Improving the postsecondary educational outcomes of young people in extended foster care: an evaluation of the effects of My First Place
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7179/PSRI_2026.48.04Keywords:
Extended foster care, postsecondary educational attainment, postsecondary educational outcomesAbstract
Young people in foster care continue to lag behind their peers with respect to postsecondary educational attainment. This study examines whether participation in an education and employment program that provides fully subsidized housing to young people currently or formerly in extended foster care is associated with better postsecondary educational outcomes (i.e., college enrollment, semester completion, and credential attainment). The study compares the postsecondary educational outcomes of young people who participated in the program to the postsecondary educational outcomes of a propensity score matched sample of young people who were eligible for the program but did not participate using program data and data from the National Student Clearinghouse. Participating in My First Place (MFP) increased the hazard of enrolling in college by 32 percent and the hazard of completing a semester by 39 percent. However, participating in MFP had no effect on the hazard of earning a credential. The findings contribute to the evidence base for interventions that improve the postsecondary educational outcomes of young people transitioning out of extended foster care.
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