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Lawmaker says public, private schools play a role in educating foster children in WV
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) — The West Virginia Center for Budget and Policy found in 2023 that West Virginia places children in foster at the highest rate of any state in the country, four times the national average.
The study found that while West Virginia had only 0.5% of the national population, 2.2% of American children entering foster care were from West Virginia. The study also found that the number of children in foster care in West Virginia jumped by 57% between 2012 and 2021, despite an overall population decline of 4%. Additionally, the study found that parental rights of West Virginia parents are terminated more often than that of any other state, at a nearly 40% higher rate of speed.
West Virginia Delegate Elliott Pritt, a Republican lawmaker who represents District 50, said the foster care system and needs of foster care children and others is now a strong consideration in the state education system.
'The foster care system is inundated with kids, and I think our public schools are inundated with kids that have problems, societal problems, familial problems, and it's not just foster kids,' said Pritt, adding that a number of children in family living situations have needs which require special support from the education system.'
Data on public state websites showed around 6,292 foster children were enrolled in public schools in West Virginia in 2023.
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Christy Day, spokeswoman for the West Virginia Department of Education, said that 2,142 foster children had an Individualized Education Plan, or an IEP, to meet special educational needs, in the 2023-2024 school year.
The data shows that around 35% of students in foster care in 2023 required special education, compared to 22% of students who were not in foster care during the same year.
It was unclear on Thursday, May 29, 2025, if the percentage accurately reflected the number of foster children who were in need of an IEP.
Pritt said on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, that, due to recent legislation, state law now requires public schools to maintain a certain ratio of counselors, in order to meet students' special needs.
Day said that the West Virginia Schools for Diversion and Transition employ professionals who solely provide support to students in foster care, adding that the title of Education Recovery Specialists had been transitioned to a new name, Foster Care Education Specialists.
'This program is a referral-based program and provides services to foster and kinship youth as needed,' Day wrote in an email. 'It also supports those youth identified by schools.'
Day said the program assists foster care students and foster parents with document retrieval, enrollment, post high school college planning, programs and support referrals, and transcript analysis.
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Pritt said that private schools also play a role in addressing the educational needs of the state as it relates to students who are in foster care.
He said that state law did not grant tax breaks to private schools which admit foster children, but he pointed out that the Hope Scholarship program, which takes money from public school coffers to allow parents or guardians to transfer a child to a homeschool or private school, provides tax dollars to private schools.
'I would hope that now, taking public money, that many of these schools would loosen up requirements or understand that there's a need in our communities, especially religious private schools,' said Pritt, 'that they are serving a community that has needs and that they would accept the applications of some of these kids.'
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Pritt added that if foster children disagreed with the philosophy of a specific private or public school or homeschool curriculum, they could notify their caseworkers and request a change of educational setting.
Day said that the WVDE Office of Special Education oversees the progress of disabled students in public and charter schools.
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