At the Tipping Point: Educational Outcomes of Students in Foster Care in Clark County School District

National research finds that educational outcomes for children and youth in foster care lag behind their peers. Unfortunately, the landscape in Nevada is similar. For instance, recent data shared by Clark County School District finds that graduation rates and grade point averages are significantly lower for eleventh and twelfth grade students in foster care than their peers.

In September 2014, Justice Nancy Saitta assembled the Blue Ribbon for Kids Commission to look into deficiencies in the child welfare system and courts in Clark County, Nevada, following a series of tragic events and growing public concern. The following year, the Commission established a Public Education Subcommittee to address the challenges faced by students in foster care, particularly high school students. This policy brief evaluates educational outcomes for high school students in care in Clark County School District, and offers several policy recommendations that may be taken under advisement by Nevada’s leaders.

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