Support for Foster Youth

Students living in foster care can face unique challenges ranging from transportation needs to academic, emotional, and behavioral struggles. River Charter Schools have a licensed school counselor available to meet with students and their foster parents to develop strategies and connect them with outside resources that can help. A few of these resources are listed below.

  • River City Schools busing services: We can provide daily bus service, free of charge, for our foster students who have transportation needs. For more information, reach out to the site principal or the school’s foster-homeless liaison (listed below).
  • Sacramento Independent Living Program: This program offers resources to help foster youth develop life skills necessary for independent living as they transition out of care. It includes workshops on budgeting, job readiness, and personal development.
  • First Place for Youth: This organization provides support services aimed at helping young people transition successfully into adulthood through independent living skills training.

Homeless Students—Rights and Services

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act provides educational rights for students who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. It applies to children and youth who are:

  • Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing or economic hardship
  • Living in a motel, trailer park, or campground due to lack of alternative options
  • Staying in a car, substandard housing, or place not designated for sleeping
  • Staying in a housing shelter
  • Migratory children if in the previously described situations


Children have the right to:

  • Enrollment in school with or without the proper documentation or immunization record
  • Enrollment in their school of origin (a school the child attended within the past 15 months) or enroll in their school of residence
  • Transportation to the school of origin
  • Enrollment without a permanent address or proof of residency
  • Assistance with school enrollment, attendance, and academic success
  • Coordination between schools and shelters or housing agencies
  • Facilitation with the transfer of school records
  • Access to special programs such as preschool, special education, and after-school programs
  • Referrals to community resources that assist with food, shelter, and clothing
  • Access to school nutrition programs
  • Transportation resources to enable students to attend school
  • School supplies and resources for students
  • Parent consultation including discussion of educational rights and responsibilities
  • Community awareness campaigns

Homeless status is determined in cooperation with the parent or guardian. In the case of unaccompanied youth, status is determined by the School Liaison.

School Liaisons

The following staff member has been selected to serve as school liaison for homeless students:

Ashley Sanford, Director of Special Education and Student Services
[email protected]
Phone: 916-744-1200

For Additional Information