Michigan lawmakers propose education reforms for foster youths and school start dates.
Michigan legislators are considering a package of bills to address the educational crisis facing vulnerable foster youths who spent months or years living in residential facilities, taking classes and completing assignments, only to learn later that the work didn’t count toward graduation. The bills would require the state to ensure that foster youths get “an education that prioritizes meeting the graduation requirements” to earn a diploma in Michigan, track and report data on the foster youths’ educational attainment, and keep tabs on the educational offerings in residential facilities. Just 41% of Michigan foster youths graduate from high school, compared to 81% of students overall.