FeaturingJudith Martinez and Sheree Wheeler

From the Colorado Department of Education

Foster Care: How to Bridge Child Welfare and Education

October 2014

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Agenda

LegislationStrategies Increase Understanding

Fostering ConnectionsAct of 2008

Sweeping legislation that affects many areas of child welfare law and school stability!

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Education stability was incorporated into law by the Colorado legislature in 2008.

In 2008, House Bill 1019 created a child welfare education liaison designated by each school district.

Colorado Legislation

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The Child Welfare Education Liaisons or CWEL collaborate with child placement agencies, county departments, the state department, and schools to ensure proper school placement, transfer and enrollment of foster children.

The liaisons work with all parties to ensure a foster child remains in an educational situation that promotes stability.

The law also requires schools to transfer education records within five school days and that the receiving school admits these children within five days of receipt of a student’s records.

What's a CWEL

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Review of best practices and strategies to support education stability of highly mobile students, including an opportunities to discuss how these strategies can be applied and strengthen at the local level.

Special attention will be given to an approach based on trauma informed care.

Strategies:

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The Colorado Department of Education created a new program for Foster Care Education in partnership with Colorado Department of Human Services, Morgridge Family Foundation and Denver’s United Way.

This program is working with public schools and districts to increase learning supports, implement effective strategies, strengthen collaboration with child welfare agencies and coordinate educational transition services for students in foster care.

Foster Care Education

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Increase the understanding of the similarities and differences of the McKinney-Vento Act and the Fostering Connections Act School Stability Transportation Transcripts Transitions

Understanding

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Guidance

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What’s working in you states or school district? Questions

Discussion

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Thanks for participating

Judith Martinez Sheree WheelerFrom the Colorado Department of Education

303-866-6007

www.cde.state.co.us