While California’s foster care system has made important strides in recent years for older youth, one area where it continues to struggle is post -secondary achievement. In California, foster youth are 29% less likely than their peers to persist at least one year in community college. By age 26, just four percent of former foster youth have obtained a 4-year degree, compared to 36 percent of same-age young adults.

In recognition of this reality, the California legislature adopted Senate Bill 12 (SB 12), which went into effect January 1, 2018 and included a requirement of child welfare and juvenile probation agencies that the case plans of all foster youth aged 16 or older identify who will assist the youth with applications for college and financial aid. The California Department of Social Services(CDSS) issued ACL 18-104 on September 12, 2018 which provides additional details regarding how to implement the law.