Agency Foster Care amp Education addressing students in k12 Texas Reach 60413 Workshop Goals Texas Education Agency Introduction Education Impacts of Foster Care Data amp Information ID: 272678
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Texas Education AgencyFoster Care & Educationaddressing students in k-12Texas Reach6.04.13 Slide2
Workshop GoalsTexas Education Agency - IntroductionEducation Impacts of Foster CareData & Information Federal & State LawSchool District Foster Care Liaison(s)Linking with District Liaisons ResourcesSlide3
Texas Trio Project17-month federal demonstration grant, Child Welfare - Education System Collaborations to Increase Educational Stability (CWED), from U.S Dept of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children & Families1 of 10 states chosen to highlight collaboration and cross-systems work addressing the education outcomes of children and youth in foster care.TEA hired Foster Care & Education Policy Coordinator to coordinate grant activities and develop agency capacity Build model collaboration - Facilitate improved coordination, communication, and practiceTEA; DFPS; Supreme Court Children’s CommissionImplement local pilot project
Partnered with HISD and local DFPS to
identify: enrollment & withdrawal, cross
-system
training, additional barriers
, and needs, etc.Worked in 3 pilot schools. Slide4
Supreme Court Children’s Commission: Education CommitteeMay 20, 2010 Supreme Court of Texas signed order establishing Education Committee of Permanent Judicial Commission for Children, Youth and Families. Focused on improving educational outcomes of foster children and youth.Coordinated effort of numerous agencies and systems involved with child protection and education including -100 stakeholders.Charged to look at challenges, identify judicial practices and cross-disciplinary training needs, improve collaboration, and make recommendations regarding education.Seek to improve collaboration, communication & practice through partnerships with DFPS, TEA, and stakeholders in education and child protection community.
Over 100 recommendations and strategies identified related to: School readiness, School Stability & Transitions, School Experience, Supports & Advocacy, Post Secondary Education.
http://texaschildrenscommission.gov/PDF/TheTexasBlueprint.pdfSlide5
TO THE ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED (TAA) Letters regarding students in foster care:Subject: Foster Care Awareness, May 17, 2013 available online: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=25769804968 Subject: Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Requirements, March 6, 2013 available online: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=25769803997 Subject: Importance of Maintaining the Education Stability for Children and Youth in the Foster Care System, August 22, 2012 available online: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=2147508587 Subject: Attendance, Admission, Enrollment, Records and Tuition, August 2, 2012 available online: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=2147508100 TEA Listserv sign-up:
http://miller.tea.state.tx.us/list
/Slide6
High Mobility - Foster Care impacts education:Significant problems with transferring information and documentation between educational and child welfare systems. Records may be lost or misplaced, causing youth to lose credits and/or repeat classes. Records may not transfer in a complete and timely manner.Youth may not be appropriately withdrawn from school, resulting in lowering of youth’s grades. Youth may sit out of school for days/weeks at a time, or are placed in inappropriate classes upon transferring to a new school. Casey Family Services, ‘Education Stability for Children & Youth in Foster Care’
By 6
th
grade, students who had changed schools 4 or more times lost about 1 year of educational growth (Courtney et al, 2004).Slide7
Additional Impacts on EducationStability (multiple school & home placements)Separation/Loss familyTrauma impacts learningSpecial Education Missed school days for appointmentsStigmatization Socialization Lower scores on standardized testsLoss of important educational, social, cultural connections.For every school move - students in foster care lose 4-6 months of emotional growth & academic preparation. (Advocates for Children of New York, Inc. 2000)Slide8
Texas: 36,441 Texas children encounter the child welfare system16,000 school age children are in foster care23.1% (highest percentage) of children in care are 14-17.1,410 young people exited from care in 2011.On average each of these youth moved 8 times. Casey Family Programs, Austin, TX Webinar HB 452, Feb 2012, DFPS 2011, Data Book. Slide9
Education Outcomes - Foster Care in Texas Fact: 40.7% of school leavers (reason for leaving school) for students in foster care are coded as graduated, as compared to 70.7% of school leavers statewide for students not in foster care, in grades 7-12. This is not a graduation rate. (PEIMS 2010-11) Fact: 28.7% of school leavers (reason for leaving school) for students in foster care are coded as dropped out, as compared to 8.4% of school leavers statewide for students not in foster care, in grades 7-12. This is not a dropout rate.
