Foster Care

The Ocean Springs School District foster care point of contact is Dr. Christopher J. Williams, Sr.  You may reach him by email at cjwilliams@ossdms.org or by phone at 228-875-7707.

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law on December 10, 2015, amending the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.  For the first time, the Every Student Succeeds Act embeds federal education law requirements that emphasize school stability and success for youth in foster care.

The Every Student Succeeds Act emphasizes the importance of limiting educational disruption of children placed in foster care who move due to entering care or changing placements by mandating that the child remain in their schools or origin unless it is determined by the LEA and state child welfare agency that changing schools is in the child’s best interest.