Legal Guide on Foster Students in an Educational Setting by Keanna Kelly https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o A padlet that helps educators understand how to report abuse and neglect in a school, while understanding the laws for students in foster care. en-us 2019-10-04 00:37:41 UTC 2025-12-02 21:54:11 UTC hello@padlet.com Slide 1--Topic kkelly82 https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393344163 In education, the number of foster students continues to grow year by year. As a teacher, students enter into the system at a very young age and are placed at a disadvantage academically. As a counselor, it is important to understand why students enter foster care and the rights they have in an educational setting. This padlet was created to help guide staff members on the importance of meeting the needs of students in the foster system.
 

]]> 2019-10-04 00:39:34 UTC https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393344163 Slide 2 --Interview kkelly82 https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393344392 Donna Knight is the student and family coordinator for Red Oak Independent School District. She oversees 79 foster students-- 51 at the elementary level and 28 at the secondary level. During the interview, Knight mentioned how her foster students nearly doubled within the past year, making a greater impact on Knight. Due to the amount of student that are placed in rehab while still attending school, Knight makes visits to mental health facilities or rehab. Several students in foster care struggle with mental health, because of the drugs, neglect, and abuse they received from their previous guardians. Although Knight works with over 79 students, she tries to attend meetings and law trainings. During the interview, Knight expresses how she builds a repertoire with the police department to help those who have trust issues. Since foster students go through the court system, Knight found that court cases do not have an effect on work and follows the training and rules given by the state and the district. 

·Donna Knight
·Role: Student and Family Coordinator
·Background: Oversees foster students, homeless students, at- risk students, and parents
·Location: Red Oak ISD. 

]]> 2019-10-04 00:40:36 UTC https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393344392 Slide 3—Professional Associations kkelly82 https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393344788 Texas Foster Care Association (TFCA)
o   A professional association that supports the entire family, including foster parents and child. TFCA provides news and trainings to Educators and parents (Texas Foster Care Association, n.d.).
https://tffa.org.

Texas Foster Care Association(n.d.). Texas Foster Care Association – Helping Families ~ Helping Children. Retrieved from https://tffa.org/
 
Child Welfare League of America (CWLA)
o   A group of private and public agencies that work to serve children and families who are physically and emotionally harmed (Child Welfare League of America, 2016). CWLA provides protection to children who have suffered from abuse and neglect. This professional association also provides training on trauma and behavior support.

Child Welfare League of America. (2016). CWLA – Child Welfare League of America. Retrieved from https://www.cwla.org/

]]> 2019-10-04 00:42:47 UTC https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393344788 Slide 4—“States taking a step to improve services for students in Foster Care” by Linda Jacobson kkelly82 https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393345206 A man by the name of Richard Puente knew he wanted to ensure that students in foster care were receiving the educational services they needed. Puente created a project for the National Center for Youth Law, that works with the educational system to provide counseling and tutoring to help students with their academics and socio-emotional needs (Jacobson, 2018).

Jacobson, L. (2018, January 19). States taking steps to improve services for students in foster care. Retrieved from https://www.educationdive.com/news/states-taking-steps-to-improve-services-for-students-in-foster-care/515064/ 
]]> 2019-10-04 00:44:42 UTC https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393345206 Slide 5—“Improving Education for Youth in Foster Care” by Julia Butner kkelly82 https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393345429 An article that focuses on changing education to provide stability and support to help students academically (Butner, 2017). 
o   Foster students are at a disadvantage due to moving.
o   Students are falling behind because of classroom placement and credit for courses.
o   Some foster students require intervention for developmental delays due to past trauma.
o   Foster students experience disciplinary problems and drop out of school

Butner, J. (2017, December 1). Improving education for youth in foster care. Retrieved from https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/child_law/resources/child_law_practiceonline/child_law_practice/vol-36/nov-dec-2017/improving-education-for-youth-in-foster-care/ 
]]> 2019-10-04 00:45:39 UTC https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393345429 Slide 6 -- Constitutional Law kkelly82 https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393345601 Foster Children Bill of Rights: 
  •  Explains the how foster children have the rights to food, education, and shelter (Tex. Family Code Ann §263.008). 

