Education

Many foster youth do not have access to a laptop or computer during the COVID-19 lockdown. With California moving all classes online, thousands of foster youth are in danger of being forced to drop out of college. John Burton Advocates for Youth is working with iFoster to provide laptops, and internet access, at no charge to foster youth in college.  Additional COVID-19 resources for foster and homeless youth are available here.

The California Foster Youth FAFSA Challenge, launched by John Burton Advocates for Youth in collaboration with the California Department of Education in the fall of 2017, is a statewide campaign to increase the number of foster youth who are prepared for success as they matriculate from high school into college by ensuring that foster youth are accessing financial aid. Counties around the state are taking the challenge! Follow this link to learn more about this effort!

John Burton Advocates for Youth works with community colleges, California State Universities and University of California campuses to establish special programs on their campuses to serve current and former foster youth. Specifically, the organization trains campus personnel on the core elements of successful campus support programs, including how to structure services for students, how to use data to improve program outcomes, how to build support for the program among faculty and administration and how to attract direct investment from the university or college into the program. Follow this link to visit our website dedicated to improve college outcomes for foster youth, which includes a searchable statewide database of campus support programs in California.

John Burton Advocates for Youth works with the state legislature to pass legislation that improves outcomes for foster youth. Key legislative victories include the creation of publicly funded campus support programs (SB 1023), the creation of priority registration for foster youth (SB 906) and the expansion of the Chafee Education and Training Voucher in the state budget.  Most recently, John Burton Advocates for Youth successfully advocated for the expansion of the Cal Grant Program for foster youth (SB940). Follow this link for a full list of legislative victories in each of our three issue areas.

Since 2013, John Burton Advocates for Youth has provided $1.9 million in textbooks to over 7,700 current and former foster youth who attend college on 98 campuses in California through our Burton Book Fund. To learn more, follow this link or email [email protected].

John Burton Advocates for Youth develops resources that can be used by professionals in a range of fields to support foster youth college success. This has included a comprehensive college planning website for foster youth, a foster youth educational planning guide, a training curriculum for college faculty and staff regarding the needs of foster youth and regular in-person and online trainings. Email [email protected] to receive assistance developing or expanding a campus-based program for current or former foster youth in your area.

Each May, John Burton Advocates for Youth co-hosts a graduation events in Los Angeles to acknowledge and celebrate the academic success of foster youth. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the in-person celebration has been cancelled for 2019-2020 school year. To learn more about this event, contact [email protected].