Educational Services for Children Living in Foster Care

Email from Department of Public Instruction on 4-12-12

 

Educational Services for Children Living in Foster Care

Wisconsin youth in foster care generally have poorer outcomes, including much lower graduation rates than their peers. Recognizing this, the Departments of Public Instruction (DPI) and Children and Families (DCF) are collaborating with the goal to improve educational outcomes for children living in foster care.

 

Students living in foster care often are excluded from participation in school activities outside the classroom because the school is unable to obtain consent from the parent. DCF has issued a memorandum to counties that clarifies a foster parent or other individual with physical custody of a child under the child welfare system has the authority to give permission for school activities such as field trips, sports activities, and clubs. Decisions regarding educational placements (e.g., special education) continue to be the responsibility of the parent/guardian as delineated in state and federal law. This memorandum is at http://dcf.wisconsin.gov/memos/num_memos/DSP/2012/2012-03.pdf.

 

Many LEAs grant partial credit to students transferring mid-semester because a parent in military service is deployed overseas. This strategy also may be used for students who transfer due to placement in foster homes.

 

Information on how schools and child welfare agencies can work together is available in the joint DPI/DCF publication Educational Services for Children Living in Foster Care, at http://www.dpi.wi.gov/sspw/fostercareedu.html. This document describes the responsibilities of both schools and child welfare agencies in serving children living in foster care, including the federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoption Act of 2008.

 

Questions should be directed to Nic Dibble, Consultant, School Social Work, at (608) 266-0963 or nic.dibble@dpi.wi.gov.