A Call to Action

Wednesday, December 1st 9:00am-12:00pm 1000 W. Tharpe Street, Tallahassee

Why are we here?

The Children

71 % of the children in foster care are between the ages of 6 and 18 (school age)

It is estimated that when a student in foster care changes schools, an average of four to six monthsof educational progress is lost.

Children in foster care in one Florida School System were more likely than same age peers to be retained in grade and score lower on standardized tests.

The Children

100 % of the children

have hopes and dreams

before coming into the

dependency system.

3

Many Systems, Many Silos

• School personnel often do not know a child is in foster care or the implications of foster care on a child’s education.

• Child welfare and Juvenile Justice professionals often lack the training to provide the advocacy these children require in the other systems.

Education Issue Brief: Improving Special Education for Children with Disabilities in Foster Care, Claire van Wingerden, John Emerson, and Dennis Ichhikawa, Casey Family Programs, June 2002

There are laws and rules, but

Together,

we can find ways to do more than plan,

we can find ways to help each other

implement, to go from “good to great”

The GOALS

The Statewide “InterAgency Agreement”

Seeks to coordinate services for children and incorporates

A Guide to Improve Education Opportunities for Florida’s Foster

Youth

The Guide contains 11 Goals

(and many suggested actions)

Goal 1

School Stability:

Students should remain in their same school, unless it is unsafe

Goal 2

Seamless Transition Between Schools. Regardless of school district.

– No Delay in enrollment– No Delay in records transfer– No repeating or missing valuable

educational material– No Loss of credits– Minimize trauma so not overwhelmed

with the move and disruption

Goal 3

School Readiness:

Young children enter school ready to learn.

Goal 4

Full Participation in the School Experience: Youth have the opportunity and support to fully participate in all aspects of the school experience.

Goal 5

Youth have supports to prevent

• school dropout,

• truancy, and

• disciplinary actions.

Goal 6

Youth are involved in all aspects

of their education and educational

planning and are empowered to be

advocates for their education needs.

Goal 7

Youth have an adult who is invested in his or her education during and after time in Foster Care,

including a Surrogate Parent where appropriate.

Goal 8

Youth have supports to enter into, and complete, postsecondary education or obtaining employment.

Goal 9

Youth with Disabilities are:

Identified Early &

Served Appropriately

Goal 10

Youth are educated

in a trauma-sensitive environment, recognizing the root cause

of inappropriate behaviors and

providing appropriate behavioral supports

that create a safe environment,

conducive to learning,

rather than punishing youth for acting in response to their anger and hurt.

Goal 11

All Youth

Attend

and

Complete School

New Goal 12

EVERYBODY’S A TEACHER

• Everybody plays a role in a child’s education• Stay engaged. • Stay proactive. • And remind yourself every time you look in the

mirror…

EVERYBODY’S A TEACHER

“report card”

• ADD LOCAL DATA

. What are our local issues?

• Early Childhood• Disabilities• Reading• FCAT and other testing• Education planning• Graduation• Transition Planning• Others brainstormed by group

Barriers to Success

• Add issues identified locally

Actions We Can Take

• Add Actions identified locally

Students Reading At and Above Grade Level for Grade 3,

Graduate from High School at Higher Rates Than Students Reading Below Grade Level

• Reading represents the major foundational skill for school-based learning,

• Reading ability is strongly related to opportunities for academic and vocational success.

• A critical transition takes place during elementary school—from learning to read up to third grade to reading to learn in fourth grade.

• Students who are not reading at grade level in third grade begin having difficulty comprehending the written material that is a central part of the educational process in the grades that follow

• children who are below grade level in third grade but catch up by ninth grade have a better prognosis for their future educational outcomes than those who continue to lag.

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The voice of a child

“It’s hard to be making new friends, meeting new people,

and getting used to each school’s vibe. And it can

be hard to concentrate when you jump from home to home

and school to school.…Sometimes teachers assume

you’re just passing through their school and class,

and won’t take an interest in you. And if an adult in school

does take a special interest in you, you usually lose that

connection when you switch schools.” Russell Morse,

School Daze, Foster Care Youth United, p.9

(November/December 1999).

Together

• Partnerships empower students in foster care to improve performance and prepare for post-secondary education, the world of work and independence.

• Everyone benefits from the child’s success

Every child needs teachers