Education Advocacy: Preparing Youth in Care for High School Graduation, College and Careers

Welcome and Introductions

Legal Center FCE  Collaboration between ABA and Casey Family Programs, in conjunction with the Juvenile Law Center and Education Law Center, with funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Stuart Foundation  A national technical assistance resource and information clearinghouse on legal and policy matters affecting the education of children and youth in out-of-home care  Website: Listserv, Conference Calls, Publications, Searchable Database, Fostering Connections

Agenda  Background  Focus on advocacy – advocate may be from child welfare, education, courts, or outside agency  Consideration of student-level practices, and system-level policies.  Goal – for participants to identify at least one idea they will take to their jurisdiction.

Academic challenges 70% of former foster youth express a desire to attend college Students in foster care General student population ^ Casey Northwest Alumni Study Foster Care Alumni Studies: Education Outcomes

Promising data  Youth who experience even one fewer placement change per year are almost twice as likely to graduate from high school before leaving care  The odds of graduating from high school were almost 3 times higher for youth in foster care who participated in a mentoring program than their peers  Odds of graduating from high school were twice as high if they had experienced 6 or fewer school changes than if they had experienced 10 or more **Education is the Lifeline for Youth in Foster Care

Rank Your Priorities  Improve School Stability  Ensure Immediate Enrollment  Provide Mentoring and other Adult support  Improve Access to Services (special ed, remediation)  Prioritize Access to Early Childhood Education  Engage Youth in Leadership Opportunities  Support Post-Secondary Education  Improve Responses to Discipline and Truancy  Address Discrimination  Engage Caregivers

Benefits of Partnership  Improve student performance  Improve graduation rates and decrease dropout rates  Increase college and career readiness  Turn around our lowest performing schools  Enhanced permanency  Improve life outcomes for youth

The Pennsylvania Experience Advocacy to Improve Educational Outcomes for Youth in Care

Pennsylvania Child Welfare Bulletin on Education  Single point of contact  Overview of relevant education rights  Requirement of collaboration  Caseworker to conduct education screen for youth in-home and out-of-home

Pennsylvania Education Screen for Caseworkers  Caseworkers ensure that they have addressed: Records Stability/Enrollment Special School Settings Progress Toward Graduation Preparation for Post-Secondary Education Special Education Disability Accommodation  Tool provides information about relevant laws and steps to take

Pennsylvania Tool for Educators  Provides background about youth in care.  Suggests steps to ensure their success, including: Tips for engaging the child in school Communication with the child’s decision-maker Keeping education records up-to-date. Helping the student avoid education disruptions. Ensuring that the student has needed support and guidance Addressing the student’s behavioral health needs Planning for graduation and post-secondary education

Pennsylvania Rules for Juvenile Court Judges  School stability  Appropriate education Remedial education Special education  Disabilities accommodation  Education decision-maker

Foster Youth Education in California Foster Youth Services Program CA Education Code Sections

CA State Budget  Appropriated approximately $15 million for educational services to foster youth  Includes programs for 6 core programs, 57 countywide programs, and 28 juvenile detention programs ( )  Services to an estimated 25,000 foster youth

CA Education Code Section  FYS programs may provide services to foster children who reside in “licensed foster homes” or county-operated juvenile detention facilities.  “Licensed foster homes” include: Licensed foster family homes Certified foster family agency homes Court-specified homes Licensed care institutions (group homes)

Foster Youth Services (FYS)  Legislative intent is that FY with the greatest need for services be first priority.  FYS Programs may prescribe the methodology for determining which foster youth (FY) to serve.  Methodologies for determining FY to serve may include, but aren’t limited to, the following: Specific age groups Specific geographic areas FY with greatest academic need

FYS Program Services Each FYS Program shall include guiding principles that establish a hierarchy of services in the following order: Provide or arrange for referral to - 1. Tutoring 2. Services that meet local needs identified through collaborative relationships and local advisory groups, including but not limited to:  Mentoring  Counseling  Transitioning services  Emancipation services

Program Services (Continued) 3.Facilitating timely Individual Education Programs 4.Establishing collaborative relationships and local advisory groups 5.Expediting transfer of health and education records

Planning and Implementation  FYS Programs shall have at least one FY Education Services Coordinator.  Programs to develop plans that identify methodology for determining FY to serve, guiding principles, and hierarchy of services.  Programs must utilize community and advisory groups.

Coordinator Responsibilities 1.Work with the child welfare agency to minimize changes in school placement. 2.Facilitate prompt transfer of educational records (including the health and education passport) when educational placement changes are made. 3.Provide education-related information to the child welfare agency to assist in the delivery of services to FY.

Coordinator Responsibilities (Continued) 4.Respond to requests from the juvenile court to ensure delivery and coordination of educational services. 5.Share information with the foster care provider regarding available training programs that address FY educational issues. 6.Refer caregivers of FY who have special education needs to special education programs and services.

Coordinator Responsibilities (Continued) 7.Work to obtain, identify, and link children to mentoring, tutoring, vocational training, and other services. 8.Facilitate communication between the foster care provider, the teacher, and any other school staff or education service providers.

