Supporting college success in foster care alumni: salient factors related to postsecondary retention.

The current study aimed to identify factors associated with postsecondary disengagement for young people with foster care experience using survey data from a cross-sectional sample of foster care alumni scholarship recipients. Bivariate and multivariate analyses revealed several factors that differentiated those who did and did not disengage from college. Recommendations are given for improving service provision for youth transitioning from foster care who are considering pursuing higher education.It is well-established that the educational attainment for youth who have spent time in foster care is problematic and far behind that of the general population (National Working Group on Foster Care and Education, 2011). Only about a third of foster care alumni attend college before the age of 25 (Courtney, Dworsky, Lee, & Raap, 2010), and a fourth earn a certificate or degree by age 29, compared with over half of the general population (Davis, 2006). Furthermore, only 3% to 11% graduate with a bachelor's degree, compared with a fourth of the general population (Casey Family Programs, 2011; Courtney et al., 2011; Pecora et al., 2003; 2006). The college dropout rate for foster care alumni is also higher than their general population counterparts, as well as with first-generation college students (Davis, 2006; Day, Dworsky, Fogarty, & Damashek, 2011; Wolanin, 2005).While youth aging out of care often struggle academically, more than 70% report wanting to earn a college degree (Courtney,Terao, & Bost, 2004). However, these youth face a variety of obstacles that interfere with being able to enroll in or complete a postsecondary program (Casey Family Programs, 2010). Youth aging out of foster care experience overrepresentation of a variety of identities that put them educationally at risk, including experiencing disabilities (Burley & Halpern, 2001; Smithgall, Gladden, Howard, Goerge, & Courtney, 2004), having mental health challenges (Keller, Salazar, c McMillen et al., 2005), and coming primarily from low-income backgrounds (Davis, 2006; Wolanin, 2005), among others. The combination of underserved group memberships and difficult life circumstances related to being placed into and living in foster care presents clear challenges to successfully completing postsecondary education.Current Modes of Postsecondary SupportTwo of the most common modes of postsecondary support for youth in foster care are independent living programs (ILPs) and campus support programs. ILPs are a primary mode of support for youth working toward a variety of post-emancipation goals, including postsecondary education and training. ILPs often provide help applying for financial aid, completing the college application process, and taking youth on campus tours (United States General Accounting Office, 1999). However, ILP programming differs greatly across the country, with little evidence as to what approaches are actually effective at improving postsecondary outcomes (Montgomery, Donkoh, & Underhill, 2006; United States General Accounting Office, 1999).A growing number of colleges are developing campus support programs designed to improve the retention and program completion rates of students from foster care (Dworsky & Perez, 2010; Hernandez &.Naccarato,2010). Common supports offered by these programs include scholarships, priority access to housing and course registration, tailored academic services, mentoring, and referrals to off-campus services, among others. While these approaches offer a wide variety of services that can be beneficial to youth aging out of care, research examining the effectiveness of these programs is quite limited. A review of college support programs by Dworsky and Perez (2010) reported a severe lack of outcome data in evaluating the effectiveness of these programs, and stated that most evidence comes from interviews with program staff, participants, and stakeholders regarding their perceptions of program effectiveness rather than from empirical comparisons of outcomes. …