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LEGAL CENTER ON FOSTER CARE AND EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS

The Legal Center continues to develop publications and materials addressing the education needs of children in foster care. We seek to develop materials for all stakeholders, and encourage you to send us an e-mail and let us know what other materials you would like to see developed.

Blueprint

The Blueprint for Change: Education Success for Children in Foster Care

The Blueprint for Change is a tool for change. The 8 Goals for Youth and Benchmarks for each goal indicating progress toward achieving education success are a framework for both direct case advocacy and system reform efforts. Following each goal are National, State, and Local Examples of policies, practices, programs, and resources that exist to improve educational outcomes for children in foster care.

Click here to download the Blueprint!
Click here to download the Blueprint Insert Card listing all the Goals and Benchmarks.
Click here to download a Fact Sheet about the Blueprint.

Blueprint Stakeholder Tools

Caseworkers – The Legal Center has developed two tools for caseworkers related to Goals 1 and 2 of the Blueprint: School Stability and School Transitions . Each of these checklists is designed to assist caseworkers about school stability and continuity.

Click here to download the Blueprint: School Stability.
Click here to download the Blueprint: School Transitions.

Q & A

Monthly Fact Sheets

The Legal Center plans to develop monthly Question & Answer Fact Sheets about important issues related to education needs for children in out-of-home care.

Special Education

How Can a Foster Parent Help a Child in Care Get Needed Special Education Help?

This fact sheet quickly summarizes relevant special education decision-making issues for foster parents.

Click here to download the Fact Sheet!

Related Resources

State Legislation Chart - Foster Care and Education

Providing School Stability Outside of the McKinney Vento Act

This chart outlines existing state laws and policies that provide rights and protections to children in foster care to assist with school stability and continuity, separate and apart from those protections offered under the federal McKinney-Vento Act.

Click here to download chart!

Lessons Learned (Education Law Center and Juvenile Law Center)

This is a report from October 2006 convening at Chapin Hall (supported by Annie E. Casey and Casey Family Program) of advocates for children in foster care, representatives of other stakeholder groups, and foundation staff to focus on improving educational stability for children in foster care in states and nationally.

Click here to download the Document!

Educational Stability and Continuity for Children and Youth in Out-of-Home Care

This fact sheet outlines the great need for education stability law, the benefits currently provided under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Education Act for some children in care, and other state education stability models.

Click here to download the Fact Sheet!

Mythbusting: Breaking Down Confidentiality and Decision-Making Barriers to Meet the Education Needs of Children in Foster Care

Author: Kathleen McNaught

Description: Mythbusting is an online, searchable publication that addresses the issues surrounding confidentiality and other barriers that arise when advocating for the educational rights of young people in care

Click here to download

Learning Curves: Education Advocacy for Children in Foster Care

Authors: Kathleen McNaught and National Child Welfare Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues

Description: This book addresses such topics as creative approaches to address education barriers for children in foster care and special education process—with practice tips, psychological tests, education advocacy resources, and excerpts from key federal laws and regulations.

Click here to buy