Education Report Roundup

Foster Children

By Debra Viadero — April 20, 2010 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

By the time they are 23 and 24, young people who have “aged out” of foster care are three times more likely than their peers in the general population to not have a high school diploma or its equivalency, according to the latest findings from a long-running study of foster children’s transition to adulthood.

The study was conducted by researchers from Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago and Partners for Our Children at the University of Washington in Seattle. It tracks 602 young people in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

Compared with a nationally representative sample of young people who were not in foster care, the study finds, the former foster-care children are also half as likely to have attended college and one-fifth as likely to have earned a college degree. They also have disproportionately high rates of joblessness, out-of-wedlock pregnancies, criminal convictions, and poverty, according to the study.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the April 21, 2010 edition of Education Week as Foster Children

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Inside PLCs: Proven Strategies from K-12 Leaders
Join an expert panel to explore strategies for building collaborative PLCs, overcoming common challenges, and using data effectively.
Content provided by Otus
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Making Science Stick: The Engaging Power of Hands-On Learning
How can you make science class the highlight of your students’ day while
achieving learning outcomes? Find out in this session.
Content provided by LEGO Education
Teaching Profession Key Insights to Elevate and Inspire Today’s Teachers
Join this free half day virtual event to energize your teaching and cultivate a positive learning experience for students.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Quiz News Quiz: Feb. 6, 2025: Reading Scores | Curriculum | Trump 'Indoctrination' Order | and More
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Image of books on a shelf.
Illustration by Laura Baker/Education Week via Canva
Education Briefly Stated: February 5, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Quiz News Quiz: Jan. 30, 2025: Interim Ed. Dept. Leader | Navigating Immigration Policies | Teacher Evaluations | And More
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
President Donald Trump speaks in Emancipation Hall after the 60th Presidential Inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. His administration's order to pause potentially trillions of dollars in federal spending this week sent school districts scrambling to figure out which funds might be halted.
President Donald Trump speaks in Emancipation Hall after the 60th Presidential Inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. His administration's order to pause potentially trillions of dollars in federal spending this week sent school districts scrambling to figure out which funds might be halted.
Al Drago/AP
Education Briefly Stated: January 29, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read