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My professional perspective is working as a K-12 teacher, with the intent of becoming a principal upon completion of this program. This Legal Guide Padlet is a resource guide for administrators in the k-12 school system. I  chose this topic because I currently have students who are or have been in the foster care system, and I wanted to learn more about how being in the system and moving around could impact their education and what rights they have themselves, if any, at such a young age. Also, as a future administrator, I need to know the laws pertaining to foster students I may have in my future school.

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I sat down and spoke with the current Principal at Austin Elementary, Brooke Kalnbach, about information pertaining to foster students in school.

Best Practices: When speaking with Mrs. Kalnach, she came up with a short list of best practices when working with foster care students in school.

Keeping the student safe at school is the number one priority. There are many rules to follow such as who can pick the child up, who is allowed access to the student's information, and how to update the student's academic records.

Administrators must stay up to date on new policies pertaining to laws that are to be followed when working with foster care students. This can be done by signing up for emails to be sent to you about the new updates or attending meetings about this topic at the local region center when those are available.

Emerging Issues:
Issues involving students in foster care continue to emerge. The school district monitors the changing laws related to students in foster care and will push information out to principals when new information becomes available.

Link to bio:
(B. Kalnbach, personal communication, November 15, 2019)

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This professional association provides information for foster care and student success in the following areas:

school district liaisons

laws and guidance

state efforts

collaboration

child protective services

This resource was helpful because it gave information about laws and regulations pertaining to foster care students in schools.

Link: https://tea.texas.gov/Academics/Special_Student_Populations/Foster_Care_and_Student_Success

Citation: Texas Education Agency. (2007-2019). Foster care and student success. Retrieved from https://tea.texas.gov/Academics/Special_Student_Populations/Foster_Care_and_Student_Success

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"Fostering Youth Transitions"
This article gives data about students in foster care who are getting ready to graduate high school.

It tells us that most teenage foster students do not get reunited with their birth families, nor do they find permanent placement before they transition out of foster care at the age of 18.

Only 23 percent of  foster students who exit the program and received transition services, had a job or vocational training, and the same number had financial help for college.

Link: https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/11/28/foster-students-in-schools.html

Reference: Sparks, S. (2018). Education week. Fostering youth transitions.Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/11/28/foster-students-in-schools.html

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"States Struggle With ESSA's Requirements for Foster Children"
This article addresses the requirement of schools to provide transportation to foster students who have been placed in a home outside of their school's neighborhood.

which states responded to the request of information pertaining to the ESSA issue of transportation

which states are complying with the law

percentage of foster care students living in states where compliance is in question

Link: https://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2018/01/foster_essa_transportation_states.html

Reference: Klein, A. (2018). Education week. States Struggle With ESSA's Requirements for Foster Children. Retrieved from https://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2018/01/foster_essa_transportation_states.html

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Judicial Law- (Dorothy J. v. Little Rock School Dist, (1993).  “Allegation that Department of Human Services (DHS) and private foster care agency violated mentally retarded student's constitutional rights by affirmatively placing another mentally retarded student in program with vulnerable children knowing of latter student's prior sexually violent behavior, and then failing to protect former student from sexual assault by latter student, failed to state claim under § 1983, since assault was too remote a consequence of enrolling latter student in program two years earlier.” (42 U.S.C.A. § 1983). https://1-next-westlaw-com.easydb.angelo.edu/Search/Results.html?query=Dorothy%20J.%20v.%20Little%20Rock%20School%20Dist&jurisdiction=ALLFEDS&saveJuris=False&contentType=ALL&querySubmissionGuid=i0ad73aa70000016ec1ea33c8c36b65b6&startIndex=1&searchId=i0ad73aa70000016ec1ea33c8c36b65b6&kmSearchIdRequested=False&simpleSearch=False&isAdvancedSearchTemplatePage=False&skipSpellCheck=False&isTrDiscoverSearch=False&thesaurusSearch=False&thesaurusTermsApplied=False&ancillaryChargesAccepted=False&proviewEligible=False&eventingTypeOfSearch=FRM&transitionType=Search&contextData=%28sc.Default%29

reference: Dorothy J. v. Little Rock School District, 7F.3d 729 1993 WL 406464 (1993). Retrieved from https://1-next-westlaw-com.easydb.angelo.edu/Search/Results.html?query=Dorothy%20J.%20v.%20Little%20Rock%20School%20Dist&jurisdiction=ALLFEDS&saveJuris=False&contentType=ALL&querySubmissionGuid=i0ad73aa70000016ec1ea33c8c36b65b6&startIndex=1&searchId=i0ad73aa70000016ec1ea33c8c36b65b6&kmSearchIdRequested=False&simpleSearch=False&isAdvancedSearchTemplatePage=False&skipSpellCheck=False&isTrDiscoverSearch=False&thesaurusSearch=False&thesaurusTermsApplied=False&ancillaryChargesAccepted=False&proviewEligible=False&eventingTypeOfSearch=FRM&transitionType=Search&contextData=%28sc.Default%29

