Reasons why Foster Youth Pursue a Higher Education

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ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 178 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (313 download)

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Book Synopsis Reasons why Foster Youth Pursue a Higher Education by : Elizabeth Nicole Otong

Download or read book Reasons why Foster Youth Pursue a Higher Education written by Elizabeth Nicole Otong and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Climbing a Broken Ladder

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Publisher : Rutgers University Press
ISBN 13 : 1978809182
Total Pages : 177 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (788 download)

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Book Synopsis Climbing a Broken Ladder by : Nathanael J. Okpych

Download or read book Climbing a Broken Ladder written by Nathanael J. Okpych and published by Rutgers University Press. This book was released on 2021-01-15 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although foster youth have college aspirations similar to their peers, fewer than one in ten ultimately complete a two-year or four-year college degree. What are the major factors that influence their chances of succeeding? Climbing a Broken Ladder advances our knowledge of what can be done to improve college outcomes for a student group that has largely remained invisible in higher education. Drawing on data from one of the most extensive studies of young people in foster care, Nathanael J. Okpych examines a wide range of factors that contribute to the chances that foster youth enroll in college, persist in college, and ultimately complete a degree. Okpych also investigates how early trauma affects later college outcomes, as well as the impact of a significant child welfare policy that extends the age limit of foster care. The book concludes with data-driven and concrete recommendations for policy and practice to get more foster youth into and through college.

Former Foster Youth in Postsecondary Education

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Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 331999459X
Total Pages : 178 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (199 download)

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Book Synopsis Former Foster Youth in Postsecondary Education by : Jacob P. Gross

Download or read book Former Foster Youth in Postsecondary Education written by Jacob P. Gross and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-05-15 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines the attainment gap between foster youth and their peers. Specifically focusing on post-secondary access and success for foster youth, Gross points out the challenges foster youth face in the primary and secondary school context, such as being less likely to complete high school. These barriers to former foster youth continue once enrolled in post-secondary education, and can manifest as lack of institutional support, financial barriers, and limited to no familial support. The author discusses what policy makers and practitioners need to know to better support the educational attainment of former foster youth.

Foster Youth

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780355151404
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (514 download)

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Book Synopsis Foster Youth by : Michelle Louise Dean

Download or read book Foster Youth written by Michelle Louise Dean and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Inconsistencies in the educational system and difficult life conditions make foster youth less likely than their peers in the general population to attend college and obtain a degree. Studies have estimated that between 2%-11% of all foster youth in the United States graduate with a four-year degree (Casey Family Programs, 2010; Pecora, 2012; Wolanin, 2005) compared to 33% of the general population (Ryan & Bauman, 2016). This research illustrates factors that assist former foster youth on their pathway to higher education. In doing so, the research uncovers important themes that contribute knowledge to the literature on higher education for marginalized populations, more specifically foster youth. The purpose of this research is to provide individuals working with foster youth information that can be used to assist students as they move into and through higher education. The study is based on 14 semi-structured interviews with students in the Guardian Scholars Program (GSP) at California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) and University of California, Davis (UCD), the Guardian Professions Program (GPP) at UC Davis, and the three program directors from each campus program. The research utilizes the concept of resiliency as a framework to analyze the findings. This study found that all 14 students interviewed shared two factors: resiliency, as well as having had an important supportive relationship with an adult who helped them further their education. Findings also show the biological family plays a large role in the students’ motivation to pursue education, as they either want to make them proud or use their family’s situation as motivation to succeed. The majority of students find campus support programs contribute to their success in higher education. Students interviewed for this study felt graduate school seemed more attainable once they had knowledge of support services for alumni of care students who wish to pursue graduate school. Participants recommend providing outreach about support services at college campuses to foster youth as early as middle school and no later than high school to create higher expectations and provide students with knowledge of their options beyond high school. Recommendations include extending the age limit of support programs and grants, provide more training to administration in educational institutions about foster youth students,include foster youth and their unique needs into training programs for future teachers, and look for ways to increase students’ resiliency.

The Impact of Foster Care on Pursuit of Higher Education

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 212 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (94 download)

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Book Synopsis The Impact of Foster Care on Pursuit of Higher Education by : Tiffany Barker

Download or read book The Impact of Foster Care on Pursuit of Higher Education written by Tiffany Barker and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children's Bureau, the foster care population currently includes nearly 400,000 children (2013). In 2012, in California alone, over 43,000 students in grades K-12 were in foster care. Research has shown students in every type of placement performed far worse than their non-foster care peers. Furthermore, in high school, students in foster care had the highest dropout rates and the lowest graduations than any other students (Wiegmann et.al 2014). This academic achievement gap demonstrates foster youth are at an extreme disadvantage compared to their counterparts who never experience foster care. If foster youth perform behind their peers in primary school, this achievement gap is likely to follow them on their path to higher education. Other researchers have found only 20% of former foster youth who meet college entrance requirements actually go to college (Unrau et al. 2012) and less than six percent of former foster youth have a college education (Fessler 2010). These facts reveal foster care negatively impacts students' academic performance and their ability to receive higher education. The present study looks at former foster youth who have graduated from high school and have successfully transitioned into higher education. In-depth interviews with ten former foster youth currently enrolled in a California State University were conducted in order to answer the following research question, "How have former foster youth currently enrolled in college been prepared and challenged on their path to higher education?" The interviews were analyzed and coded. Four themes emerged from the data: 1. Choosing to Take the Road towards Higher Education, 2. Educational Resources and Support Networks, 3. Finding Support and Strength, and 4. Personal Motivation and Self-Reliance. Personal backgrounds, religious beliefs, and past experiences from student's macrosystems and chronosystems motivated them to pursue higher education. Various support networks, financial assistance, and education resources associated with their exosystem helped prepare students for the academic barriers they would encounter on their path to conquering their academic goals. Lastly, assistance and support from family, friends, teachers, and other microsystems as well as their own personal motivation and self-reliance enabled their dreams of going to college to become a reality. Using the Bioecological Systems theory, this research revealed how different ecological systems have both negatively and positively affected interviewees' abilities to become successful college students.

Fostering Higher Education

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 21 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (12 download)

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Book Synopsis Fostering Higher Education by : Flor Hermosillo

Download or read book Fostering Higher Education written by Flor Hermosillo and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 21 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this research study is to investigate the influential factors and/or strategies that have benefited former foster youth during their pursuit of higher education that lead to graduating from college. Methods involved in-depth interviews completed by former foster youth (N=8) who have graduated from higher education (four-year institutions (n=3), and graduate programs (n=5). Thematic coding was used to analyze transcripts. Results indicated three common themes: (1) Connections Outside the Home (A. Involvement, B. Mentorship), (2) Building a Sense of Identity, and (3) Fear of Failure. Results will benefit the field of Social Work and the Foster Care System by providing a better understanding about the reasons for success among former foster youth in higher education experiences.

From Foster Care to College

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Publisher : Teachers College Press
ISBN 13 : 0807782572
Total Pages : 120 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (77 download)

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Book Synopsis From Foster Care to College by : Royel M. Johnson

Download or read book From Foster Care to College written by Royel M. Johnson and published by Teachers College Press. This book was released on 2024-10 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do youth placed in foster care aspire to and access college? This book chronicles the lives and experiences of 47 college students navigating the challenging terrain of the United States’ foster care system. Through insightful, in-depth interviews, Johnson offers insight into the harsh realities of how our nationÕs education, welfare, and other social systems often intertwine in ways that diminish the potential and opportunities for these young people. Yet amidst the adversities, these stories resonate with themes of hope, resistance, and possibility. Guided by resilience theory and other asset-based concepts, Johnson sheds light on the protective mechanisms that enable postsecondary access and success, even in the face of towering barriers. Beyond exposition, this book is a clarion call to educators, school and university leaders, and child welfare champions to stand tall and act decisively. The goal? To transform the precarious circumstances of young people in foster care, and dismantle the obstacles that thwart their educational pursuits and dreams. Book Features: Employs critical and asset-based theories and concepts that recognize the agencies, desires, and possibilities of youth in foster care.Brings attention to the intersectionality of identities and social structures that shape students’ educational pathways.Identifies system failures across education and child welfare sectors and how they interact with one another.Presents findings from empirical research about risks and protective factors that influence success at critical junctures along the college-going pipeline.Offers recommendations for various stakeholders who seek to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of youth in foster care.

Using Relatives for Foster Care

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 84 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis Using Relatives for Foster Care by :

Download or read book Using Relatives for Foster Care written by and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 84 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Fostering the System

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ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 144 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (895 download)

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Book Synopsis Fostering the System by : Troy Bailey

