2025
A Hidden Curriculum for Hidden Populations: Degree Attainment Disconnects of Youth in Foster Care. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning.
Renni Turpin and Katherine Adams
To address these knowledge gaps, this report provides concrete action for the government-funded Chafee Independent Living Program, campus-based advocates, policy makers, and planners of precollegiate programs.
Mixed Methods Evaluation of Two Georgia College Campus Support Programs for Students with Experience in Foster Care.
Ciara M. Collins, Amy M. Salazar, Angela Hoffman-Cooper, Royel M. Johnson, Linda Schmidt, Lori Tiller, and Sarah Young
A large and growing number of colleges and universities have invested in the development of campus support programs (CSPs) that specifically aim to support students with experience in foster care (SEFC). However, the evidence base for CSPs remains quite limited. This study seeks to contribute to the literature with a mixed methods evaluation of two CSPs in Georgia, one at a 2-year technical college and one at a 4-year university.
Longitudinal Analysis of Education Training Vouchers Utilization and Post-Secondary Education Enrollment Among Youth Experiencing Foster Care.
Grace Bagwell Adams, Renni Turpin, Lori Tiller, Daniel Gibbs, and David Meyers
Education and Training Vouchers (ETVs) are a critical financial resource for students experiencing foster care who pursue post-secondary education. This article investigates characteristics of students utilizing ETVs in Georgia from 2019–2023 and identifies key predictors influencing the extent of support received.
Who’s Minding the Handoff Gaps? Roles, Positions and Perceptions of Professionals Supporting Students Who Have Experienced Foster Care and/or Homelessness in Georgia.
David Meyers
Students who have experienced foster care and/or homelessness (SEFCH) are far less likely than their peers to pursue and complete a postsecondary credential compared to their peers. One promising strategy that has emerged is the appointment of a Designated Point of Contact (DPOC), based at an institution of higher education, who is appointed to provide support to SEFCH prior to and during enrollment. This qualitative research study explores the perspectives of the professionals who carry the DPOC designation in Georgia.
2024
“I Would Make This Place Mine”: Photo Voice Reflections of Youth With Foster Care Experience in a Precollegiate Program
Katherine Adams, Kimberly Skobba, and Lori Tiller
Using PhotoVoice, this article explores the experiences of 17 high school students with foster care experience participating in a week-long pre-college program. The findings emphasize the importance of tailored precollegiate programming for youth with foster care backgrounds and underscore the need for further research on how such programs shape academic pathways in higher education.
2023
Nowhere to Go: Housing Pathways of College Students With Foster Care and Homelessness Experience
Kimberly Skobba, Diann Moorman, David Meyers, Kenneth White, and Lori Tiller
This study builds on previous research to understand longer-term housing experiences in late adolescence and early adulthood for vulnerable college students. Using a biographical, qualitative method, this study compares high school and college housing and family circumstances for 27 students with homelessness or foster care experience enrolled in four-year colleges in Georgia.
2022
Formation and Sustainability of Statewide Networks of Support for Students Experiencing Foster Care in Higher Education
Lori Tiller
Over the past 10-15 years, self-described “statewide networks of support” have emerged to serve students experiencing foster care (SEFC) who seek to access postsecondary education. These networks, designed to foster communication between professionals in higher education and their counterparts in the child-welfare system, consist of individuals, nonprofit organizations, state government representation, and higher education institution faculty and administrators. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the formation and sustainability of statewide networks of higher education and child welfare professionals supporting SEFC.
Unlocking Potential: Strengthening the Chafee Education and Training Voucher Program for Students With Experience in Foster Care
John Burton Advocates for Youth, Fostering Academic Achievement Nationwide, and the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development
This report provides a review and analysis of federal Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV) program implementation across the country and highlights promising strategies in policy implementation and practice that are likely to lead to the removal of barriers for students with experience in foster care (SEFC) seeking to access ETV funding.
2021
Recommendations for Higher Educational Supports for Students Experiencing Homelessness in the Southeastern United States
Marcy Stidum, Carrie Olsen, Jillian Sitjar, Lori Tiller, Jessica McDaniel, Evelyn Mangin, and Lisi Desai
Homelessness creates tall barriers for many college students pursuing postsecondary education. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated many of these existing barriers, including low enrollment and a decrease in financial aid completion. Historically, very few states have offered higher education policies that support homeless college students; however, states are beginning to respond because of the recent increase in student homelessness. This paper examines policies and practices in seven southeastern states, draws conclusions, and makes recommendations for higher education institutions, policymakers, and philanthropy.
2018
Getting by and Getting Ahead: Social Capital and Transition to College Among Homeless and Foster Youth
Kimberly Skobba, David Meyers, and Lori Tiller
Despite the desire and motivation to earn a college degree, only a small portion of young adults who have experienced homelessness or foster care succeed in achieving this goal. Some of the familiar challenges encountered throughout childhood, including the lack of a stable home, financial resources to cover basic needs, inadequate academic preparation and stability, and the lack of a support system, often persist into young adulthood, making the transition to college especially difficult. This qualitative study examines the academic pathways of 33 college students with a history of foster care placement, homelessness, or both, to better understand the ways in which forms of social capital influence the transition to college and early college experiences.