The Texas Trio Project: Strengthening Court, Child Welfare, and Education Connections for Youth

1. The Texas Trio Project: Strengthening Court, Child Welfare, and Education Connections for Youth

2. The Texas Trio Project • 17-month federal demonstration grant, Child Welfare - Education System Collaborations to Increase Educational Stability (CWED), from ACYF, Children’s Bureau (February 2013) • 1 of 10 states chosen to highlight collaboration and cross-systems work addressing the education outcomes of children and youth in foster care • Build model collaboration • TEA; DFPS; Supreme Court Children’s Commission; HISD • Program Evaluation: UT Child & Family Research Institute • TEA hired Foster Care Education & Policy Coordinator (coordinate grant & new foster care initiatives) • Facilitate improved coordination, communication, and practice • Bothstate and local level; between court, child welfare, and education systems • Implement local pilot project • Partnered with HISD and local DFPS to address: enrollment, school supports, cross-system training, barriers, etc. • HISD hired Foster Care Education Coordinator (manage local project, coordinate activities in 2 pilot schools) • Produce deliverables • Resource Guide, cross-system trainings, guidance for School District Foster Care Liaisons, plan for sustaining collaboration

3. Project Goals • Build capacity within TEA to support foster care education improvements as identified in Texas Education Code & The Texas Blueprint report. • Conduct monthly state-level coordination meetings with TEA, DFPS, and Children’s Commission. • Establish cross-system communication and awareness of other systems at both state and local level. • Convene multi-disciplinary cross-system trainings. • Identify barriers and improved practices related to enrollment and school supports.

4. Goals (continued) • Collect information: UT Child & Family Research Institute leading survey and data collection efforts. • Data-sharing: improving processes for collaboration and cross-system understanding and review of data. • Develop preliminary guidance and joint trainings for Foster Care Liaisons appointed in Texas’ school districts. • Developing collaborative Foster Care Education Resource Guide for educators. • Sustainability plan: agencies committed to ongoing coordination, communication, and collaboration after the grant period.

5. Houston Pilot • TEA contracted with HISD to lead a cross-system coordinated pilot project with DFPS Houston office and other partners: • Disproportionality & Disparities Regional Specialist • Texas Trio Team • University of Texas Evaluation Team • Conducted cross-system information sharing, problem-solving, strategizing. • Identified cross-system training needs, provided presentations. • Worked in two pilot schools to identify improved enrollment processes, tracking mechanisms, barriers, and student supports. • Implemented MOU between DFPS and HISD to determine comprehensive academic baselines. • Completed tools and training resources to be used in other districts (enrollment checklist, etc).

6. Additional Accomplishments • Conducted 16+ multi-disciplinary trainings (600+ people in attendance). • Provided collaborative trainings and ongoing technical assistance to Foster Care Liaisons. • Established TEA listserv and email box to disseminate information and support liaison inquires. • Agency webpage dedicated to foster care also under construction. • Working together on matters related to foster care and education outside scope of Trio Project activities. • Collaborated with AISD and ACC on local foster care education-related events. • TEA engaged in internal capacity building and cross-disciplinary coordination to address education of students in foster care. • Meetings across divisions, including data, legal, student supports, and special education. • TEA – To the Administrator Addressed Letter – August 22, 2012. “Importance of Maintaining Educational Stability for Children and Youth in the Foster Care System” http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=2147508587. • TEA developed guidance for school districts on child abuse and neglect reporting.

7. Accomplishments (continued) • DFPS: changes to residential contract requirements for FY 2013 requires caregivers to: • notify school of child’s withdrawal due to placement change and • ensure all school records collected at time child leaves placement • DFPS: requirement for caseworkers to: • notify school of child's withdrawal if child requires placement change from kinship caregiver • Supreme Court Children’s Commission: statewide Education Summit February 2013

8. Lessons Learned • Large learning curve in engaging in cross-systems work. • Consider and discuss: agency jargon; decision-making and approval processes; agency and personal limitations; existing supports and programs, etc. • High-level district leadership and stakeholder engagement is critical at both state and local levels for championing new efforts and driving systemic change. • Commitment and persistence coupled with flexibility and adaptability is essential. • Taking initiative and remaining proactive are important elements to identifying and leveraging new possibilities. • There are numerous opportunities for cross-system learning and integrated training. • Hearing from multiple perspectives provides new insights. • Work to remove assumptions and blame; trust is essential. • Increasing awareness is important and an ongoing activity for all systems and participants. • Systems operate within multiple constraints and processes that impact the ability and timeliness of coordination. • Working collaboratively to address the education outcomes of students in foster care can be done in the face of limited resources, staff capacity, and various challenges.

9. Team Members: • Jenny Hinson, DFPS Division Administrator for Permanency, jenny.hinson@dfps.state.tx.us; 512-438-3238 • Kris Mohajer, DFPS Education Program Specialist, kristine.mohajer@dfps.state.tx.us; 512-438-3148 • Tiffany Roper, Children’s Commission Asst. Director, tiffany.roper@txcourts.gov; 512-463-3182 • Kelly Kravitz, TEA Foster Care Education & Policy Coordinator, kelly.kravitz@tea.state.tx.us; 512-463-9235 • Julie Wayman, TEA Director of Dropout Prevention Initiatives, julie.wayman@tea.state.tx.us; 512-936-6403