Foster care is 24-hour substitute care for children placed away from their parents or guardians by a child welfare agency. This includes, but is not limited to, children living in foster family homes, foster homes of relatives, group homes, emergency shelters, residential facilities, childcare institutions, and pre-adoptive homes.
Student Rights
Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, a student in foster care has the right to:
- a free public education
- stay in their current school or choose to attend a new school
- immediately enroll in a new school if it has been determined that it is not in their best interest to stay at their original school
- transportation services to and from school
- services comparable to those offered to other students
Parent Rights
Unless a court order says otherwise, the birth/adoptive parent of a child in foster care keeps the right to make educational decisions for their child.
Birth/adoptive parents must have the chance to know about their child’s progress at school. Unless a court order says otherwise, they must be allowed to obtain records, attend parent-teacher conferences, and fully participate in the student’s education.
Special education evaluations and services require the consent of the birth/adoptive parent unless:
- There is a court order naming someone else as the educational decision-maker;
- The parent names someone else as a “person in parental relation” for purposes of educational planning; or
- The parents’ whereabouts or identities are unknown, and a surrogate must be appointed.
School Enrollment and Transfers
Students in foster care should remain in the schools they attended before they entered foster care or changed foster homes. That is, unless the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) and/or a foster care agency determines that doing so is not in their best interests. In keeping with this “best interest determination,” a student in foster care may attend either:
- The school the student attended when they entered foster care or changed foster homes
- A school zoned for the address of the student’s foster home
- Any other schools available to students in the same area
Transfers
The ACS Office of Education Support must approve all transfer requests made by foster parents or foster care agency staff.
Once a transfer is approved:
- Elementary or middle school students can register at their new school directly.
- High school students, students without a zoned school, or families looking to explore other options should visit a Family Welcome Center to receive a school assignment.
Children coming from a school outside the City may newly- or re-enroll without a Best Interest Determination.
Transportation
For transportation information for Students in Foster Care; view the following pages:
Transportation Rights
Transportation Eligibility
Transportation Guide for Families
Need help with transportation? Contact your child’s school or your school’s Foster Care Coordinator for support.
Get Help
Every school has a Designated Liaison. Reach out to your school principal, social worker or guidance counselor to find out who the Liaison is for your school.
The Designated Liaison can help you with:
- Enrolling your foster child
- Understanding your transportation options
- Finding resources to support your foster child's education
Every district has a Foster Care Coordinator who makes sure schools are supporting students in Foster Care. Find the Foster Care Coordinator that supports your child’s school district below.
Foster Care Coordinators can help you with:
- Connecting with your foster child’s school
- Enrolling your foster child
- Understanding your transportation options
- Finding resources to support your foster child's education
Connect with a Foster Care Coordinator
Once you know your district, you can reach out to the person who works with it using the list below.
Bronx
D10, D11
Yssalina Morillo
1230 Zerega Avenue
Bronx, NY 10462
Email: ymorillo3@schools.nyc.gov
Office Phone: 718-828-4111, Mobile: 347-452-8237
D7, D8, D9, D12
Samantha Howard
1230 Zerega Avenue
Bronx, NY 10462
Email: showard8@schools.nyc.gov
Office Phone: 718-828-3186
Brooklyn
D13, D14, D15, D16, D17, D18, D19, D20, D21, D22, D23, D32
Jelir Santiago
1230 Zerega Avenue
Bronx, NY 10462
Email: JSantiago36@schools.nyc.gov
Office Phone: 929-388-1972, Mobile: 347-477-3054
Manhattan
D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6
Julio Espinal
1230 Zerega Avenue
Bronx, NY 10462
Email: jespinal24@schools.nyc.gov
Office Phone: 718-828-7495, Mobile: 646-276-6478
Queens
D24, D25, D26, D2, D28, D29, D30
Eshonda Caraway-Evans
1230 Zerega Avenue
Bronx, NY 10462
Email: ecarawayevans@schools.nyc.gov
Office Phone: 929-388-1974, Mobile: 347-969-0537
Staten Island
D 31
Eshonda Caraway-Evans
1230 Zerega Avenue
Bronx, NY 10462
Email: ecarawayevans@schools.nyc.gov
Office Phone: 929-388-1974, Mobile: 347-969-0537
Citywide
District 75
Yssalina Morillo
1230 Zerega Avenue
Bronx, NY 10462
Email: ymorillo3@schools.nyc.gov
Office Phone: 718-828-4111, Mobile: 347-452-8237
District 79
Samantha Howard
1230 Zerega Avenue
Bronx, NY 10462
Email: showard8@schools.nyc.gov
Work: 718-828-3186
D84 Charter Schools
Julio Espinal
1230 Zerega Avenue
Bronx, NY 10462
Email: jespinal24@schools.nyc.gov
Office Phone: 718-828-7495, Mobile: 646-276-6478
D88
Samantha Howard
1230 Zerega Avenue
Bronx, NY 10462
Email: showard8@schools.nyc.gov
Work: 718-828-3186
For all general inquiries related to support for students in Foster Care, contact the DOE Foster Care inbox at fostercareinfo@schools.nyc.gov.
The Director of Clinical Supports and Foster Care and Senior Foster Care Manager can be reached for escalated inquiries related to connecting with your child’s school, enrollment, transportation, and additional resources:
Rebekha Askew-Morris, Director of Clinical Supports and Special Populations
Email: RAskew2@schools.nyc.gov
Office Phone: 718-828-2644
Work Mobile: 646-951-9576
Linda Wilson, Senior Foster Care Manager
Email: LWilson33@schools.nyc.gov
Work: 718-391-6849
Work mobile: 646-995-8329
Find Out More
General Information
Foster Care Guidance
Student Resources