations & Immediate Enrollment  \nBEST INTEREST DETERMINATIONS  \nESSA REQUIREMENTS  \nSEAs must provide assurances that:  \n􀂃 Children in foster care enroll or remain in the school of origin unless there is a determination that it is not in his or her best interest to attend the school of origin  \n􀂃 The best interest determination must be based on all relevant factors, including:  \n– Appropriateness of the current educational setting  \n– Proximity to the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement  \nBEST INTEREST DETERMINATIONS  \nGUIDANCE","cbCaio2hzUv6IaDr","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaio2hzUv6IaDr","pdf",1331684,36,"English","# Educational Stability: A Timeline\n## October 2008 to December 2016\n# Key ESSA Provisions\n## School of origin\n## Immediate enrollment\n# McKinney-Vento Provisions\n## Effective dates and eligibility changes\n# Joint Guidance\n## Best Interest Determinations\n## Guidance Provisions\n## School of origin definition","[{\"question\":\"When must a child in foster care remain in the school of origin?\",\"answer\":\"Children remain in the school of origin unless a determination is made that it is not in the child’s best interest to attend that school.\"},{\"question\":\"What happens if it is not in the child’s best interest to stay in the school of origin?\",\"answer\":\"The child must be immediately enrolled in the new school, even if required documentation is not available.\"},{\"question\":\"How do McKinney-Vento provisions affect youth “awaiting foster care placement”?\",\"answer\":\"The phrase “awaiting foster care placement” is removed from the definition of homeless children and youth; after the effective date, those youth must be served under ESSA, though some may still be eligible for McKinney-Vento services in specific living situations.\"}]","Ensuring Educational Stability for Children in Foster Care - Best Interest Determinations and Immediate Enrollment | PDF",1791600641,91]