School Stability and Transportation Coordination for Children in Out of Home Placement Philadelphia Department of Human Services and School District of Philadelphia Liza M. Rodriguez, Ph.D., Consultant Research, Education, and Social Innovations Bridging Vision, Strategies, and Practice

School Stability and Transportation Coordination 1.Background for School Stability & Transportation Coordination in Philadelphia 2.Framework: Child Welfare and School District Collaboration Mayor’s Cross-Systems Leadership Initiative Data Sharing Memorandum of Understanding School Stability and Transportation Coordination Protocol Preliminary Year 1 data 3.Lessons Learned Presentation Outline

Background: School Stability and Transportation Coordination in Philadelphia Child welfare and school district collaboration in Philadelphia –Mayor Michael Nutter’s alignment of City services with school district –Mayoral convening of key city departments and School District of Philadelphia –Cross-systems work group –Data-sharing Memorandum of Understanding between child welfare and school district –School Stability Transportation Protocol for Children in Out of Home Placement

Framework: Child Welfare and School District Collaboration Year 1, A Mayor’s Office of Education convenes systems Year 1, B Child Welfare and School District establish regular learning & planning meetings Year 2, A Data sharing buy-in and MOU development Year 3 School Stability Coordination Protocol (Transportation)

Framework: Child Welfare & School District Collaboration MOU = Information Sharing Name, Address Demographic information All schools attended Attendance Disciplinary/behavioral record Grades for all subjects High school credits Special education status and records (IEP) Standardized test scores Name, Date of Birth, Case Number Name and contact information for DHS worker, supervisor, administrator Provider agency and contact information Placement zip code, date and discharge date Type of placement Final status of investigation if School is reporter Court dates Status of parents’ education rights School District Child welfare

Framework: Child Welfare & School District Collaboration Transportation Coordination Protocol Child is placed 1 st time or changes placement Remains in current school Cannot remain in school due to safety or other critical factors listed in Policy Busing/transpass requested through counselor if outside of 1.5 mile radius Attendance and progress monitored Immediately enrolled in new school Provider obtains transfer packet from original school SCHOOL STABILITY DHS Education Support Center & District assistance Attendance and progress monitored TRACK 1 TRACK 2

Child Welfare and School District Collaboration Preliminary Year 1 Data DHS tracks data on individual consultations to identify common barriers, length of time in resolving barriers, and barrier resolutions More than 1024 individual consultations by DHS Education Liaisons as of May 2011 Of the 1024 consultations, 916 unduplicated youth have been served. Top three identified educational barriers in consultations: School Stability (31%) Unexcused Absences (22%) Transportation (12%)

Child Welfare and School District Collaboration Preliminary Year 1 Data Resolutions 97% of Education Barriers addressed by the Education Support Center are resolved. Appropriate Education Setting Identified 22% Stayed in School of Origin 14% Transportation Provided 9% Resource Information Provided, 11% Other (foster home changed, home environment issues addressed, etc.) 13%

Child Welfare & School District Transportation Coordination Lessons Learned School stability ensured for approximately 200 children in first year of full implementation Both child welfare and schools welcomed a single point of contact to resolve school stability issues for children in placement. Communication and cross-training between systems is critical – on a regular basis Both systems understood how to take unresolved system barriers “up the chain of command”

Child Welfare & School District School Stability Collaboration Lessons Learned Systems continue to make internal reforms and changes - Collaboration structure needs to adapt to change to sustain itself over time

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Contact Information Liza M. Rodriguez, Ph.D. Consultant Research, Education, and Social Innovations Bridging Vision, Strategies, and Practice