Get documents about "Foster Care and the Education System - Arizona Office of the Governor
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Improving Educational Outcomes
for Children in Foster Care
Presentation to the State Board of Education
January 24, 2005
Tracy L. Wareing
Policy Advisor for Human Services
Office of Governor Janet Napolitano
Ruth Solomon
Assistant Superintendent for Policy
Arizona Department of Education
Arizona Children in Foster Care
Arizona Department of Economic Security, Child
Protective Services reports (as of Sept. 2004):
About 8900 kids in out of home care
60% of those children are age 6 yrs and up
1,377 children live in group homes
574 children are currently living in a shelter
There are 2,671 licensed foster homes
Children move placements an average of over two
and a half times while in out of home care
Recent Steps Taken in Arizona
CPS Reform Efforts
2003 Advisory Commission on CPS Reform
7 Subcommittees: Reports, Records, Juvenile
Justice, Health, Community, Structure, and
EDUCATION
Governor’s Action Plan for CPS Reform
Special Session on CPS
28 Action Teams Implementing Action Plan
and HB2024
Studies Show Education Outcomes
are Often Grim for Foster Youth
83% of children in foster care are held back in
school by 3rd grade, 46% do not complete high
school and 75% are working below grade level1
Children in foster care are more likely to attend a
low achieving school than other children (78%
vs. 43%)2
35% of foster youth have experienced four or
more school changes and each school move
results in a six month loss of educational
progress3, 4
…And The Outcomes Don’t Get
Better Later in Life
A Snapshot of Former Foster Youth
1/3 are receiving public assistance within 2 years of
leaving foster care5
51% are unemployed at age 226
Without intervention, foster youth experience greater
frequency of homelessness, addiction, early
pregnancy, incarceration and future involvement with
CPS than other youth
3 in 10 of the nation’s adult homeless are former
foster youth7
Challenges Faced by Foster
Youth When Changing Schools
All youth face challenges in adjusting to different
curricula, teachers, peers, and expectations, yet…
Foster Youth face additional challenges:
Missed school days due to enrollment delays because
of lack of information/records (some students may
initially be denied enrollment)
Missed school days due to appointments for social or
medical services or even court
Lack of consistent advocacy for education needs,
including special education
Simultaneously dealing with significant personal and
familial issues
The Voice of the Youth
From focus group by Youth Law Center in California
“I was in 8th grade for two months, doing
well, but then I was moved 11 times in nine
months. It was almost impossible to go to
school.”
“I needed more support in school. I was by
myself. No one came and asked how I was.
I went off into the cracks.”
Why?
“Perhaps the single most important thing that each of
us can do to improve the educational outcomes
for foster children is to ensure that their school
placement remains stable. Historically, change of
placement of the child has meant an almost
automatic change of school. Yet for every school
change, a child experiences serious loss and
suffers academically.”8
Critical Issues
Provide School Placement Stability
Allow youth placed in out of home care
to attend their “home school” when it is
safe to do so and in the student’s best
interest
Critical Issues
Records and School Enrollment
Ensure youth in out of home care are not denied
school enrollment because their records are not
immediately available (inc. immunization records
and birth certificates)
Ensure that records and information are promptly
obtained/exchanged between CPS and the schools,
whether case is still under investigation or child is
already receiving CPS services
Critical Issues
Special Education for Foster Youth
Give clear direction (policy and practice)
regarding the provision of educational
services, including special ed, to students in
out of home care
Consistent with federal law, clarify who is a
parent for purposes of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act when a child is in
CPS custody
Working Toward . . .
Uninterrupted Educational
Access and Stability for
Youth in Foster Care
Where Are We Now?
Casey Family Programs Sponsored “A Road Map
for Learning,” Education Summit, August 2004,
Seattle, WA
Participants included 6 states and key national
organizations
Arizona attendees: Casey Family Programs, Arizona
Department of Education, DES (Child Protective
Services), Attorney General’s Office, Governor’s
Office
Work Product from Summit: Draft Advocacy
Plan for Arizona
Where Are We Now?
Expansion of Core Action Team Members
DES/Child Protective Services
Casey Family Programs (inc. Education Specialist)
Arizona Department of Education
Governor’s Office
Attorney General’s Office
Children’s Action Alliance
School Psychologist
Representatives from Pima County Education/Foster
Children Committee
Where Are We Now?
Casey Family Program Resources
A Road Map for Learning: Improving
Educational Outcomes in Foster Care
Critical Questions and Strategies for Meeting
the Education Needs of Children and Youth
in Juvenile and Family Court (Judicial
Checklist)
The Challenge of Educating the Non-
Traditional Student, Teacher’s Edition
Key Partners for Collaboration
School employees - teachers, principals, social
workers, nurses, etc
CPS case workers
Foster parents
Relative caregivers
Attorneys, guardians ad litem, CASAs
Surrogate parents
Juvenile judges and court personnel
Post secondary educators and other administrators
Taking Action: Next Steps
Presentations of this PowerPoint to Key Stakeholders –
Raising Awareness
Dissemination of Core Team Resources: Teachers, Social
Workers, Judges, Advocates
Finalize “Make a Difference in a Child’s Life: A Manual
for Helping Children and Youth Get What they Need in
School”
Plan for Distribution of Manual and Development of
Corresponding Training Program
Taking Action: Next Steps
Partners Work Together to Clarify Policy and Practice on
Critical Issues
Core Action Team to Evaluate San Diego Tutor
Connection Program
Identification of Benchmarks of Success
Coordination with Other AZ Related Improvement Efforts
Post-secondary education needs for foster youth
Interagency Council on Homelessness, Youth Development
Juvenile Justice Efforts (prevention and treatment)
CPS Implementation of Family to Family program
Resources
1Children’s Law Center of Los Angeles (a project of the LA
Superior Court)
2Courtney, Mark. (2004). Educational Experiences of
Children in Out of Home Care. Chapin Hall Center for
Children at the University of Chicago.
3Molly Herzog, Director of Project People, cited in The
Connection: News and Information from the National
Court Appointed Special Advocate Association, Summer
2004, Vol. 20 No. 2
4Temple, J. A., & Reynolds, A. J. (1999). School mobility
and achievement: Longitudinal results from an urban
cohort. Journal of School Psychology, 37(4), 355-377.
Resources (cont.)
5Robert Goerge et al., (2002) Employment Outcomes
for Youth Aging Out of Foster Care. Chapin Hall
Center for Children at the University of Chicago.
6Burley, M. & Halpern, M. (2001) Educational Attainment of
Foster Youth. Washington State Institute for Public Policy
(Document #01-11-3901)
7Molly Allen, Teens Aging Out of Foster Care in Oregon:
The Importance of Transition Planning, Juvenile Rights
Project, p. 8, June 2004
8Heybach & Winter (1999). Improving educational services
for foster children: An advocate’s guide. Chicago: Law
Project of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and the
Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago
