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ERIC Number: EJ1232892
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 5
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0897-5264
EISSN: N/A
Preparing Youth in Foster Care for College through an Early Outreach Program
Johnson, Royel M.; Strayhorn, Terrell L.
Journal of College Student Development, v60 n5 p612-616 Sep-Oct 2019
Foster youth are among some of the nation's most underserved students in higher education. Of the more than 430,000 youth in the foster care system, only about 50% will graduate from high school and as little as 3% will ever earn a bachelor's degree (Pecora, 2012; Wolanin, 2005). While critically important for smoothing students' transition from high school to campus (Strayhorn, 2011), precollege programs alone are insufficient for addressing the multifaceted problems facing college-bound foster youth whose precarious positions may require creative collaborations between state agencies (e.g., youth services), schools, and campuses (Sarubbi, Parker, & Sisneros, 2017). For instance, Emerson and Bassett (2010) urged university administrators to take new steps in developing more integrative outreach and campus support programs that address the needs of foster youth specifically. They recommended development of community and university collaborations with social service agencies; exposure to personal, academic, social, and psychological resources; and information about federal, state, and local supports. An effective precollege program for foster youth might consist of all these key elements. To help increase the college preparation of local foster youth in a Midwestern city, the authors developed a working group comprised of foster youth nominated by agency staff, staff from a university research center that sponsored and coordinated the program, local community leaders who work with foster youth, and city government representatives. One outcome of this working group was the development and implementation of the Reach Higher Outreach Program drawing on insights from existing scholarship and research (e.g., Emerson & Bassett, 2010; Strayhorn, 2011, 2012). The program provided a meaningful opportunity for foster youth in a Midwestern city to be exposed to resources and supports necessary for successfully navigating college-going decisions and college preparation. It helped demystify elements of the college application process, while exposing students to critical resources available to them upon transition to college. This program also challenged campus administrators who were involved in the initiative to think more critically about how they can tailor their work to meet the needs of prospective and current college students formerly in foster care, while underscoring the importance of university and community partnerships.
Johns Hopkins University Press. 2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218. Tel: 800-548-1784; Tel: 410-516-6987; Fax: 410-516-6968; e-mail: jlorder@jhupress.jhu.edu; Web site: http://www.press.jhu.edu/journals/subscribe.html
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A