Foster care and education

Foster Care and Education

Foster Care and Education

School

4x

Student suspension

Pre-pandemic, the DOE issued suspensions to students in foster care at almost four times the rate at which it issued suspensions to city students overall.

Closed Book

85%

Not proficient in math

Between 2017 to 2019, 85% of foster youth weren’t proficient in math and four out of five were not reading-proficient.

Graduation Cap

25%

Graduate High School

In 2019, only 25 percent of youth with a foster care background graduated from high school in four years.

The stats above illustrate why the work we do at Children’s Aid is so crucial. We believe all children have limitless potential. But for those surrounded by poverty and instability, barriers to success can seem infinitely higher. For 170 years, we’ve helped children and families thrive by providing comprehensive supports. 

Our staff – teachers and social workers, coaches and healthcare providers – know what it takes to ensure children succeed academically. Read more about our work and how we’re making an impact for the 50,000 children, youth, and families we serve. 

Leveling the Playing Field in the Classroom

How we connect children and youth with the tools to learn, grow, and lead.
See more Stories

Take Action

Do you want to join us in making a meaningful impact in the lives of 50,000 children, youth, and families in New York City? Here are ways you can support our mission:

The Foster Youth College Success Initiative supports New York State Youth with a foster care background on their college endeavors.

Fund FYCSI

Your donation can ensure that children affected by poverty have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

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Did you take our quiz on poverty in NYC?

See below for the correct answers:

How many New Yorkers reported living paycheck-to-paycheck in the last 12 months (2022)?

1 in 5: According to the Robin Hood Poverty Tracker released in 2024, 1 in 5 New Yorkers reported living paycheck to paycheck in 2022. 

Each year, approximately how many New York City students spend time in foster care?

7,500: Roughly 7,500 students spend time in foster care each year, according to a 2023 report released by Advocates for Children of New York. According to the report, that number of students is bigger than 90% of school districts in New York State.

What percentage of students in foster care in grades 3-8 were proficient in math?

15,4%: Citywide, the math proficiency rate for students in grades 3-8 from 2017-2019 was 45.6%. Only 15.4% of students in care were proficient in math, according to state exams from 2017 to 2019. Students in foster care in grades 3-8 are more than twice as likely to receive the lowest possible score on New York State exams than they are to score proficient.

What percentage of students with a foster care background graduated from high school in 2019?

25%: Only 25% of students with a foster care background graduated from high school in 2019, according to a report by the NYC Center for Innovation through Data Intelligence.

* NYC Center for Innovation through Data Intelligence. Education Outcomes of Youth in Foster Care. May 2022. 
  Advocates for Children of New York. Building on Potential. January 2023.