Region 7 Educational Stability for Foster Youth 

For local resources, go to https://findingyourwayinpa.com/

 For the Finding Your Way in PA App scan the QR Code  

Region 7 serves the following counties:  Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Pike, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Union, Wayne and Wyoming counties.

Region 7 Foster Care Program

On December 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). In regards to Foster Care, the focus of ESSA is to enhance collaboration and align education and child welfare systems to improve educational outcomes for foster care students. ESSA amends ESEA to include educational stability for foster care youth exclusively under Title 1, removing children “awaiting foster care placement” from the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. ESSA aims to enhance collaboration between education and child welfare systems in each state to ensure educational stability for foster care youth.

On June 23, 2016, the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a guidance to states, school districts and child welfare agencies on the new provisions in ESSA for supporting children in foster care. These provisions take effect in Pennsylvania on December 10, 2016.The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Center for Schools and Communities (CSC) are working together to promote school stability and success for foster care youth.

Our Services

• Train Children and Youth and school district liaisons

• Technical assistance

• Personal visits to sites

• Distribution of literature

• School enrollment and placement issues

• McKinney-Vento training

For additional information on the services provided and/or technical assistance, please contact:

Jeff Zimmerman                                                          Andy Kuhl
ECYEH/Foster Region 7 Coordinator                        Program Consultant
368 Tioga Avenue                                                      570-718-4646                       
Kingston, PA 18704                                                   akuhl@liu18.org
570-718-4613
jzimmerman@liu18.org

                               Click here for the Region 7 ECYEH (homeless) website