THE GRADE Closing the Achievement Gap for children in the care or custody of the state Who are our youth Maria entered DCF care in 2002 41 Placements Oct 16 02 Jan 10 03 Therapeutic Foster Home DCF licensed ID: 600015
Download Presentation The PPT/PDF document "RAISE" is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this web site for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
Slide1
RAISE THE GRADE Closing the Achievement Gap for children in the care or custody of the stateSlide2
Who are our youth?Maria entered DCF care in 2002
41 Placements
Oct 16 ‘02 – Jan 10 ’03 Therapeutic Foster Home (DCF licensed)
Jan 10 ‘03 – Mar 28 ’03 Village for Families and Children Safe Home
Mar 28 ‘03 – Aug 22 ’03 Therapeutic Foster Home (VFC licensed)
Aug 22 ‘03 – Jan 26 ’04 Therapeutic Foster Home, Maternal Cousin, (VFC licensed)Jan 26 ‘04 – Feb 6 ’04 Therapeutic Foster Home (VFC licensed)Feb 6 ‘04 – Nov 3 ’04 Therapeutic Foster Home (VFC licensed)Nov 3 ‘04 – Jan 7 ‘’05 Therapeutic Foster Home (VFC respite care)Jan 7 ‘05 – Jan 21 ’05 Relative Foster Home, Paternal AuntJan 2 ‘05 – Feb 10 ’05 Foster Home (DCF licensed)Feb 10 ‘05 – Feb 25 ’05 Wheeler Clinic Greenhouse, Crisis StabilizationFeb 25 ‘05 – May 2 ’05 Sankofa House (VFC), Permanency Diagnostic CenterSlide3
MariaMay 11 ’05 – Jun 9 ’05 Mt. Sinai ABC UnitJun 9 ‘05 – Aug 25 ’06 Residential Treatment, Kids InnAug 25 ‘06 – Apr 9 ’07 Therapeutic Foster Care, KlingbergApr 9 ‘07 – Apr 30 ’07 STAR Home, The BridgeApr 30 ‘07 – May 5 ’07 Foster Care Placement, DCF
May 8 ‘07 – May 12 ’07 Short Term Assess/Respite, The Bridge
May 23 ‘07 – Jul 16 ’07 Short Term Assess/Respite, The Bridge
Jul
16 ‘07 –
Aug 8 07 Juvenile Detention CenterAug 8 ‘07 – Jun 2 ’08 Residential Treatment, CT Children’s PlaceJun 12 ’07 – Jun 13 ’08 Emergency Foster Care, DCFJun 27 ‘08 – Jan 12 ’09 Foster Care Placement, DCFJan 14 ‘09 – Jan 16 ’09 Emergency Foster Care, DCFJan 16 ‘09 – Jan 28 ’09 Emergency Foster Care, DCFJan 28 ‘09 – Jan 30 ’09 Emergency Foster Care, DCFJan 30 ‘09 – Feb 3 ’09 Emergency Foster Care, DCFSlide4
MariaFeb 26 ‘09 – Mar 3 ’09 Emergency Foster Care, DCFMar 3 ‘09 – May 6 ’09 Short Term Assess/Respite, The BridgeMay 9 ‘09 – Jul 7 ’09 Adult Correctional (York), State of CTJul 7 ‘09 – Sep 14 ’09 Residential Treatment, CT Children’s PlaceSep 14 ‘09 – Dec 19 ’09 Runaway StatusDec 19 ‘09 – Jan 22 ‘09 Adult
Correctional (York), State of CT
Jan 22 ‘10 – May 11 ’10 Stepping Stone
May 11 ‘10 – Jul 8 ’10 Runaway
Status
Jul 8 ‘10 – Sep 30 ’10 Adult Correctional (York), State of CTSep 30 ‘10 – Sep 30 ’10 Therapeutic Foster HomeSep 30 ‘10 – Jan 5 ’11 Runaway StatusJan 5 ‘11 – Feb 1 ’11 CHAP apartmentFeb 1 ‘11 – Apr ’11 With friendsApr ‘11 – May 7 ’11 MotelMay 7 ‘11 – Present CHAP apartmentSlide5
Who are our youth?AngelaOver several months, Angela, a 16 year old with a profound abusebackground and new juvenile justice involvement, interfaced withmultiple state systems: DCF opened neglect case
Juvenile Court held hearingsJuvenile Detention for weeks/monthsRiverview Hospital for two months
Entered Residential FacilitySlide6
Angela Six months after Angela’s case and state involvementbegan, providers working with Angela struggled: No one knew what grade she was inNo one knew how many credits she hadNo one knew why she had not been evaluated for special education servicesNo one had a copy of her complete educational fileNo one knew her current educational needs or skill levelNo one knew who to speak to about getting answers Slide7
Who are our youth?DCF committed children and youth in foster care living in the communityDCF committed youth in DCF- contracted residential treatment centers, group homes, STAR homes, SAFE homesDCF youth in USD #2 facilities: a. Solnit North (Ct. Children’s Place) b. Solnit South (Riverview Hospital) c. Connecticut Juvenile Training SchoolSlide8
Who are our youth?Youth in Court Support Services Division (CSSD) facilities a. detention centers b. residential facilities c. FWSN and substance abuse facilities5. Youth on parole under DCF supervisionYouth under CSSD jurisdiction (i.e. on probation) who are in public school district “alternative” schools or programs (e.g. “At Night” programs) over-age and undercredit programs) Slide9
Who are our youth?Educational CharacteristicsSlide10
Who are our youth?Educational CharacteristicsPercentage of students in USD#2 (DCF facilities) meeting goalSource: Connecticut State Department of Education. Note: Data is not missing in years without a red bar. In those years, all USD # 2 students were below the state's goal.Slide11
