News

Actions

HB 2665 attempts to close 'education gap

Posted at 2:59 PM, May 16, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-16 18:16:01-04

A new law in Arizona could greatly expand educational opportunities for kids in foster care.

Governor Doug Ducey signed HB 2665 into law on Monday.

It set aside up to $1.5 million to create a Foster Youth Education Success Fund. That fund will help FosterEd expand its operations to all of Arizona.

FosterEd has been running a pilot program in Pima County.

The organization stated goal is to help close the "education gap" between kids in the foster care system and those who are not.

One way FosterEd tries to bridge that gap is by recruiting and assigning "Education Champions" from surrounding communities. Those "champions" help advocate for better educational opportunities for individual foster children on a one-to-one basis. They work with schools and educators in effort to make sure each child gets the education he or she deserves.