The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) recently announced the award of $1.5 million in funding for the Foster Youth Dropout Recovery and High School Completion pilot program to help current and former foster youth ages 16 to 25 earn a high school diploma or its equivalent, and obtain workforce skills.
“It is imperative that Texas gives every child the best chance to succeed, and this is especially true for at-risk foster children,” says Governor Greg Abbott.
According to the Texas Education Agency, approximately 27,000 students in foster care attend Texas public schools during the school year. The percentage of students in foster care who drop out is more than three times higher than students who are not in foster care.
New programs that received funding include Goodwill Industries of Central Texas, Dallas ISD, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD and San Antonio ISD. Goodwill Industries of Central Texas received $346,476 for an array of support services. Partnering with LifeWorks Youth Resource Center and Workforce Solutions Capital Area, the Goodwill Excel Center will provide life coaches for case management and mentoring, mental health counseling, on-site childcare, student engagement and retention strategies. The pilot program will assist youth with dual credit, internships, and career and technical education certification opportunities in high demand occupational fields.
