Article Summary –
Michigan’s Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed House Bill 4676, introduced by Democratic state Rep. Stephanie Young, into law, ensuring that children in foster care have adequate access to education. The law amends the Michigan Foster Care and Adoption Services Act and mandates children in foster care to be enrolled in school within five days of placement, with an education prioritizing high school graduation requirements. The other two bills in the three-bill package, H.B. 4677 and H.B. 4678, which require annual reports on the number of children in foster care and their educational progress, and regular reviews of foster care institutions respectively, were signed by Whitmer in February.
Michigan Governor Ensures Educational Access for Foster Care Youth
Michigan’s Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has enacted legislation that guarantees young foster care individuals proper educational access. House Bill 4676, a piece of a three-bill education reform package related to foster care, was introduced by Democratic state Rep. Stephanie Young and signed by Gov. Whitmer on March 28.
The bill modifies the Michigan Foster Care and Adoption Services Act, mandating that foster care children have an education that emphasizes high school graduation requirements and permits them to access their educational records like other students, as stated in a legislative analysis issued by the House Fiscal Agency.
With this new law, children must be enrolled in school within five days of entering foster care or changing placements. Chalkbeat reports that this action is a response to foster children sometimes waiting weeks or months for school enrollment.
According to Rep. Young, the bill symbolizes a significant step for foster care youth and reaffirms the belief that every child, regardless of circumstances, deserves the opportunity for academic success. Public policy leaders like Thomas Hickson, Jr., the vice president of public policy and advocacy for the Michigan Catholic Conference, have hailed Rep. Young’s work and Gov. Whitmer’s support.
The bill also works to prevent missing coursework records of foster care youth and to ensure their curriculum aligns with high school completion standards. Other bills in the package, H.B. 4677 and H.B. 4678, signed by Whitmer in February, also aim to improve the educational status and progress of the approximately 10,000 children in Michigan’s foster care system.
The comprehensive package of bills received broad bipartisan support, signifying a shared belief in the importance of supporting foster care youth’s education.
—
Read More Michigan News
