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An opinion article published by The 74 argues that children entering foster care should not automatically have to change schools when their placement changes. Its author, Atlanta CASA CEO, calls for child welfare and education agencies to plan school continuity, assign responsibility and listen to young people. The article presents recommendations, not new data or a policy announcement.
The 74 has published an opinion article arguing that a change in foster-care placement should not automatically force a child to change schools. The author, identified as Atlanta CASA’s CEO, urges child welfare and education agencies to coordinate transportation, enrollment and student support so school can remain a source of stability during upheaval.
The author says placement decisions may be made urgently to protect a child, but the adults involved also need to plan what happens to the child’s education the next day. A move can affect access to familiar teachers and friends, as well as instruction, school records, services and extracurricular activities. The article frames those difficulties as barriers created by disruption, not evidence that a student lacks ability or motivation.
The piece points to the Every Student Succeeds Act as a source of federal protections related to school-of-origin decisions, transportation, immediate enrollment when a move is necessary, and timely transfer of records. It argues that those protections depend on practical coordination: adults need to decide who will arrange transport, share information with a receiving school and follow up if a plan fails.
The author proposes three steps: include an education plan in placement discussions, assign responsibility for each action, and measure support by more than attendance. That could include tutoring, counseling, credit recovery and access to activities. The article also calls for children’s views to inform school decisions in ways suited to their age and circumstances.
Keeping School Connected to Care
School continuity can preserve relationships and routines for children already facing a major change in where they live. The article argues that when school moves are avoidable, preventing them may help protect a student’s access to trusted adults, instruction and services. When a move is necessary, a coordinated handoff can reduce missed school and gaps in support.
The argument also puts responsibility on systems, rather than children, to manage the consequences of placement changes. If agencies do not identify who handles transportation, records and enrollment, a student may bear the costs of that failure. The author’s proposals are an appeal for clearer practice; the source does not report a new program, measured outcome or policy change.
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Federal Rules and Local Coordination
The article describes school stability as part of a broader set of responsibilities shared by child welfare agencies and education systems. It cites the Every Student Succeeds Act for protections involving school-of-origin decisions and the practical steps needed when a student changes schools. The author’s central distinction is between having protections on paper and carrying them out consistently for an individual child.
The piece is written from the perspective of the CEO of Atlanta CASA, an organization whose court-appointed special advocates can draw attention to children’s needs. The author says advocates may help, but schools, child welfare professionals, courts, caregivers and community organizations all have roles. The article does not provide local or national data on how often foster-care placements lead to school changes.
“Educational stability is not an extra benefit to consider when everything else is settled.”
— Atlanta CASA CEO, in the opinion article
Evidence and Local Practice
The source is an opinion article, not an independent evaluation of foster-care education policy. It does not give data on school changes, missed instruction, transport delays or the effectiveness of existing protections. It also does not identify a specific district or agency that has adopted the recommendations, or report a response from education or child welfare officials.
The article does not spell out how agencies should resolve every case in which a child’s safety, placement location, transportation limits or educational needs pull in different directions. It argues for considering school stability, while acknowledging that placement changes may still be necessary. The extent to which the cited federal safeguards are working in practice is not established by the material provided.
Turning Recommendations Into Plans
The article does not announce a formal next step, deadline or pending decision. Its recommendations point to practical actions for child welfare and school leaders: identify a school plan during placement discussions, name who is responsible for each task, and communicate directly with the people carrying it out.
Further reporting would be needed to establish whether agencies are changing their procedures, how often children remain in their schools after a placement move, and whether transport and student services arrive on time. The author also urges policymakers and local leaders to examine whether existing protections work in practice and whether students receive support beyond attendance.
Key Questions
What is the opinion article calling for?
It calls on child welfare and education agencies to plan for school continuity when a child enters foster care or changes placement, including transportation, enrollment and support.
Does the article report a new law or policy?
No. It discusses existing protections under the Every Student Succeeds Act and makes recommendations for how agencies should carry them out. It does not announce a new law or program.
What school-related protections does the article cite?
The article says the Every Student Succeeds Act assigns responsibilities related to school-of-origin decisions, transportation, immediate enrollment when a move is necessary and timely transfer of records.
What does the author say schools and agencies should do?
The author recommends making an education plan part of placement discussions, assigning responsibility for each action, supporting students beyond attendance and taking children’s views into account.
Does the source show how often foster children change schools?
No. The supplied article includes no figures on school changes or the results of existing protections, so the scale of the problem is not established in the source.
Source: the74million.org