(PEIMS 2010-11)
Fact
: Students in foster care are almost three times more likely (24.5%) to receive special education services compared to students in the general population (8.8%). (PEIMS 2011-12)
PEIMS: 2011Slide10
Leaver Status of Students Who Left Texas Public Schools, Grades 7-122010-11Counts of Foster Children% of Foster ChildrenStatewide CountsStatewide %Graduated63140.7290,58170.7Dropped Out445
28.7
34,389
8.4
Left for non-graduate,
non-dropout reasons:
School outside Texas
1499.636,356
8.8
Homeschooling
86
5.5
20,876
5.1
Removed by Child
Protective Services
157
10.1
702
0.2
All other non-graduate,
non-dropout reasons
88
5.3
28,236
6.9
10
Note: The percentages on the first two rows are
not
graduation or dropout rates. These numbers represent the number of students who graduated or dropped out during the year divided by the total number of students who left during that school year.Slide11
Foster Children Compared to the State PopulationDropouts by Grade2010-1111Slide12
Foster Children Compared to the State PopulationGraduates by Graduation Program Type2010-1112Slide13
Counts and Percentages of Foster Children by Gender and Ethnicity: 2011-12Counts of Foster Children% of Foster ChildrenStatewide CountsStatewide %Female11,55448.12,432,21648.7Male12,465
51.9
2,566,363
51.3
American Indian/
Alaskan Native
105
0.4
22,383
0.4
Asian
88
0.4
177,185
3.5
Black or African American
5,765
24.0
640,171
12.8
Hispanic/Latino
10,190
42.4
2,541,223
50.8
Native Hawaiian/
Other Pacific Islander
28
0.1
6,257
0.1
White
7,264
30.2
1,527,203
30.6
Two or more races
579
2.4
84,157
1.7
13Slide14
Counts and Percentages of Foster Childrenby Program: 2011-12CategoryCounts of Foster Children% of Foster ChildrenStatewide CountsStatewide %At Risk16,30767.92,267,99545.4Career and Technology2,540
10.6
1,072,893
21.5
Economically Disadvantaged
21,66990.23,013,442
60.3Gifted and Talented
2250.9
381,744
7.6
Immigrant
20
0.1
71,754
1.4
Limited English Proficient (LEP)
1,480
6.2
838,418
16.8
PK Military
18
0.1
6,033
0.1
Special Education
5,884
24.5
440,744
8.8
14Slide15
Counts and Percentages of Special Education Foster Children by Primary Disability: 2011-12Counts of Special Education Foster Children% of Special Education Foster ChildrenStatewide Counts of Special Education ChildrenStatewide % of Special Education ChildrenEmotional Disturbance2,05534.926,3036.0Learning Disability1,15219.6172,560
39.2
Intellectual Disability
806
13.7
35,9928.2
Other health impairment748
12.756,42612.8
Speech Impairment
598
10.2
89,646
20.3
15Slide16
Provisions for Students in Foster CareFederal LawSlide17
Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act, 2008Emphasizes the importance of school stability, maintaining the students school placement, importance of coordination between child welfare and education agencies. Assurance that the placement take into account appropriateness of current education setting & proximity to the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement.If not in the best interest – state & local education agency provide immediate and appropriate enrollment in new school with ALL of the education records of the child provided to new school. Slide18
Amendment to Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Uninterrupted Scholars Act: Permits educational agencies and institutions to disclose education records of students in foster care to State and county social service agencies or child welfare agencies. The statute also amended the requirement that educational agencies and institutions notify parents before complying with judicial orders and subpoenas in certain situations. http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/hottopics/index.htmlSlide19
Texas Education Code Provisions for Students in Foster CareState LawSlide20
