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The Foster Care webpages have been given a face lift! They are now more user friendly and organized for your convenience in finding information. Take a few minutes to check out the new webpages. Feel free to reach out if you have any feedback, we’d love to hear from you! |
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Based on feedback and requests from Foster Care Liaisons, we have created two new guidance documents on how to support students after they leave foster care and the benefits and potential risks of maintaining school of origin.
You can find the Supporting Students After They Leave Foster Care in the Foster Care Liaison Toolkit and you can find the School of Origin in the Best Interest Determination Toolkit.
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Kinship Placements
Tuesday, April 28th from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
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Kinship Navigators from Family and Education Support Services are providing a one hour webinar. Full description coming soon! |
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Washington State has long recognized the importance of educational attainment and stability for students in foster care and the importance of the recruitment of foster homes.
To recruit more foster homes, DCYF has created a School Recruitment Toolkit for prospective foster parents. We hope you will please share the toolkit with schools and parents.
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Ekone Ranch has openings for foster youth to attend summer camp. At Ekone, campers experience a variety of programs featuring horses, art, music, wilderness, cooking, leadership, and more!
Please share with any families you think may be interested.
For more information you can contact Susan Holmes at 206-612-3474 or susan@ekone.org.
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Many schools see a noticeable dip in attendance in the weeks surrounding spring break. This is a great moment to get ahead of the trend by planning strategies that keep students connected and showing up.
Send attendance letters outlining spring‑break dates, and boost motivation with simple challenges such as March Madness—style competitions, prize drawings, or spirit contests to keep students engaged and counter the seasonal dip.
Attendance Spring Slide Resources:
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5 Tips for Engaging Students with High School and Beyond Plans
OSPI’s Student Engagement and Support – March Care Package
Pre-Conference: July 28 | Wenatchee, WA
Conference: July 29-30 | Wenatchee, WA
Kick off the experience with our July 28th Pre-conference, featuring role-specific learning for Special Education Directors, School Psychologists, and Threat Assessment teams. The July 29th & 30th Conference will be filled with dynamic keynote speakers, including Priya Parker, and Nidhi Sachdeva, who will spark meaningful reflection on leadership, systems, and gathering with purpose.
We are also seeking presenters who can inspire through the strands of Innovate, Include, Inspire. Bring your best Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) practices, ideas, and success stories to educators statewide!
Come learn, connect, and elevate MTSS implementation across Washington!
This report highlights the unique challenges faced by young people in foster care and underscores how high‑quality, well‑supported mentoring relationships can significantly strengthen their wellbeing, stability, and long‑term outcomes. |
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In Washington State, it’s easier than ever to access education or training beyond high school. Visit the Washington Student Achievement Council’s Plan Your Future webpage to learn more about the available pathways:
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Open admissions: Washington’s public two-year community and technical colleges offer a variety of opportunities to learn new skills, train for a career, or prepare to transfer to a four-year college. And they’re open access—anyone with a high school diploma or GED can apply and attend. Test scores and GPAs are not considered, although some programs may have additional requirements. Registration is open year-round, so it’s never too late to get started! Learn more about open admissions.
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Guaranteed college admissions: Many public and private four-year colleges guarantee admission to qualified students. Requirements vary but typically include meeting certain high school course requirements and graduating above a specified minimum GPA. Students still need to apply and complete the admissions process. Learn more about guaranteed college admissions.
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Test-optional admissions: Most Washington colleges no longer require applicants to take standardized tests like the SAT or ACT. Some colleges do require an alternative in place of test scores, such as a letter of recommendation or success in certain high school classes. Good scores can have some benefits for those who opt to take the tests. Learn more about test-optional admissions.
Admission requirements and deadlines vary, so always check directly with each college for current info.
College or training after high school means more options and greater security—and financial aid, including the generous WA Grant, can help cover the costs. More families are eligible than ever before. Apply now for fall 2026 financial aid. Create your FSA ID or WASFA account today!
Learn more and Plan Your Future today
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Please join us for Regional (DCYF Regions 1 through 6) Meetings to connect with school districts, DCYF, Treehouse, and OSPI staff. This is an opportunity for district staff to meet each other, discuss regional efforts and matters, learn from each other, and problem solve. Below are the rest of the meetings we have left for this school year. |
Region 1
2nd Thursday in November, January, March, and May
- May 14th from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Region 2
2nd Tuesday in November, January, March, and May
- May 12th from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Region 3
2nd Wednesday in November, January, March, May
- May 13th from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Region 4
2nd Tuesday in December, February, April, June
- April 14th from 1:00 pm. to 2:00 p.m.
- June 9th from 1:00 pm. to 2:00 p.m.
Region 5
2nd Wednesday in December, February, April, June
- June 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Region 6
2nd Thursday in December, February, April, June
- June 11th from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Please join us for Office Hours! This is a great time for questions, networking, and sharing strategies and tips.
Office Hours are now on the 3rd Wednesday of every month from 10:00 am to 11:00 am. You can find the Zoom link to the meetings on our website.
- April 15th
- May 20th
- June 17th
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OSPI Foster Care Education Office 360-725-6505| fostercare@k12.wa.us
Stacey Klim, Foster Care Program Supervisor | stacey.klim@k12.wa.us
Savanna Cavalletto, Foster Care Program Specialist | savanna.cavalletto@k12.wa.us
Jerilynn Vail-Powell, Administrative Assistant | jerilynn.vail-powell@k12.wa.us
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