Education Partnership for Academic
Student Success (Ed PASS)
• Defining the Problem
• Reviewing Federal
Directives
• Looking at Specific
Details of Ed PASS
• Discussing the
Issues
Defining the Problem
Research Review
– How do foster children
fare academically?
– What are some of the
barriers to academic
success for foster
children?
How do Foster Children Fare Academically?
• Compared to students not in foster
care, those in foster care:
– Drop out of school at significantly
higher rates,
– Are incarcerated at significantly
higher rates,
– Are about half as likely to
graduate from high school.
Smithgall, C., Gladden, R.M. Howard, E. George, R. &
Courtney, M. (2004). Educational experiences of children
in out-of-home care. Chicago, IL: Chapin Hall Center for
Children at the University of Chicago.
How do Foster Children Fare Academically?
• A study of the adult functioning of
former foster children in three
Midwestern states found that:
– More than 1/3 of the youth in foster
care had five or more school
changes
– On average, youth in foster care read
at seventh grade level after
completing the tenth or eleventh
grade.
Courtney, M.E., Terao, S. & Bost, N. (2004). Midwest evaluation
of the adult functioning of former foster youth: Conditions of youth
preparing to leave state care. Chicago, IL: Chapin Hall Center for
Children at the University of Chicago.
How do Foster Children Fare Academically?
• A study of youth in foster care in
Washington State found that
compared to the general student
population, those in foster care:
– Scored 16-20 percentile points
lower on statewide standardized
tests
Burley, M. & Halpern, M. (2001). Educational attainment
of foster youth: Achievement and graduation outcomes
for children in state care. Olympia, WA: Washington
State Institute for Public Policy.
How do Foster Children Fare Academically?
• Findings from the Northwest Foster Care Alumni
Study revealed that:
– Foster care alumni completed high school at
rates similar to the general population; however,
they used GED programs at six times the
general rate
– Rates of completion for secondary degrees:
• Any degree/cert. beyond high school: 20.6%
• Vocational degree: 16.1% (25 yrs. or older 21.9%)
• Bachelor’s degree: 1.8% (25 yrs. or older 2.7%)
Pecora, P. J., Kessler, R. C., Williams, J., O’Brien, K., Downs, A.C., English, D.,
White, J., Hiripi, E., White, C. R., Wiggins, T., & Holmes, K.E. Improving family foster
care: Findings from the Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study. Seattle, WA: Casey
Family Programs. Available at http://www.casey.org.
What are the Barriers to Academic Success?
• Children in foster care have physical, emotional
or behavioral challenges that often interfere with
learning
• Multiple school transfers
• Lack of consistent adults in their lives who
have the knowledge and skills to advocate for
educational and supplemental services
• Schools and child welfare agencies typically
do not coordinate their services
Christian, S. (2003). Educating children in foster care. Washington, D.C.: National
Conferences of State Legislatures. Retrieved September 22, 2007 from
http://www.ncsl.org/programs/cyf/cpieducate.pdf
Clear Federal Directives
• No Child Left Behind:
– Stronger accountability for
academic achievement
– Close achievement gaps for
children of color, disabled
students, students who have
English as a second language
• Children in foster care are not
named as a disadvantaged group.
Clear Federal Directives
• Race to the Top:
– Adopting internationally benchmarked
standards and assessments
– Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and
retaining effective teachers and
principals
– Building data systems that measure
student success and inform teachers on
where to focus practice improvements
– Targeting the lowest-performing schools
Clear Federal Directives
• Child and Family Services Review:
– Outcome WB2: “Children receive
appropriate services to meet their
educational needs.”
– Evidence of appropriate assessment of
child’s educational needs, provision of
services to meet those needs, school
records in the case file
– In foster care cases, documentation that
school information provided to foster
parents at time of placement
CFSR On-site review instrument - Item 21
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwmonitoring/tools_guide/onsitefinal.htm
Clear Federal Directives
• John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence
Program
– To provide foster youth with tools that could
help them develop life skills and achieve better
educational and vocational outcomes
– To prepare these youth for education after high
school
– To support their personal and emotional needs
– To help them access funds for education and
training
Franklin County Ed PASS –
targeted youth
Eligibility
– Youth in FCCS custody
– Enrolled in a middle school, jr.
high or high school in
participating school district
6 wks of Transition Services to youth in
Ed PASS who:
– Leave custody
– Transfer to non-participating school
district
Franklin County Ed PASS - partners
Partnership
– Franklin County Children
Services
– Education Services Center
of Central Ohio
• Hires, trains, supervises
Education Specialists
– School Districts
• South-Western City Schools
• Columbus City Schools
– Through transition services,
working with 6/16 districts in
Franklin County
Franklin County Ed PASS - services
Services
– Assess educational, career
needs
– Provide services to meet
those needs
•
•
•
•
Tutoring
Transportation
Advocacy
Reward systems and so on
– Connections to schoolbased extra-curricular
activities
Franklin County Ed PASS – when,
where services are provided
• Education Specialists
– Meet at least weekly with
each student
– Meetings can be at:
• school, foster home,
library, work site
• Arranged Services
– Schedules and locations
to match student’s needs
Franklin County Ed PASS – benefits
Benefits
– FCCS receives monthly
reports of each student’s
educational progress
– Ed Specialists obtain and
send education records
– Building good will with
school districts
– In 3 ½ yrs, not one student
has dropped out
Franklin County Ed PASS – results
Results – 2008-2009 Ac Year
• End of academic year more than
83% of PASS Students were
earning passing grades.
• 6/6 PASS students who started the
year on track to graduate from High
School did graduate, including a
pregnant teen.
• 89% of PASS students maintained
or improved their school
attendance.
• 30 PASS students demonstrated
perfect attendance (no absences or
tardies).
Franklin County Ed PASS – why do it?
• CFSR well-being standards
• OAC 5101:2-38-08
• Educational attainments
belong to the youth.
• Education is the best
intervention available for
promoting self-sufficiency
and productive adult lives.
• The standard of “our own.”