Texas Education Code - Recognizes students in foster care: Immediate school enrollment - TEC 25.002 Timely Records transfer - TEC 25.002(a-1)Students grades 9-12 are entitled to finish high school where they were enrolled at the time of placement - TEC 25.001 (g) Free eligibility for PRE-K - TEC 29.153Accelerated Instruction (At-risk indicators and Compensatory Education) - TEC 29.081 (Code #11)School District Foster Care Liaisons - TEC 33.904Free College Tuition & Fee Waiver – TEC
54.366
TEA
to assist the
transition
from one school to another of students in foster care - TEC 25.007Slide21
School District Foster Care Liaison: “Each School District shall appoint at least one employee to act as a liaison officer to facilitate the enrollment in or transfer to a public school of a child in the district who in the conservatorship of the state. (TEC 33.904)” Slide22
Tuition & Fee Waiver (TEC 54.366)Sec. 54.366. (a) A student is exempt from the payment of tuition and fees authorized in this chapter, including tuition and fees charged by an institution of higher education for a dual credit course or other course for which a high school student may earn joint high school and college credit.Enrolls…..no later than the student's 25th birthday.Slide23
Transition Assistance for Students in Foster Care TEC 25.007: Encouraging school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to provide services for a student in foster care in transition when applying for admission to post-secondary study and when seeking sources of funding for postsecondary study;Slide24
Foster Care: Who Are the Players?Slide25
Transition to AdulthoodSlide26
Linking with district liaisons to support students in foster care:Slide27
Bridging the Gap: Introduce yourself to district liaisons. Host a collaborative forum with district liaisons and other groups who support the education of students in foster care. (ACC Luncheon)Create opportunities and include students where the tuition and fee waiver may be activated: summer bridge programs, introductory courses, mini-terms, and other opportunities. Communicate with liaisons about campus events and incorporate students. Host a celebration for graduating high school students. Include others involved in student’s life: judge, CASA, caseworkers, caregiver, etc. Slide28
TEA and Liaisons: Building Capacity Identifying district liaisons and developing a contact list. TEA Website: Foster Care & Student Success http://www.tea.state.tx.us/FosterCareStudentSuccess/Webinar Trainings (Foster Liaison 101, CPS/Court overview)Foster Care Education Listserv http://miller.tea.state.tx.us/list/ - sign-up to received updates. Resource Guide – Coming Summer 2013!Email: Fostercareliaison@tea.state.tx.usFoster Care Education & Policy Coordinator, fostercareliaison@tea.state.tx.us; kelly.kravitz@tea.state.tx.us; 512-463-9235Slide29
Coming Soon…Resource Guide - Summer 2013! Slide30
Resource Guide Chapters: Education & Students in Foster CareIncreasing Cross-System AwarenessBuilding Cross-System PartnershipsUnderstanding Foster CareDistrict Foster Care LiaisonsIdentifying Students & Maintaining ConfidentialityEnrollment 101School Stability & Promoting Effective TransfersEducation Decision Making & FERPAAdditional School ProvisionsThe School Experience – Providing Student SupportSpecial EducationPlanning For Transitioning & Post Secondary EducationSlide31
Education Service Center RegionsDFPS & ESC REGIONSSlide32
32Welcome to Texas Supporting Success! This new free online program has been created exclusively for young people in foster care. It has articles, quizzes, information, tips and tools to help you manage your life , prepare for independent living, and plan for a happy future.Slide33
Additional Resources: www.ownyourownfuture.comwww.texascollegeandcareer.orgwww.texassupportingsuccess.orgwww.texasgearup.com/byot/category/Texas Youth Connection: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/txyouth/default.asp“A Youth Guide to School and Success” – Treehouse for Kids, Seattle, WA.Slide34
Kelly Kravitz, TEAKelly.kravitz@tea.state.tx.us(512) 463-9235Thank you!