Download or read book Fostering the System written by Troy Bailey and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The review of the literature is broken down to three subtopics. First, understanding how the foster care system works to the benefit of foster youth; fully understanding the barriers they face and resources available to them is important information guiding the expansion and improvement of programs specifically supporting the special needs of emancipated foster youth. The second subtopic is a discussion about what support services are available for transitional foster youth. The last subtopic focuses on recognizing the factors that move a foster youth toward and through college. Several resources focused on the general public's view of foster youth and higher education are identified and summarized regarding their roles in supporting the goal of understanding the reason(s) influencing a former foster youth to enter and stay in college. The purpose of this research was to answer the following question: How well do foster youth, and individuals working alongside them, know about the benefits received from higher education enrollment? In this study, the limitations, as well as the benefits, are explored to get a better understanding of how and why college is not a higher priority for foster youth. The researcher gathered qualitative data to gain more insight on foster youth going into higher education. Human subjects were accessed through the Guardian Scholars program at a public university, in the northern region of California. Established in 2006, the program currently serves 65 active, former foster youth students and provides job assistance, resume-building, and partnerships through the two large public school districts in northern California. The researcher was assisted by the college advisor of the Guardian Scholars in administering a Survey Monkey© survey to all students, professionals, and volunteers involved in the program. The survey was sent to 119 potential respondents listed on the college advisors email contact list; 42 completed the survey. It consisted of 21 questions; 17 multiple choice and four short answer. One-on-one interviews were conducted with two of the Guardian Scholars. They both took place on the public university campus. Foster youth face more adversity than their peers. Without continuing support from the community and stable, committed relationships with adults, children are not able to reach their full potential and, in fact, experience quite negative outcomes. Students who attend institutions of higher education obtain a wide range of personal, financial, and other lifelong benefits; likewise, taxpayers, and society as a whole, derive a multitude of direct and indirect benefits when citizens have access to post secondary education. Education has many benefits; individuals with higher levels of education earn more and are more likely than others to be employed and productive members of society.

Breaking the Cycle Together: Foster Youth in High School and the Impact of Adult Supporters

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 147 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (17 download)

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Book Synopsis Breaking the Cycle Together: Foster Youth in High School and the Impact of Adult Supporters by : Darlene Neal

Download or read book Breaking the Cycle Together: Foster Youth in High School and the Impact of Adult Supporters written by Darlene Neal and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 147 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Each year there are over 400,000 youth living in out-of-home placement across the nation due to alleged child abuse, neglect, the loss of a parent(s), and/or behavior problems. As a result of being removed from their homes and moving between different placements and schools, foster youth can experience high levels of stress and developmental challenges as they struggle to cope with such extreme emotional turbulence. Each year 6% of these foster youth will transition out of care, leaving them with no support in the way of family or program assistance to help with housing, job placement, or options in higher education. Of the 6% of students who age out of the system each year, 5-13% enroll in higher education institutions and only 2% will graduate and obtain a bachelor's or other advanced degree. As it is seemingly uncommon for foster youth to matriculate to postsecondary education, I examined how successful foster youth transitioned out of care and chose to further their education at an academically rigorous institution. Through former foster youth' own accounts of their success during high school which led them to UCLA, as well as the perspectives of the adults who supported them in their educational journey, I examined common threads in what contributed to their positive educational outcomes despite the harsh realities they experienced. Using a sequential multiple methods study, former foster youth who are currently enrolled at UCLA were surveyed and interviewed to provide the context of their successful journey through K-12 and onto higher education. The adults involved in these youth' academic success were also interviewed to gain further insight into the supports needed for foster youth as they prepared and decided to pursue their studies at a university. My findings show that adult supporters provided guidance, emotional support, and stability, which allowed students to move out of their negative past experiences. Adults' willingness to assist youth and be a part of their lives provided students with a transformative academic and social emotional environment, furthering their ability to persist through high school and gain acceptance to a top-tier university.

Foster Youth in Higher Education

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 108 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (669 download)

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Book Synopsis Foster Youth in Higher Education by : Jennifer Lynn Johnson Bailey

Download or read book Foster Youth in Higher Education written by Jennifer Lynn Johnson Bailey and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 108 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

A Million Piece Jigsaw Puzzle

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 211 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (18 download)

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Book Synopsis A Million Piece Jigsaw Puzzle by :

Download or read book A Million Piece Jigsaw Puzzle written by and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 211 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A college education offers people social and economic benefits, yet youth from foster care backgrounds are less likely than their peers to attain a college education, which places this already vulnerable population at higher risk for a lifetime of living on the margins of society. Foster alumni face multiple obstacles to accessing and persisting in higher education. To facilitate and support the success of this frequently overlooked population, professionals in higher education need to understand these obstacles. Little is known about the experiences of youth with foster care backgrounds as they transition into and through higher education. Although existing research has reported the academic, health, and social effects of having been in foster care, little is known about why foster alumni do not persist in higher education. This study used student-development theory, specifically Schlossberg's transition theory, Tinto's theory of student departure, and Bourdieu's work on social and cultural capital to provide a conceptual framework through which to view the lived experiences of youth with foster care backgrounds. Because, for many youths with foster care backgrounds, the pathway to the baccalaureate degree is through a community college, this study examined and explored the transition experiences of foster alumni about to begin or currently enrolled at an Oregon Community College. The study explored the factors that challenge and facilitate foster alumni persistence towards the attainment of a college degree.

