Ohio Foster Care Advocates Push for Education Pipeline Bill in Senate
Foster families testify before Ohio Senate committee, pushing for bipartisan bill to create education support system for children in care from K-12 through college.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Foster care families and advocates testified before an Ohio Senate committee Tuesday, urging lawmakers to advance legislation that would create a comprehensive education support system for children in foster care from kindergarten through college.
The Senate Education Committee conducted its second hearing on Ohio House Bill 25, a bipartisan measure designed to strengthen educational resources and pathways for foster care children throughout their academic journey.
Creating Stability Through Education
Kisha Boone, a foster parent and advocacy coordinator for the Junior League of Columbus, highlighted the role schools play in providing consistency for children in unstable living situations.
“For students in foster care, school can be the one steady place left: the counselor who feels like family, the teacher who knows the child can succeed, the (Individualized Education Program) team that understands a disability, the sibling in the same building even when siblings are living apart, or the friend group that makes a child want to show up,” Boone told the committee.
Bill Requirements and Implementation
The legislation, which passed the Ohio House overwhelmingly in March, would mandate collaboration between the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and other state agencies “to encourage the sharing of best practices to support students placed in foster care,” according to a Legislative Service Commission analysis.
Under the proposed law, public schools across Ohio would be required to designate a staff member as a “foster family navigator” in each school building. The state Department of Education and Workforce would develop specialized training programs for these navigators and foster care education liaisons.
The bill also addresses higher education access by requiring the chancellor of the state’s higher education agency to post scholarship opportunities specifically available to students who have been placed in foster care.
Bipartisan Support for Educational Access
The measure represents a bipartisan effort to address educational barriers faced by children in Ohio’s foster care system. Supporters argue that establishing clear pathways and dedicated support staff will help ensure these students can access the same educational opportunities as their peers.
The legislation aims to create a seamless transition system that follows foster care students from their early education years through potential college enrollment, providing consistent support and resources at each educational level.
The Senate Education Committee has not announced when it will vote on the bill or schedule additional hearings.
