Disproportionate Graduation Rates of Students in the Foster Care System: The Influence of Teacher Preparedness
Background: Research indicates that students with a history of foster care face a high risk of academic challenges while in public school and persistently rank as having one of the significantly lowest graduation rates across local, state, and national levels. Purpose: This study explores the influence teachers’ experience while teaching students in the foster care system has on student graduation achievement. This study seeks to answer the following three questions: 1) What is the current trend of graduation rates for students in foster care at the national, state, and local levels? 2.) What are teachers’ perceptions of their professional preparedness when instructing students in foster care? 3) What training, initiatives, or programs are offered to a local educational agency to equip teachers who teach students in the foster care system? Method: This mixed-method study will focus on one comprehensive high school and the experiences of a randomly selected group of twelve teachers from the campus who have experience teaching students in the foster care system. Qualitative data with a narrative analysis will be used to explore the experiences of this group of teachers to understand their perception of their professional preparedness to teach students in the foster care system. Quantitative data collected through the Texas Education Agency (TEA) will be analyzed using a descriptive and casual-comparative analysis to explore the relationship between graduation and dropout rates and teacher preparedness to teach students in the foster care system. Results: The data collected through this study found three key themes in participant responses: (a) academic challenges, (b) preparedness and training, and (c) resources and support. These themes not only highlight the complex needs of students in foster care but identify areas of support needed for teacher readiness to serve these students effectively. Conclusion: National percentages show a disproportionate graduation rate for students in the foster care system. Teacher participants in this study, which represent a wide range of experience, identify the need for increased awareness, support, and professional development to help these students achieve academic success. Without such opportunities, public schools are not preparing teachers to understand the unique challenges students in the foster care system face and how these challenges affect foster youth’s academic success.
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