Academic achievement among a sample of youth in foster care: The role of school connectedness

Abstract

Research shows that youth in foster care experience poor academic performance and disciplinary actions in school more frequently than do non-foster care youth. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to further examine youth in foster care and the relationship between individual/ intrapersonal factors (future orientation and school connectedness) and exosystem factors (number of placement and school moves) and academic performance (grades) and disciplinary referrals among 363 youth (9-11 years of age; males = 52.9%). Controlling for key variables, hierarchical linear regression analysis was utilized to understand how well students' school connectedness, future outlook, number of placement changes, and number of school moves predicted academic and disciplinary outcomes. Beyond the variance explained by control variables, school connectedness made a significant contribution to this model. Results are discussed in the context of implementing interventions that foster school connectedness among this vulnerable population.

Educational resilience among youth in foster care

“…Emotional engagement in this study was assessed by youth's reports of liking school, feeling interested and excited about schoolwork and feeling as if school is a fun place to be. Perhaps this overlaps with youth's sense of belongingness (Benbenishty et al, 2018) and/or school connectedness (Somers et al, 2020). Efforts should continue to explore youth's in‐school experiences to improve their educational outcomes.…”

“…A recent study highlighted that school personnel should make explicit attempts to connect with youth in foster care and recognize the ways in which their roles can promote successful academic performance, paying specific attention to social, emotional, and interpersonal nuances (Somers et al, 2020). Although this might seem somewhat intuitive, it is critical to promoting positive development and academic success among youth in foster care, and may be overlooked given the numerous demands teachers and school systems face (Somers et al, 2020). In addition, support offered to these young people should acknowledge and complement youth's own expressions of agency (Berridge, 2017).…”

“…Specifically, compared to their non‐foster peers, children in foster care have roughly double the rate of grade retention (Burley & Halpern, 2001). Moreover, grade retention is associated with poorer academic outcomes (Burley & Halpern, 2001; Somers et al, 2020). In addition, school absences and exclusions have also shown to be associated with worse academic outcomes for youth in foster care (Burley & Halpern, 2001).…”

“…Internal developmental assets have also shown to be related to school performance in other studies (Flynn et al, 2013). Moreover, positive experiences in school are associated with academic outcomes (Shin, 2003), and a recent study found that school connectedness is associated with academic achievement even controlling for other factors (Somers et al, 2020). Additional research, however, is needed to determine which protective factors are most closely related to specific academic outcomes and when they are most useful for youth in foster care.…”

School belonging and hope among at‐risk youth: The contribution of academic support provided by youths' social support networks

“…Thus far, little empirical research has been conducted on school belonging among at‐risk youth in relation to their hopefulness. However, feeling connected and having a sense of belonging to primary life contexts is considered an important protective factor that helps youth deal with stress and is linked with better adjustment and positive outcomes (Barber & Schluterman, 2008; Loukas et al, 2010; Somers et al, 2020; Witherspoon et al, 2009). For example, connectedness to important life contexts, such as school, has been linked to more problem‐solving strategies, a higher value placed on academic achievement, and expectations of success (Goodenow & Grady, 1993).…”