Workshop Learning Objectives: Participants will learn strategies to:

1. Powerful Partnerships:How Local Systems Can Work Together to Create Educational Stability for Kids Presented at: “Child Welfare, Education and the Courts: A Collaboration to Strengthen Educational Successes of Children and Youth in Foster Care” November 4, 2011

2. Workshop Learning Objectives:Participants will learn strategies to: • develop partnerships between schools, courts and child protection agencies to enable “win-win” working relationships • recruitand engage a diverse collaborative of multi-disciplinary representatives to create school stability for youth in out-of-home placements • implement creative cross training approaches • improve school connections and achievement for children and youth in the child welfare system.

3. Our Panel • Anne Comstock (Moderator), Associate Director, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement • The Honorable Suzanna Cuneo, Commissioner, Pima County Juvenile Court • Carol Punske, Assistant Program Manager, Pima County Juvenile Court Child Protective Services • Elaine E. Fink, Managing Attorney, Children’s Advocacy Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio • Carla Guenthner, Administrative Magistrate, Hamilton County Juvenile Court

5. Pima County Juvenile Court Committee to Improve Education Outcomes for Court-Involved Youth • Established January 2003 as Model Dependency Court Subcommittee • Began with 12 members representing Child Protective Services, several school districts, Casey Family Programs, Juvenile Court Staff, CASA Program and the Attorney General’s Office.

6. Pima County Juvenile Court Committee to Improve Education Outcomes for Court-Involved Youth • Initial focus was education issues affecting youth in foster care primarily in the areas of education records, enrollment and school stability. • Committee expanded its focus in 2005 to include all court-involved youth, including delinquencies.

7. Pima County Juvenile Court Committee to Improve Education Outcomes for Court-Involved Youth • Currently has approximately 100 participants representing numerous school districts, Pima Community Superintendent’s Office, Pima Community College, County Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, group care facilities, attorneys, Child Protective Services, CASA, Attorney General’s Office, Probation and Detention.

8. Pima County Juvenile Court Committee to Improve Education Outcomes for Court-Involved Youth • Following a community-wide education summit in October 2007, the committee converted its format to an education forum which meets 3-4 times per year and focuses on cross training and collaboration in two areas: Keeping kids in school and alternatives to suspension/expulsion/arrest.

9. Past Projects Addressing School Stability and Continuity • School records: Created court order for release of school records to child welfare case managers. Order signed by dependency judge same day dependency petition is filed. • Linking with McKinney-Vento: Ensure school-aged children placed out of home remain in their home schools when appropriate.

10. Past Projects Addressing School Stability and Continuity • Training community educators focusing on McKinney-Vento liaisons and unique educational issues affecting children in out-of-home care (Endless Dreams). • Training child welfare case managers on the rights of children in out-of-home care to remain in their home schools or to immediate enrollment if there is a change in school placement (McKinney-Vento). • Development of an Education Advocacy Manual.

11. Past Projects Addressing School Stability and Continuity • “Accountability Conferencing” as alternative to suspension and expulsion. • Training on modified version of “Judicial Checklist” in dependency cases commencing with first Preliminary Protective Hearing. • Training out-of-home placement units to locate emergency placements for children within their home school district or as close geographically to that district whenever possible at the time of the child’s removal.

12. Past Projects Addressing School Stability and Continuity • Development of the position of Juvenile Court Education Programs Coordinator within the Juvenile Court to assist both Child Protective Services case managers and Probation Officers on education issues primarily in the area of enrollment and school records.

13. Child Protective Services Working Collaboratively with the School • Develop relationships • Recognize the expertise of each system partner • Meet regularly • CPS staff meet quarterly with the School District Homeless Liaisons and periodically conduct trainings together.

14. Key Partners for Collaboration Attorneys, guardians ad litem, CASAs, surrogate parents, juvenile judges and court personnel, post secondary educators and administrators School staff, teachers, principals, social workers, nurses, etc. CPS case workers Foster parents Relative caregivers

15. Talk About Education from Day OneTeam Decision Making • Team Decision Making is a strength based process addressing the safety and placement of children. • Meetings include: • Family, CPS staff, family support, community members, partnering agencies and, as applicable, tribal representatives • If children/youth are attending school, a teacher, counselor or school representative may be invited to the meeting.

16. Talk About Education from Day OneTeam Decision Making Meetings • Emergency removal or • Considered removal • A report is given to participants at the conclusion of TDM meeting and includes the name of the school that the child attends. • Report identifies if the child is receiving exceptional education services. • CPS can work to keep the child in same school and identify special needs.

17. Critical Issues: Provide School Placement Stability Allow youth placed in out-of-home care to attend home school when it is safe to do so and in the child’s best interest.

18. Critical Issues • Records and School Enrollment • Ensure youth in out of home care are not denied school enrollment because their records are not immediately available (including immunization records and birth certificates) • Ensure that records and information are promptly obtained/exchanged between CPS and the schools, whether case is still under investigation or child is already receiving CPS services

19. Challenges • Challenges faced by foster when changing schools • All youth face challenges in adjusting to different curricula, teacher, peers, and expectations, yet…

20. Foster Youth Challenges • Missed school days due to enrollment delays because of lack of information/records (some students may initially be denied enrollment) • Missed school days due to appointments for social or medical services or even court • Lack of consistent advocacy for education needs, including special education • Simultaneously dealing with significant personal and familial issues

21. Successes • Agree that children removed form their homes will generally qualify under the McKinney-Vento Act for the remainder of that school year • Agree that the Homeless Liaison will consider children to be eligible for transportation if there is a planned placement move during the current school year • Exploring how Title 4-E funds can be used to provide transportation for children after the first year following removal, with a focus on older youth

