Texas supports educational specialists to address educational needs of children in foster care

Texas was found to be in substantial conformity on the education outcome in the federal on-site Child and Family Service Review (CFSR) in March 2008. In Texas, strong cross system collaborations between DFPS and school districts help improve the educational outcomes of children in care. This collaboration assists the state in operating the educational coordination and planning activities under P.L. 110-351. For example, DFPS has educational specialists in each region and in the state office to assist child protective services staff in addressing the educational needs of children in foster care and in developing and arranging working relationships with local school districts, and regional education centers. The school districts and regional education centers use the DFPS education specialists as subject matter experts in resolving educational issues related to CPS children. These working relationships also help facilitate the transfer of children's school records. Additionally, each school age child in foster care has an educational portfolio that follows the child as he/she changes placements, returns home to his/her parents, or transitions into an adoptive home. Current state statute also requires children to be immediately enrolled in school if their placement changes, and allows this transition to occur no later than three days prior to enrollment. Policy was recently updated to give more emphasis to having caseworkers consider whether a child can continue to attend the child's current school at removal or when a subsequent placement is needed.  Read more.

The Fostering Connections Resource Center gratefully acknowledges the National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators for providing these summaries of state approaches. Please visit NAPCWA for the complete implementation summary.