When Alexandria Davis decided to pursue a two-year degree, she did everything she could to stay afloat financially. Davis, 26, prepares food at a cafe and sells baked goods at a farmers market near her home in Richmond, Virginia. That's all on top Come to class and turn in assignments on time.

“I work crazy hours,” she said. "I don't get much sleep."

But Davis is used to being self-sufficient. As a teenager, she spent time in foster care and says she never really had a family to rely on.

This is a common experience for foster children.

"We don't have a safety net to fall back on. We don't have room to mess up," Davis said.

This means big plans like getting a degree can easily get derailed. This almost happened to Davis when she fell into trouble with her then-domestic partner and had to move.

"There's definitely a pressing need to get out," she said.

The only problem is: she doesn't have enough money to buy a new place.

“Despite all the work, I was still barely getting by,” she recalls, “even losing money for a few months.”

She decided to apply for emergency funding through her school, Brightpoint Community College. That's when she learned about a program in Virginia specifically for students like her.

Great Expectations is designed to help people who grew up in foster care earn a two-year degree. Mostly privately funded programs Started 15 years ago and provide financial and emotional support to community college students of all ages, regardless of how long they have been out of foster care.

The program is available at every community college in Virginia; each college has a designated coach who works with students and organizes events so students in the program can get to know each other.

Great Expectations also provides a limited monthly housing stipend as well as emergency funds — both of which the program provided to Davis after she needed to move.

"It feels like they saved my life in a way," Davis said.

Without that help, she said, "I think I might have dropped out of school because I would have been back in the same cycle of realizing, 'Hey, I can't afford this.'"

Instead, Davis is now pursuing a bachelor's degree. After completing her associate's degree, she transferred to Virginia Commonwealth University to study marketing. She also plans to pursue a master's degree in business administration.

'A national model for other states'

People who grew up in foster care often face so many challenges as adults that college can feel out of reach.

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that in 2021, 10.5% of Americans had an associate's degree by age 25.

While there are no nationwide data on former foster youth, state and local studies have found that they earn degrees at lower rates.

analyze 2011 A Study of Three Midwestern States The study found that only 3.7 percent of foster care students completed an associate's degree by age 29 or 30. Studying in California in 2020 The study found that 6% of these students completed a two-year degree by age 23 or 24.

The two-year graduation rate for the roughly 5,000 students who experienced Great Expectations was higher than either study: 9.5 percent. (Great Expectations does not track the ages of graduates.)

"Their students are graduating, they're getting their degrees, they're entering the workforce, and they're doing really well," said Alison Gilbreth, policy director for Voices for Virginia's Children. Allison Gilbreath, a nonprofit that advocates for young people and families. .

While more than a dozen other states have introduced statewide initiatives to help prepare young people to complete college degrees, not many of them look anything like Great Expectations.

The National Network for the Advancement of Academic Achievement is a consortium for such programs. Founder Maddy Day said Great Expectations "provides a model for other states that want to ensure that students with foster care experience receive comprehensive supports to guide their transition to the community college system and beyond."

Recently, Great Expectations inspired Virginia lawmakers to provide more higher education support for these students. new law Ensures that current and former foster youth do not have to pay tuition or room and board at Virginia’s public four-year colleges and universities. The bill takes effect in July.

A rare item you can't grow old with

almost one third Youth emerging from foster care Homelessness is reported among those aged 19 to 21, and one in five is incarcerated. latest data KIDS COUNT data center from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

That’s why housing stipends — like the kind Great Expectations offers some students — are particularly important, said Gilbreth of Virginia Children’s Voices.

“Housing is the foundation,” Gilbreth said. "When you feel like you're in a stable, safe housing situation, you can start thinking about the bigger picture. You can start thinking: 'What do I want? What is my dream? No one can dream of not having a place to sleep.' "

There are some federalprogramme Designed to provide support into adulthood for those who have grown up in foster care, but you must be 25 or 26 years old to apply.

These age restrictions are not unusual for programs that support former foster youth. That's why Keona Beamon, in her 30s, worries she won't qualify for Great Expectations.

Beamon, 35, spent much of his teenage years in foster care. At 18, she said she became homeless. Now, with the help of Great Expectations, Beamon can complete a business administration degree at Richmond Reynolds Community College in just two semesters.

She said she was relieved when she learned there were no age restrictions on the program — and both emotional support and financial help, including gift cards and a monthly housing stipend, helped her stay in school.

"Four hundred dollars really goes a long way, and then to actually give it to you for an entire year...that's a really big blessing to me," Beamon said. “It’s still a blessing to me.”

Why it’s harder for current and former foster youth to get a degree

Beamon said one of the most important things Great Expectations taught her was how to accept help and support from others, including the program’s coaches.

The lesson is crucial, says Nathanael Okpych of the University of Connecticut. He has studied the educational outcomes of children in foster care and said there are many reasons why these individuals struggle to complete their degrees. Among them: Students who have experienced family separation may have difficulty trusting adults and the supports originally designed to help them complete college.

"Some of them take this very cautious, self-reliant attitude that has served them well in other areas, but when they get to college, it's new. It's really difficult. It's not something you can force Things that are done on your own,” Okpichi explained. "You do need to rely on others."

Beamon said she had a close relationship with first Great Expectations coach Martha Harper, who contacted Beamon regularly to hear her concerns about college and other personal matters.

"She's just a blessing to me," she explained. "Because without high expectations, or without Ms. Martha, I don't think I would have been able to achieve so much in school. I would have dropped out of school because of the pressure, and there would have never been anyone to help me." Chatting while trying to get to school . "

Now, Beamon is building a close relationship with new coach Kellen Cole. Beamon met Cole on campus just before Thanksgiving. Cole asked her how she felt about her course load next semester.

“I’m pretty confident, especially now that I’m almost done,” Beamon replied.

She told Cole that she had just been accepted into the nearby Virginia State University HBCU, where she planned to complete her bachelor's degree.

"I'm happy and proud of you," Kerr said.

During their meetings, Cole regularly encouraged Beamon whenever he needed to talk—something Beamon didn't really experience growing up.

“People in the foster care system really need that push, that motivation,” Beamon said. "Even when we know we're good people, sometimes we need to hear: 'You did a great job,' or 'Congratulations, you did a better job.'" "

Beamon said she did Hearing this from her Great Expectations coach—it made all the difference.