22. Successes • School Districts are providing school supplies for the children/youth who are living in shelters and group homes • CPS staff are trained and periodically reminded to contact the School District Homeless Liaison as soon as a dependency petition is filed, even if transportation is not immediately needed • Developed a collaborative relationship with the School District Homeless Liaison and the staff at the state Department of Education for problem solving and education

23. Their future is in our hands. It is imperative that CPS continues to work collaboratively with schools and the court system to promote the educational well-being of all the youth in our care. Education = future

24. Resources • Casey Family Programs • National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges • Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

25. Contacts Judge Suzanna Cuneo Pima County Juvenile Court Commissioner sue.cuneo@pcjcc.pima.gov CPS: Carol Punske Assistant Program Manager cpunske@azdes.gov Court: Cathleen Fitzgerald Education Programs Coordinator cathleen.fitzgerald@pcjcc.pima.gov

26. Questions and Comments?

27. IMPROVING EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS IN FOSTER CARE Elaine E. Fink Carla Guenthner Hamilton County Cincinnati, Ohio

28. Cincinnati Public Schools • 57 schools • High Schools: 16 • Elementary Schools: 38 • Combined: 3 • Race • African American: 68.8% • Caucasian: 23.7% • Multi-racial: 4.6% • Hispanic: 1.9% • Free lunch: 68.7%

29. Cincinnati Public Schools Special Education Work Group • A grassroots and multi-disciplinary community group • Works collaboratively to address systemic gaps and barriers • Focus is on students with special needs • A sub-committee was created to examine and improve foster care outcomes

30. Key Stakeholders • Hamilton Co. Dept. of Job & Family Services • Cincinnati Public Schools • Hamilton Co. Juvenile Court • Legal Aid Society of SW Ohio • Public Defender: GAL Office • ProKids: CASA Agency

31. Traveling Road Show A Multi-Disciplinary Teamdelivers information about the child welfare system to teachers and administrators through participation in staff meetings at individual schools

32. Two Way Process is Required SCHOOLS CHILDWELFARE

34. Why did Cincinnati Public Schools Participate? • Involved from the beginning • School district input and feedback was valued • All parties remained flexible • Had little to lose • Willing to take a risk

35. Role for the Project Champion • Understands both systems • Demonstrates fairness • Defends each system to the other • Holds each system accountable • Identifies problems without blaming • Suggests solutions

36. Building a CollaborationStaged Process for Creating Systemic Change • Establish a sense of urgency • Develop and communicate a vision for change • Create a guiding coalition • Agree upon shared priorities and strategies • Generate short term wins • Consolidate gains and work toward long term goals and outcomes • Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good

37. Hamilton County Child Protection Report Card • Children in Care or Under Agency Supervision: 1732 • Placements: 60% experience one or more placements • Grade Level: 32% at appropriate grade level • Mental/Behavioral Health: 48% diagnosed

38. Target Population • Kindergarten through 12th grade • Children in agency custody • Children attending one of the 22 participating schools (identified through mapping) • Minimum of 100 children in the pilot

39. Prioritize Education • Steering Committee • Execution of a MOU • Inclusion of Schools/Education Representatives on Model Court Team • Cross-Training • Judicial Checklist • Court Reports on Education • Youth Engagement

40. Improve Communication and Systems Coordination Immediate School Enrollment 2 child protection caseworkers serve as Education Specialists to the participating schools One representative at each school serves as the School Liaison to Children’s Services Access to Power School: a web-based parent communication tool

41. Create School Stability • Development of strategies for maintaining stability in school and substitute care placements (e.g. prioritization within UM/UR; trauma informed services) • Creation of plans for maintaining school stability if agency placement disrupts (e.g. Project Connect-McKinney Vento liaisons) • Development of seamless transition plans when change in school placement cannot be avoided

42. Reform Policies and Practices • Create visitation plans/policies that avoid school disruption • Implement case plan services during non-traditional hours or access school-based services to minimize school disruption

43. Enhance Supportive Services • Education Advocacy and Legal Representation • Interventions and Supports to Promote Academic Success and Achievement • Tutoring • Mentoring • Higher Education Mentoring Initiative • Extracurricular Activities • Summer Reading Program

44. Collect Data and Measure Program Outcomes Key Outcome Measures: 1. Youth in foster care will experience increased stability in their placement and at school. 2. Youth in foster care will demonstrate improved school attendance. 3. Youth in foster care will achieve school promotion and grade advancement. 4. Youth in foster care with identified special needs will receive appropriate and supportive educational services. 5. The public and private partners will create a collaborative structure that enhances the coordination and implementation of plans designed to achieve education success for youth in foster care.

45. Data/Evaluation (continued) • Critical but often elusive • Persevere • Document small successes • You can do it!

46. Looking Ahead…. • Staged Expansion • All Cincinnati Public Schools (district-wide) • Youth in custody ANDunder agency supervision • Inclusion of Dually Involved Youth • Crisis Intervention Services and Consultation • Local Training and On-Site TA regarding Fostering Connections • Enhanced data collection and exchange • Program Evaluation Supported by HHS funding

47. Nine tenths of education is encouragement. Anatole France, writer He who opens a school door, closes a prison. Victor Hugo, poet

48. Contact Information Elaine E. Fink Managing Attorney, Children’s Advocacy Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio, LLC 215 E. 9th Street, Suite 500 Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 513.362.2821 efink@lascinti.org Carla Guenthner Chief Magistrate Hamilton County Juvenile Court 800 Broadway Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 513.946.9381 Carla.Guenthner@juvcourt.hamilton-co.org

49. Questions and Comments?