Who are our youth? Educational Characteristics of Juvenile Justice Youth67% suspended at least once in past school year30% expelled in past39% reporting special education needs10% identified as Special Ed81% released home and back to schoolLess than 5% perform at stated grade level or aboveTypically perform 2-3 levels below stated grade(CSSD Data- 2007, 2012)Slide12
Who are our youth?Educational Characteristics of Youth in foster care? ? ?Slide13
Alternative Schools: The Hard DataNo definition of “alternative schools”SDE does not keep record of how many alternative schools or programs existDistricts have discretion to label alternatives as “schools” or “programs”Programs aren’t required to submit Strategic School ProfilesNo way to verify that alternative student data is being tracked by referring schoolA Better Way Foundation, CT Pushout Research and Organizing Project, www.ctprop.orgSlide14
Alternative Schools: The Hard DataIn one district’s alternative school, the Class of 2010 . . .0% graduation rate70% dropout rate30% continuing for a fifth year
A
Better Way Foundation, CT
Pushout
Research and Organizing Project, www.ctprop.orgSlide15
RAISE THE GRADE SolutionsPlanning, Collecting Data and Monitoring ProgressRequire SDE, DCF, CSSD to track educational achievement of each youth in state care or custody and create Educational Achievement PlansAmend C.G.S. § 46b-129 and 17a-15 to require permanency plan court reviews and case plans to look at educational achievementAmend C.G.S. § 10-94g to allow for appointment of educational surrogates for youth in juvenile justice systemEnsuring Accountability in Private Educational InstitutionsRequire schools in USD #2 and DCF / CSSD facilities to prepare strategic school profiles; SDE establish standards for such schoolsAmend Child Find law to mandate identification of special ed students
Holding Public School District “Alternative” Schools and Programs AccountableRequire SDE to define “alternative schools or programs”
Require informed consent of legal guardian before placementRequire schools to provide similar class hours and access to coursesSlide16
RAISE THE GRADE SolutionsForging Inter-agency CollaborationRequire school districts and SDE to share information with DCF and CSSDRequire school districts to notify DCF if substantial change in educational status of youthRequire students to be educated in the least restrictive appropriate environmentProviding Educational Support Services for Youth in Custody and Care:
Raise the Grade PilotSlide17
RAISE THE GRADE: PREVENTIONProvide all DCF-committed children in 1st through 3rd grade who cannot read at grade level targeted academic and related support services and monitoringRequire DCF to enroll all DCF committed 3-5 year olds DCF in a quality early childhood or preschool program unless documented why not in best interests of childSlide18
RAISE THE GRADE PilotIdentify all youth in state custody, care in school districtIdentify youth performing below grade levelStructured, collaborative process between social worker, educational surrogate, probation, district to create Educational Achievement Plan (EAP): GOAL: improve grade level performance Provide schedule of supplemental supports to meet EAP goals: tutoring, mentoring, transition services, small group instructionRevise EAP in the face of truancy, traumatic event, adverse educational performanceMaximize enrollment of 3-5 year olds preschoolMonitoring/supports for grades 1-3 not on grade levelConduct rigorous independent evaluation Slide19
RAISE THE GRADEModelModeled after California Foster Youth Services Programs2012 FYS outcome data for FYS Core Programs shows 69% of foster youth served in school year 2010–11 gained more than one month of academic growth per month of tutoring receivedTarget population objective of 60% surpassed by 9%Slide20
FYS Outcome Data High school completion data collected indicates that 70% of eligible twelfth graders received a high school diploma, passed the General Education Development Test, or received a certificate of completion. Only 0.26% of foster youth served through FYS Core Programs were expelled, surpassing the target rate of less than 5%Foster youth student attendance rate reached 95%, exceeding the target attendance rate of 90%Slide21
Empirical and Policy RationalePractical ImportanceCost to taxpayers for supporting juveniles in detention: ~$105,711 client/per yearLiterature is unequivocal: Educational success resulting in gainful employment
is best pathway
away from recidivism and toward desistance
It is imperative that a systemic intervention
model be established.
CSSD/SDE data 2012