Confronting College

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ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (126 download)

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Book Synopsis Confronting College by : Linda K. Herlocker

Download or read book Confronting College written by Linda K. Herlocker and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ABSTRACT: This study's purpose was to explore the college choice process for foster care youth who are aging out of Florida's protective services system. The research methodology included three components. First, a survey of the Independent Living Coordinators throughout the state of Florida solicited data regarding participation rates and enrollment patterns among foster care youth. Next, in a meeting setting, a survey was administered to foster care youth, probing the extent to which they considered certain college choice decision factors. Finally, upon completion of the survey, participants remained for a guided focus group discussion to further explore their decision criteria. The results of the Independent Living Coordinator survey indicated that foster care youth enrolled in higher education programs far less frequently than non-foster care youth. The survey also demonstrated that of those foster care youth who participated in postsecondary programs, more than half chose community colleges. The survey administered to young persons transitioning out of the child welfare system indicates that, in general, these youth agreed that the four decision factors they considered most strongly when investigating higher education options were increased income potential, independence, a career goal, and the desire for respect or status. The subsequent focus group discussion confirmed that the complexity of the admissions process, one's academic preparedness, and financial considerations were important when deciding whether to attend postsecondary education. The discussion also revealed nine choice factors that were not specifically addressed either on the survey or in the focus group discussion guide, seven of which could be considered prominent. Those factors were: the desire to be the first in the family to obtain a degree, time management challenges, the presence or absence of a partner during the academic pursuit, family members detracting from the goal, whether or not there was a break between secondary and postsecondary education, hardships as motivators, and one's age at the beginning of a postsecondary pursuit. Analysis of the data further revealed that of all the decision factors mentioned either on the survey or in the subsequent discussions, financial concerns top the list.

Service and Program Needs to Support Foster Students Attending Community College

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 156 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (97 download)

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Book Synopsis Service and Program Needs to Support Foster Students Attending Community College by : Chau Phuong Nguyen Dao

Download or read book Service and Program Needs to Support Foster Students Attending Community College written by Chau Phuong Nguyen Dao and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is little doubt that educational outcome for students who experience foster care is far below those of the general student population and that they may be disproportionately impacted by college practices, programs or services. In California over 50,000 children and youths are in out of home placements. It is estimated that approximately 12,000 current and former foster youth are enrolled in California's community college system at any one time. Children enter the foster care system as a result of extreme abuse or neglect inflicted upon them by their biological family. In California, only about one third of the cases where there is a substantiated report of abuse or neglect result in removal from the home, meaning that these are the most severe and difficult cases of maltreatment and neglect. This experience is then often compounded by the circumstances these children face upon entry into the foster care system. Once in the system, many experience multiple placements that require frequent moves from home to home and may also result in multiple forced school changes and consequent social and academic challenges. By age 24, foster youth experience significantly poorer education outcomes than the general population (Courtney et al., 2011). Increased educational advocacy for foster students among professionals who work with foster students have taken shape. In collaboration with the legislature, additional bills have been passed to help ease the access to student records and increase support services for foster students to continue schooling into the college and job training levels after high school completion. This increased attention came as a recent study of high school foster students demonstrated large disparities between not only foster students and the general student population but also foster students and other economically disadvantaged students. The community college sector is where the majority of foster students enter into higher education due to their financial situation as well as their academic unpreparedness. This study sought out to find the service and program needs of foster students attending a community college, using Mt. San Antonio College as an actual study site by investigating the following research questions: Umbrella question: For students with foster care experience, what are their service and program needs while attending community college? 1. What are the elements or characteristics of a foster youth resource center that has been active for 5 or more years? 2. What are the factors or information that professionals working with foster youth at non-profit agencies say are necessary for them to attend community college? 3. What information and/or services do foster students say should be included in a resource center to support foster students attending community college? According to the results of this study, the following that elements are necessary to demonstrate that the community college acknowledges and supports the efforts of its foster student population to attain a college degree. 1. Access Point for Connection and Engagement 2. Safe Common Space for Assistance and Acceptance 3. Access Point for Collective Voice 4. Provide Opportunities to Give Back 5. Provide Targeted Programming and Services In the end, this study recommends that a community college institute the following to ensure that the findings are involved: community cultural wealth promotion, ensure basic life necessities are available, and continued advocacy and networking on behalf of foster students. This study provides community college administrators a logic model to show them that building a resource center to support its foster students is possible and needed. Community colleges can be part of the solution in helping foster students increase college completion and improve their life trajectory.

