Illinois State Board of Education - Funding and Disbursements - Ensuring Educational Stability for Children in Foster Care - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - updated 02-10-2020

Oct 10, 2026

Uploaded by Kyle

Illinois State Board of Education guidance provides a question-and-answer format for funding and disbursements that support students in foster care. It addresses required roles, including designating a point of contact (POC) and developing foster care transportation policies and procedures. The FAQ explains POC update timing, where the information is entered in IWAS, whether school boards must approve plans, and whether specialized cooperatives must register a contact. It also covers responsibility for transportation during disputes, low-cost options and constraints, and funding pathways such as Title IV-E.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

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Pages5

Reading Time13 min

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WHO IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A POINT OF CONTACT (POC) AND DEVELOP A FOSTER CARE TRANSPORTATION POLICY/PROCEDURE?

HOW OFTEN IS THE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY (LEA) REQUIRED TO UPDATE THE POINT OF CONTACT (POC)?

WHAT IS THE SPECIFIC SYSTEM TO ENTER THE LEA'S POINT OF CONTACT (POC)?

DOES THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD NEED TO APPROVE THE PLAN?

DOES THE POC HAVE TO BE LOCATED AT EACH SCHOOL WHERE FOSTER CHILDREN ARE ENROLLED?

DO SPECIAL EDUCATION COOPERATIVES NEED TO IDENTIFY AND REGISTER A CONTACT PERSON?

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE STUDENT DURING A DISPUTE WHEN PLACED IN FOSTER CARE?

IS THE SCHOOL OF ORIGIN ALWAYS RESPONSIBLE FOR TRANSPORTATION?

WHAT ARE THE LOW-COST OPTIONS FOR FOSTER CARE TRANSPORTATION?

WHAT ARE THE FUNDING OPTIONS FOR FOSTER TRANSPORTATION?

Illinois State Board of Education Funding and Disbursements Ensuring Educational Stability for Children in Foster Care Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (updated 02-10-2020) For comprehensive guidance please see the USDE Non-Regulatory Guidance document: Ensuring Educational Stability for Children in Foster Care [https://www.isbe.net/Documents/edhhsfostercarenonregulatorguide.pdf](https://www.isbe.net/Documents/edhhsfostercarenonregulatorguide.pdf) (click on question to view the answer) • WHO IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A POINT OF CONTACT (POC) AND DEVELOP A FOSTER CARE TRANSPORTATION POLICY/PROCEDURE? • HOW OFTEN IS THE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY (LEA) REQUIRED TO UPDATE THE POINT OF CONTACT (POC)? • WHAT IS THE SPECIFIC SYSTEM TO ENTER THE LEA'S POINT OF CONTACT (POC)? • DOES THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD NEED TO APPROVE THE PLAN? • DOES THE POC HAVE TO BE LOCATED AT EACH SCHOOL WHERE FOSTER CHILDREN ARE ENROLLED? • DO SPECIAL EDUCATION COOPERATIVES NEED TO IDENTIFY AND REGISTER A CONTACT PERSON? • WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE STUDENT DURING A DISPUTE WHEN PLACED IN FOSTER CARE? • IS THE SCHOOL OF ORIGIN ALWAYS RESPONSIBLE FOR TRANSPORTATION? • WHAT ARE THE LOW-COST OPTIONS FOR FOSTER CARE TRANSPORTATION? • WHAT ARE THE FUNDING OPTIONS FOR FOSTER TRANSPORTATION? • DO ALL SCHOOLS HAVE TO COMPLETE THE “FOSTER CARE TRANSPORTATION PLAN” WITHIN IWAS? • HOW LONG MAY FOSTER STUDENTS STAY AT THE SCHOOL OF ORIGIN (SOO)? • ONCE A FOSTER STUDENT IS ADOPTED, HOW LONG MAY THEY STAY AT THE SCHOOL OF ORIGIN (SOO)? • THE STUDENT PREVIOUSLY ATTENDED DISTRICT A. LAST YEAR, SHE WENT INTO FOSTER CARE AND THE FOSTER PLACEMENT WAS WITHIN DISTRICT B. THE STUDENT AT THAT TIME WANTED A"FRESH START" AND SO SHE AND HER FOSTER PARENTS DECIDED SHE SHOULD ATTEND DISTRICT B LAST SCHOOL YEAR. NOW SHE WANTS TO RETURN TO DISTRICT A, AND HER AGENCY CASEWORKER AND COUNSELOR BELIEVE IT WOULD BE IN HER BEST INTERESTS TO RETURN TO DISTRICT A. HOWEVER, DISTRICT A IS REFUSING TO ENROLL HER, SAYING THAT HER SCHOOL OF ORIGIN IS NOW DISTRICT B, AS THAT IS WHERE SHE ATTENDED LAST YEAR. 1. WHO IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A POINT OF CONTACT (POC) AND DEVELOP A FOSTER CARE TRANSPORTATION POLICY/PROCEDURE? The Local Educational Agency (LEA) is required to designate a POC and develop a foster care transportation policy/procedure. This document shall identify procedures governing how transportation will be provided, arranged, and funded to maintain children in foster care in their school of origin when in their best interest. 2. HOW OFTEN IS THE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY (LEA) REQUIRED TO UPDATE THE POINT OF CONTACT (POC)? Annually, prior to the start of their school year. Or as frequent as the information changes. 3. WHAT IS THE SPECIFIC SYSTEM TO ENTER THE LEA'S POINT OF CONTACT (POC)? The system is found in the Consolidated District Plan (CDP) in IWAS. Click on the Foster Care Transportation Tab 4. DOES THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD NEED TO APPROVE THE PLAN? Plans do not have to be approved by a local school board unless this is required by the district. 5. DOES THE POC HAVE TO BE LOCATED AT EACH SCHOOL WHERE FOSTER CHILDREN ARE ENROLLED? The POC is designated at the LEA level and not each school building where the foster child is enrolled. 6. DO SPECIAL EDUCATION COOPERATIVES NEED TO IDENTIFY AND REGISTER A CONTACT PERSON? No. The “Non-Regulatory Guidance: Ensuring Educational Stability for Children in Foster Care” states that the LEA should designate a POC at the LEA level. A special education cooperative does not need to identify and register a contact person. 7. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE STUDENT DURING A DISPUTE WHEN PLACED IN FOSTER CARE? The school of origin (SOO) is responsible for transportation during a dispute. 8. IS THE SCHOOL OF ORIGIN ALWAYS RESPONSIBLE FOR TRANSPORTATION? YES – If the student Best Interest Determination (BID) is to stay in the School of Origin (SOO), th

FAQs

Who must provide a point of contact (POC) and develop the foster care transportation policy/procedure?

The Local Educational Agency (LEA) must designate a POC and develop the foster care transportation policy/procedure for providing, arranging, and funding transportation to maintain children in foster care in their school of origin when it is in their best interest.

How often does the LEA need to update the POC information?

The LEA updates the POC annually prior to the start of the school year, or as frequently as the information changes.

Who is responsible for transportation when there is a dispute and the student is placed in foster care?

The school of origin (SOO) is responsible for transportation during the dispute, and it remains responsible even after the dispute is resolved.

Oct 10, 2026

Uploaded by Kyle