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Purpose <p>This brief report examines academic achievement disparities among California public school students with varying levels of child protection service (CPS) involvement, used as a proxy for maltreatment risk.</p> Method <p>Using linked birth records, public school performance data, and CPS records, we analyzed fifth grade English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics achievement for children born 2004–2006 (<i>n</i> = 672,706). We compared outcomes across levels of CPS involvement (no reported maltreatment, maltreatment investigation, open case for substantiated maltreatment, foster care placement) and made descriptive comparisons to the general population and children born with public insurance.</p> Results <p>Overall, 48.7% of students met ELA standards and 33.9% met mathematics standards. By fifth grade, 24.7% had experienced some CPS involvement. Among children investigated for maltreatment but without further CPS involvement, 33.8% met ELA standards and 19.8% met mathematics standards, slightly lower than low-income peers without CPS involvement (38.7% and 22.8% respectively). Children with deeper CPS involvement were less likely to meet academic standards: only 24.7% of children with foster care experiences met ELA standards and 12.5% met mathematics standards. Children born to Black and Hispanic mothers had consistently lower achievement across all levels of CPS involvement, while the academic advantage seen among White and Asian children was reduced in the context of economic disadvantage.</p> Conclusions <p>Academic disparities are pronounced among students whose families were low-income at birth and become more marked with increasing levels of CPS involvement. These patterns reflect both structural inequality and the unique challenges faced by children exposed to maltreatment. Addressing these gaps requires both systemic interventions and targeted educational supports.</p>

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Educational Disparities Among Children with Child Protection Service Involvement: A Brief Report from California

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年9月11日

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  • Eunhye Ahn,
  • Claire R. McNellan,
  • John Prindle,
  • Kierra Sattler,
  • Regan Foust,
  • Emily Putnam-Hornstein

摘要

Purpose

This brief report examines academic achievement disparities among California public school students with varying levels of child protection service (CPS) involvement, used as a proxy for maltreatment risk.

Method

Using linked birth records, public school performance data, and CPS records, we analyzed fifth grade English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics achievement for children born 2004–2006 (n = 672,706). We compared outcomes across levels of CPS involvement (no reported maltreatment, maltreatment investigation, open case for substantiated maltreatment, foster care placement) and made descriptive comparisons to the general population and children born with public insurance.

Results

Overall, 48.7% of students met ELA standards and 33.9% met mathematics standards. By fifth grade, 24.7% had experienced some CPS involvement. Among children investigated for maltreatment but without further CPS involvement, 33.8% met ELA standards and 19.8% met mathematics standards, slightly lower than low-income peers without CPS involvement (38.7% and 22.8% respectively). Children with deeper CPS involvement were less likely to meet academic standards: only 24.7% of children with foster care experiences met ELA standards and 12.5% met mathematics standards. Children born to Black and Hispanic mothers had consistently lower achievement across all levels of CPS involvement, while the academic advantage seen among White and Asian children was reduced in the context of economic disadvantage.

Conclusions

Academic disparities are pronounced among students whose families were low-income at birth and become more marked with increasing levels of CPS involvement. These patterns reflect both structural inequality and the unique challenges faced by children exposed to maltreatment. Addressing these gaps requires both systemic interventions and targeted educational supports.