Pathways to Higher Education

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 206 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (915 download)

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Book Synopsis Pathways to Higher Education by : Terra Thorne

Download or read book Pathways to Higher Education written by Terra Thorne and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There are multiple challenges associated with being in the foster care system that inhibit academic success among this student population. As a result, an achievement gap has developed between foster youth and their peers in California's K-12 system, placing foster youth among the lowest performing students in the state (Barrat & Berliner, 2013). In recognition of the distinct challenges foster students face, California recently became the first state in the nation to identify them as a distinct student group for the purposes of K-12 funding and accountability. Under the Local Control Funding Formula, implemented in 2013, the state provides school districts supplemental funds for students with greater educational needs, including foster youth (EdSource, n.d.). However, the educational supports that foster youth need are not yet well known, and many districts are struggling to create appropriate services, teaching strategies or interventions that will help improve the academic performance of this particularly vulnerable student group. This exploratory research was developed to help inform the conversation about foster youth success, by assessing possible factors that helped former foster youth achieve an important benchmark: enrolling in college. In this study, 33 former foster youth at two Northern California State University (CSU) institutions were surveyed about the factors they believe helped them beat the odds and successfully matriculate into higher education. These factors include social support, participation in the community and noncognitive strengths, such as perseverance. The results of the survey indicate that these youth rely on a number of supports to help them matriculate into higher education. Of the assessed factors, respondents identified their 'personal strength' as the most important in helping them succeed at enrolling in college, indicating the key role that noncognitive factors may have for this population. Social support was also identified as important. In particular, students perceived social support as creating a 'college-going' culture where students saw higher education as a possibility and were provided the emotional social support that helped them enroll. These findings could help provide a foundation for further research among the academic and educational communities about which factors will best support the academic needs and noncognitive growth of foster youth in California.

Foster Youth in Higher Education

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781321775952
Total Pages : 66 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (759 download)

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Book Synopsis Foster Youth in Higher Education by : Alexandra S. Hattick

Download or read book Foster Youth in Higher Education written by Alexandra S. Hattick and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: Foster youth face barriers unmatched by their non-foster peers, particularly in the arena of academic achievement. Although a majority (84%) of foster youth report aspirations of attending higher education, only 5% graduate by age 22 or 23, compared to non-foster youth in the same age group, who graduate at a rate of 30% (Courtney et al., 2010; Courtney, Terao, & Bost, 2004). The current study describes factors from the perspective of 13 foster care alumni that supported them in the process of gaining acceptance to college and graduating. Supportive factors and resilience theories provided the framework that guided the research. Utilizing a grounded theory approach, foster care alumni who completed at least a 2- or 4-year degree were interviewed. Five common themes were identified in narratives of these individuals: exposure to validating environments, availability of pre-college informational and appraisal supports, motivating factors, and the presence of expectation.

Narratives of Former Foster Youth in Higher Education

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 144 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (115 download)

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Book Synopsis Narratives of Former Foster Youth in Higher Education by : Kathleen Brien Douthat

Download or read book Narratives of Former Foster Youth in Higher Education written by Kathleen Brien Douthat and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this narrative inquiry is to learn about the experiences of former foster youth in higher education. Nationwide, 26,547 youth emancipate from foster care each year. Former foster youth who continue with education beyond high school may elect to receive supportive services through the state's independent living program. Although these services are intended to provide the necessary support while the youth completes a post-secondary degree program, research has shown that fewer former foster youth enter college and complete a degree than their non-former foster youth peers. Further, there has been very little research that explores firsthand experiences of former foster youth as college students. Narrative inquiries are most suited for small numbers of participants in qualitative research studies. Moreover, the best way to understand the human experience is to hear it firsthand from those who have lived it. For this study, eight former foster youth were interviewed about their experiences in foster care and as students in a large, southeastern U.S. community college. Findings from the data were presented as profiles in the youth's own words and through an analysis of the themes found across interviews. Two over-arching topics that relate to the research questions were addressed: meaning-making experiences and identity construction. Within those two topics are themes that support each one. The findings revealed that meaning is made through the transitions former foster youth have experienced, the preparation for college they have had, the connections they have made, and whether or not they feel in control of their lives. The resulting themes of crisis, commitment, transformation, and confidence help to understand how identity is constructed for these youth.