Foster Children Bill of Right, Tex. Family Code Ann §263.008

]]> 2019-10-04 00:46:32 UTC https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393345601 Slide 7-- Administrative Law kkelly82 https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393345888 Uninterrupted Scholars Act: 
  • An act that was created to help foster students with the confidentiality of their student records. 
  • This act focuses on ways to help improve education and developmental outcomes for foster students.   
  • provides agencies that are legally responsible with access to information that will help these students academically (Department of Education, 2014). 

Styles, K. (2014, May 27). Dear Colleague Letter. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of 
Education, Office for Civil Rights. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/uninterrupted-scholars-act-guidance.pdf
]]> 2019-10-04 00:48:06 UTC https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393345888 Slide 8-- Judical Law kkelly82 https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393346229 · Stukenburg v. Abbott, Smith, and Whitman: 
  •  A little girl had passed away in foster care,
  • Court case was issued to show that the state of Texas failed to protect foster children from an unreasonable risk of harm. 
  • This began a start to improving foster care, to ensure students were going to safer homes (Stukenburg v. Abbott, Smith, & Whitman, 2018).

Stukenburg v. Abbott, Smith, & Whitman, NO.18-40057 (2018)

]]> 2019-10-04 00:49:38 UTC https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393346229 Slide 9-- Statutory Law kkelly82 https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393346588 Fostering connections to success and increasing adoption Act (2008): 
  • An act that requires agencies to work with the state and local agencies
  • Create a plan that improves school stability and educational outcomes for students in foster cares (Pub. L. 110-351).
https://www.congress.gov/110/plaws/publ351/PLAW-110publ351.pdf

Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoption Act 2008, Pub. L. 110-351, § 122 Stat. 3949
]]> 2019-10-04 00:51:20 UTC https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393346588 Slide 10—Local Policy kkelly82 https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393346889 Dallas Independent School District follows Every Student Succeeds Act when focusing on educational stability for students in foster care. Dallas Independent School District is working with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to allow students to remain at their school of choice (Dallas Independent School District Student Support Services, 2017). 

Dallas Independent School District. (2017). Student Support Services. Retrieved from https://pol.tasb.org/Policy/Download/361?filename=FFC(REGULATION).pdf

]]> 2019-10-04 00:52:54 UTC https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393346889 Slide 11—Counseling Standard kkelly82 https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393347028 Standard A.8.F 
o   As a counselor and an educator, it is important that foster students receive free public education and are not placed in isolation (American School Counselor Association, 2016). This standard is key when foster students have been continuously moving and feel isolated from other students. In addition to isolation, students are able to enroll in school without having all the necessary documents.
 
American School Counselor Association. (2016). ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors. Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Ethics/EthicalStandards2016.pdf
 

]]> 2019-10-04 00:53:34 UTC https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393347028 Slide 12—Non-source Law kkelly82 https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393347198  Fostering Success in Education (2018) National fact sheet of the educational outcomes of children in foster care
o   Gives data on the demographics of foster students within the nation. The guide provides percentages for different educational outcomes. For example, the guide states ways to support foster students and their economic needs inside the classroom (The Legal Center for Foster Care and Education, 2018). 
https://foster-ed.org/fostering-success-in-education-national-factsheet-on-the-educational-outcomes-of-children-in-foster-care/
 
The Legal Center for Foster Care and Education. (2018, April). Fostering Student Success in Education. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/Kee/Downloads/NationalEducationDatasheet2018.pdf

]]> 2019-10-04 00:54:18 UTC https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393347198 Slide 13—Educational Practices kkelly82 https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393347456 ·Foster care and student success resource guide (TEA)
·Explore students’ academic history
·Ensure students have time to practice needed skills to get academically on track
·Encourage students to participate in clubs and extracurricular activities
·Be patient and consistent with students that may have trust issues
·Train students to set goals 
·Prepare students for higher education

Texas Education Agency. (n.d.). Foster care and student success resource guide. Retrieved from https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/resource-guide.pdf

Butner, J. (2017, December 1). Improving Education for Youth in Foster Care. Retrieved from https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/child_law/resources/child_law_practiceonline/child_law_practice/vol-36/nov-dec-2017/improving-education-for-youth-in-foster-care/

]]> 2019-10-04 00:55:23 UTC https://padlet.com/kkelly82/zoea072hed1o/wish/393347456