Wyoming Youth In Foster Care

Wyoming Department of Education > For District Leadership > Wyoming Youth In Foster Care

Contact Information

State Foster Care Liaison
Les Koch
(307) 777-6216
les.koch1@wyo.gov

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Section 1112(c)(5)(A) and (B) requires an identified State Education Agency (SEA) liaison to coordinate compliance of the specific provisions related to students in foster care.

Each Wyoming Local Educational Agency (LEA) is required to submit their current “School District Foster Care Plan” implemented and used to ensure timely student transitions if and when needed.  It also lists the current LEA Foster Care liaison and the local or regional Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS) liaison. The DFS is the state’s Child Welfare Agency. 

The provisions are intended to ensure educational stability, minimize disruptions for students in foster care, ensure collaboration between state and local education agencies and child welfare agencies, and place an emphasis on cross-agency collaboration as defined in the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Fostering Connections Act). ESSA guidance encourages educational and child welfare agencies to consider ways to support better outcomes for students in foster care and facilitate successful transitions.

For more information, see the Non-Regulatory Guidance: Ensuring Educational Stability for Children in Foster Care.

In addition, an overview of Wyoming’s foster care process, a state map that provides the Department of Family Services (DFS) regional contacts, and the current District Foster Care Plan template are available.