Key takeaways
- The Eaton Fire disrupted educational continuity and exacerbated instability in the lives of children and youth involved with the child welfare system across Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre.
- One in six of these dependent children and youth had to relocate outside of the Altadena area. Overall, they moved an average of 16 miles away.
- Long-term educational rights and targeted services are needed to bridge the child welfare and education systems, especially in the face of disasters like the fires.
The 2025 Eaton Fire and its aftermath compounded existing educational challenges for children and youth involved with the child welfare system across Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre, disrupting educational continuity and exacerbating instability in their lives, according to a new research brief by the UCLA Pritzker Center for Children and Families.
The Eaton Fire affected 225 dependent children and youth living in the impacted area, interrupting access to school and adding another layer of instability to their lives and education. The majority (76%) were school-age, between 5 and 17 years old. Across the period researchers studied, nearly half of the young people (44%) were receiving permanent placement or extended foster care services; more than one-third (36%) were involved in family maintenance services (36%); 20% were receiving family reunification services. Latino youths made up 60% of the group impacted by the wildfire.
In addition to documenting the number of children and youths affected by the fire, surveys conducted by the researchers with key individuals and agencies at the forefront of response and recovery efforts highlighted how disruptive the fires were to students' lives.
Three months after the Eaton Fire, one in six (17%) dependent youth had relocated outside of the Altadena area. On average, these children and youth moved about 16 miles from where they lived at the time of the fire.
Beyond the placement changes, shifting home environments and frequent school transitions that already characterize the experiences of youth in foster care, the fire led to further displacement, school closures, lengthy commutes and even more changes in schools. School closures limited access to classroom learning, and the transition to virtual learning exacerbated educational setbacks. Access to school-based services and support was limited, and relocation due to the fire disrupted students' social connections and undermined their feelings of belonging.
The fire also disrupted the postsecondary plans of high school seniors involved with the child welfare system, interfering with key milestones such as graduation and college preparation.
"As Altadena rebuilds, equitable recovery and upholding the educational rights of children in foster care must be a long-term priority," said Taylor Dudley, who serves as the executive director of the Pritzker Center.
The study also found that the Eaton Fire strained the capacity of educators and service providers to support students, further straining educational continuity and mental health care for children and youth in foster care.
"These findings underscore the importance of the continued need for targeted mental health and academic supports, and the vital role of professionals who bridge the child welfare and education systems," said the study's principal investigator, Tyrone Howard, holder of the Pritzker Family Endowed Chair in the School of Education and Information Studies at UCLA and co-director of the Pritzker Center.
The researchers underscore, however, that despite reduced capacity and personal losses among school and service personnel, the educational community demonstrated exceptional resilience and dedication, adapting quickly to relocate classrooms, modify schedules and find creative ways to sustain learning and connection amid uncertainty. At the local level, the Pasadena Unified School District acted swiftly to reopen schools, and the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services provided flexible funding, transportation coordination and temporary placement waivers. State and local agencies also mobilized to support student recovery.
"The response by education and community organizations in the face of significant loss and devastation is commendable and should be noted. Yet moving forward, sustained investments toward monitoring educational stability and implementing trauma-informed services through cross-system coordination will be essential to achieve equitable recovery in the short and long term," Howard said.
The research brief, "The Aftermath of the Eaton Fire — Foster Care and Education Disrupted," will be presented by UCLA Pritzker Center researchers at a community event Oct. 29. Participants in the briefing, which takes place at the Altadena Community Center, will include Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Department of Children and Family Services Director Brandon Nichols and Altadena community members.
"The UCLA Pritzker Center's research sheds light on the profound toll the Eaton Fire took on children in our foster care system. These young people endured disruptions to their homes, education, and emotional well-being, challenges that don't end when the fire is out," added Barger. "We must stay focused on providing stability and healing for impacted youth well into the future."
