Educational advocates

Educational outcomes for children in foster care may be improved if they have trained and informed adults serving as their advocates with the school system, or if there are liaison staff responsible for improving child welfare-education coordination and performance. Compared to their peers, children in foster care experience higher dropout rates as well as higher rates of grade retention, truancy, absenteeism and tardiness. Responsibility and accountability for the educational outcomes of children in foster care are often unclear, and the children often lack a consistent, knowledgeable adult who can advocate on their behalf for appropriate and effective educational services. [i] Youth, caregivers, and child welfare agencies identify lack of educational advocacy as one of the child welfare system’s major shortfalls and, when available, as one of its most important assets. [ii] In addition, lack of adequate educational advocacy was cited as a problem by the federal Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) for 14 of the first 37 states reviewed. [iii]

A study of 25 children in foster care and the key adults in their lives found that the children were missing the adult understanding, involvement and advocacy in their education that children who succeed in school experience. Foster parents were most concerned with the children’s behavior; and they rarely expressed concern with their foster children’s poor grades or helped with homework. Caseworkers generally were unaware of children’s school performance. School staff seldom had information of a child’s background or foster care experiences, rarely understood how those factors might affect educational achievement, and were unaware when the demands of the foster care system (such as medical appointments, therapy, or court appearances) caused children to miss tests or other assignments. In addition to educational advocacy for children in foster care, researchers and experts recommend improved communication and coordination among child welfare and school representatives and basic training for teachers and other school personnel on the overall structure and function of the child welfare system.[iv]

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides for the appointment of a surrogate to advocate and make decisions on behalf of a child regarding special educational services, if the child is a ward of the state. Some state laws require that relative caregivers, foster parents or court-appointed special advocates be given first preference for appointment as a surrogate. [v] New Hampshire legislation, for example, authorizes foster parents to act as educational advocates.

Another approach is use of educational liaison staff or consultants to enhance interagency coordination on behalf of children in foster care. The Connecticut Department of Children and Families (the State child welfare agency) contracts with six educational consultants, each of whom covers a different region of the state and is a former teacher, administrator, or school psychologist. Their duties include consulting with caseworkers on children’s educational needs, advocating with schools for appropriate services, reviewing children’s educational records, conducting educational testing and evaluation, observing children and consulting with foster parents, participating in special education planning, and acting as liaison between the child welfare agency and the education system. [vi]
California Assembly Bill 490 passed in 2003, requires each local educational agency to designate a staff person as the educational liaison for children in foster care. In Contra Costa County, California, educational liaisons are employees of the county Office of Education but are placed in the child welfare agency.

Policy Options: States can promote the availability of trained and informed educational advocates or liaisons by adopting 1, 2, or 3, of the following policies:

· Kinship caregivers, foster parents or court-appointed special advocates have preference for appointment by the court as educational surrogate or advocate.

· Educational advocates must be available within the child welfare system

· Educational advocates must be available within the school system