AB 490 Educational Liaison for Foster Youth County offices of education and school districts must have an educational liaison for foster students who will:  Ensure checkout from school and proper school placement (responsibility shared with placing agency)  Ensure IMMEDIATE enrollment of foster youth, even without academic or medical records, immunization records, proof of residency, school uniform, or fees/materials owed to prior school  Assist with timely transfer of grades, credits, and records when students transfer schools  Complete school transfers within two business days EC

Treehouse Educational Advocacy Program (WA State)

Treehouse Educational Advocacy Program  Created in King County in 2001 (originally privately funded)  Currently, 17 Advocates co-located in CA offices  Referrals made by CA social worker/screener  Eligibility: out-of-home care, PreK – 12 th grade, serves all 295 school districts

Treehouse Educational Advocacy Program (Continued) Funding: 2001 through 2005: privately funded, King County only (greater Seattle area), 300 youth served at peak, $150,000 program 2006: start of funding by WA State Children’s Administration, statewide coverage, 1,000 youth served in the first year, $650,000 program year one 2010 through present: funding 2/3 by WA State Children’s Admin (20% of which are federal Title IVE funds) and 1/3 by Treehouse, 1,400 youth served in 2011, $1.1 million program

Treehouse Educational Advocacy Program (Continued) Levels of Service: Direct Advocacy: cases requiring intensive, Advocate-led interventions, approximate length of 9 months Consultation: cases where Advocate can coach, guide and provide behind-the-scenes support, approximate length of 7 months Information and Referrals: brief, one- time dispensing of policy, practice or strategy information which allows the sw or cg to provide the advocacy, 30 minutes average, over 1,200 I & R’s annually

Treehouse Educational Advocacy Program (Continued) Four Primary Outcomes:  Increase and Improve Access to School Services and Programs  Reduce School Changes and Speed Enrollment  Decrease Disciplinary Referrals  Academic Progress is made – students progress to the next grade and graduate

Increase and Improve Access to School Services and Programs  278 students with Individual Education Plans received improved services to better fit their needs  Advocates referred 215 youth for school evaluations. 102 students qualified for Special Education or 504 and 69 evaluations are still in process Of the 44 who did not qualify for Special Education or 504, 36 have been connected with specialized services to improve their success, i.e tutoring, mentoring

Reduce School Changes and Expedite Enrollment  200 students experienced 244 placement changes. 61 stayed in their original schools, more than half of these youth missing no school in the transition. 146 students enrolled in a new school, 55% enrolled within 3 days and an additional 26% enrolled within one week  195 children were enrolled in school who were previously not enrolled and not attending. 96 students transitioned to a more effective school program, thus engaging them in continued education  Much of the school stability work is undertaken by social workers after trainings by the advocates, as evidenced by the high number of Information & Referrals which focus on enrollment issues: 212 in the last year

Decrease Disciplinary Referrals  Advocates were able to dismiss or reduce 73% of expulsions and 62% of long term suspensions  109 Students facing long term suspension and expulsions were reinstated in school more quickly

Academic Progress is made – students progress to the next grade and graduate  90% of high school seniors served by Educational Advocates received a high school diploma, completed a GED program, or are still engaged in high school completion services  74% of high school youth who entered this program behind in credits, were actively making up credits by the end of the year  Of the youth in grades Pre K – 8th, 95% (n=260) are moving on to the next grade

Ed. Advocacy Training Program  Funded by the Stuart Foundation, begun in 2008  Peer Trainer model, trained over 3,000 adults since 2008  Provide trainings at statewide conferences, regional caregiver groups, etc. Modules General Advocacy Early Learning Post-Secondary Special Topics Youth Self-Advocacy (2011) Audience Social Workers/Professionals Foster Parents Kinship Caregivers Birth and Adoptive Parents

Connected By 25 (Florida)

Hillsborough County, Florida Systemic Change  Public/Private Partnership: Established 2005  Privately Fund Innovation/Change: [Often Easier to Move Systems]  Embed the Change into the System  Focus: Economic Success  [Assets: Bring Youth out of Poverty]

Hillsborough County, Florida Florida Department of Children & Families Community Based Care Model Hillsborough Kids Inc. [Child Welfare Agency] Hillsborough County Sheriff [Abuse/Neglect Investigations] Legal: Department of Children & Families Dependency/Delinquency [Cross-System Court Project] for Teens in Foster Care Florida Statutes Require Comprehensive Education Planning

Hillsborough County, Florida Hillsborough County Child Welfare Agency Hillsborough County School District Guidance Counselor on Special Assignment For Youth In Foster Care  Grades 6-8  Grades 9-12  [Dependency] Case Manager  Foster Care Provider  [Independent Living]  Ages  Life Skills  Transition # of People/Providers Attached to Youth Other Attached [Other Services] Youth age : 600* 2010: 480*

Hillsborough County, Florida ASK THE YOUTH!!!! Self Report Survey & Meetings:  10X the Drop-Out Rate: Unaccompanied youth at age 18 faced barriers registering for High School  Guidance Counselor: One Point of Contact WITHIN the System  Court to address Education Services/Juvenile Justice  Free Tuition to State Post Secondary School/Program [Low Graduation Rate] Targeted Staff/Post Secondary Services  Flexible private dollars: Reach for the Stars, Guidance Counselor Funds  Opportunity Passport™ Matched Savings – IDA Account

Hillsborough County, Florida [ 2007] Tutoring Program: Youth age 16 – 23 [Reading and/or Math below a 6 th grade level] or Not Attending  Grew into an On-Site Education Program [ Youth Apply for Admission]  Adult Basic Education [ Prepare for GED]  Success if the youth connects to a GED program in the community  Complete GED on-site:  Non-Traditional Hours  Meals On-Site  Transportation  [Learning Events] not usually found in “Adult Programs”  Credit Recovery

Hillsborough County, Florida ABE [Below 6 th grade level on TABE]  50% of students: Math  88% of students: Reading  80% of students: Language Completing your GED is a MILESTONE: [Defining of the PAST]  Cap/Gown  Graduation with School System  42% Graduation Rate  Partner with [Guidance Counselor & Child Welfare ILS Staff] – Transition to Post Secondary /On-Going Support

Hillsborough County, Florida Florida Statutes Require Comprehensive Education Planning Practice Challenge: Align the focus of EDUCATION with the School System  Current Focus: Align with Judicial Review