"College access programs in Arizona provide many supports and services desired by foster care youth, but they
lack both the experience of supporting and a focus on identifying foster care youth"
(ACPE, 2008)
Only about 2 percent of people from foster care complete a bachelor’s degree, in contrast to 24 percent of the completion rate among the general population of the same age**. Many others end up either in low paid jobs, or even homeless. The Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education (ACPE) assists alumni of foster care and those people who are homeless in finding postsecondary education opportunities by reaching out to their advocates across the state. For this purpose ACPE established Campus Champions Network and welcomes college professionals to join the Network and increase the number of college graduates among former foster youth.
Feel free to contact Dr. April Osborn, Executive
Director of ACPE, at aosborn@azhighered.gov and learn more.
The Arizona Department of Education identified 30,000 youth who were homeless in 2009.
McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2001 is the legislation supporting the
rights of homeless youth.