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Administrative Law- Tex. Educ. Code § 25.001 - The importance of school stability, allows child to stay in school of origin, unless not in best interest, written transportation plans, immediate enrollment/prompt records transfer, state level foster care liaison, student achievement data equals school accountability. https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.25.htm

Reference: Tex. Educ. Code § 25.001(g)–(g-1). Retrieved from https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.25.htm

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Constitutional Law- Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008- This law requires state child welfare agencies to collaborate with their state and local education agencies to promote school stability and improve educational outcomes for children in foster care. (42 USC 1305) https://www.congress.gov/110/plaws/publ351/PLAW-110publ351.pdf

Reference: Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008. Pub. L. No. 110-351, § 204, 122 Stat. 3949. (2008) Retrieved from https://www.congress.gov/110/plaws/publ351/PLAW-110publ351.pdf

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Statutory Law- Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015- The new provisions specific to students in foster care are designed to support school districts in their efforts to serve foster youth effectively. (20 U.S.C. 6391) https://www.congress.gov/114/plaws/publ95/PLAW-114publ95.pdf

Reference: Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015. Pub. L. No. 114-95, § 1301, 129 Stat. 1802. (2015) Retrieved from https://www.congress.gov/114/plaws/publ95/PLAW-114publ95.pdf

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According to the San Angelo Independent School District website, they follow the Texas Education Agency's Foster Care and Student Success plan. They also have a district goal pertaining to foster care students that states "San Angelo Independent School District will provide school leadership with useful information that will assist our staff in creating a positive education experience for students in foster care.  The district will provide guidance to district staff on the complexities of the foster care system and the relevant laws and policies that influence a student in foster care's educational experience." (SAISD, 2016).

Link: https://www.saisd.org/Departments/FederalPrograms/FosterCare.asp

Reference: San Angelo ISD (2015). Federal programs. Foster care. Retrieved from  https://www.saisd.org/Departments/FederalPrograms/FosterCare.asp

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National Policy Board for Educational Administration Standard 3: "Effective educational leaders strive for equity of educational opportunity and culturally responsive practices to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.
(H) Effective leaders: Address matters of equity and cultural responsiveness in all aspects of leadership." (NPBEA,  2015 pp. 11).

This is related to my topic because cultural responsiveness could potentially include foster students and I will need to make sure myself and my staff understand everything that comes with having foster students in the school including helping them feel comfortable at school and taking care of their basic needs while they are with us.

Link: https://blackboard.angelo.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-1671502-dt-content-rid-13036631_2/courses/EDG.Orientation/NPBEA%20Standards%281%29.pdf

Reference: NPBEA (2015). Professional standards for educational leaders. pp. 11.  Retrieved from https://blackboard.angelo.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-1671502-dt-content-rid-13036631_2/courses/EDG.Orientation/NPBEA%20Standards%281%29.pdf

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"The Role of Schools in Supporting Children in Foster Care" gives the reader information about how being in the welfare system affect students academic performances, as wells as their social and emotional needs. In this article you will find:

insight into the welfare system

issues students in foster care face

what schools can do to help.

Link: https://www.fosterfocusmag.com/articles/foster-youth-school-ongoing-struggles

Reference: Safe Schools Healthy Students (2010). National center brief. The role of schools in supporting children in foster care. Retrieved from http://www.promoteprevent.org/sites/www.promoteprevent.org/files/resources/The%20Role%20of%20Schools.docx.pdf

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Slide 13 Recommendations/ Best Practices 

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Slide 13 Recommendations/ Best Practices 

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The following points are best practices when it comes to working with foster care children/ students.

Work with welfare workers if student needs transportation to/ from school if they have been moved to a home outside of the "neighborhood school."

School may be the only "normal" place for these students, so it is important to create a positive environment that the student feels comfortable in.

Keep the student's information situation confidential. Students do not typically want others to know they are in foster care, and giving out this information only to people who can legally have it is part of the confidentiality laws of FERPA.

Stay in communication with the local child welfare agency about foster students in your school and ways everyone can work together to make the student feel at ease in the given situation.

Administrators should always be striving to learn the new laws concerning foster care students in school including, how to keep them safe, what information they are allowed to give out about that student, and how to keep the foster students best interest in mind at all times.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act states that the enrollment of a child or youth in foster care must not be denied or delayed because documents normally required for enrollment have not been provided. This helps the student get into school and start as soon as possible so they do not miss many school days. (ESEA, 1965).

Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008- This law requires state child welfare agencies to collaborate with their state and local education agencies to promote school stability and improve educational outcomes for children in foster care. (42 USC 1305)

References: Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (2016). Educators guide to supporting students in foster care.
Retrieved from https://www.treehouseforkids.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Educators-Guide-Final_Digital-Version.pdf

Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Pub. L. No. 114-95, §1113, 129 Stat. 1808 (1965). Retrieved from https://www.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/public/fostercare/pubdocs/fostercareimmediateenrollment_wa.pdf

Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008. Pub. L. No. 110-351, § 204, 122 Stat. 3949. (2008) Retrieved from https://www.congress.gov/110/plaws/publ351/PLAW-110publ351.pdf