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 History of Collaborative
In 2005, with support from the Stuart Foundation, the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning and Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc. joined forces to both model and promote greater collaboration between the public education and child welfare sectors to improve educational outcomes for foster children and youth. The two organizations share a philosophical commitment to narrowing the profound gaps between the “haves” and “have nots” and to moving the status of California’s 74,000 foster care children into view, making public their educational status as well as the state’s progress toward ensuring that they have the opportunities due them to succeed in school.
The state’s success rate with those in foster care is abysmal: Half of foster children and youth have been held back at least one grade, 25-52% are placed in special education (compared to 10-12% of the general student population), 46% do not complete high school, and fewer than 3% go on to a four-year college.
Mission of Collaborative
The two organizations convened The California Education Collaborative for Children in Foster Care. The Collaborative’s charge supports and reinforces the work of others involved in child welfare and education issues concerning foster youth. It is distinct from these other efforts, however, in its focus on educational outcomes for foster youth (as opposed to the logistical issues such as placement that, while extremely important, already are the focus of other initiatives). To this end, the voice of teachers and administrators features prominently in the Collaborative’s work.
A Design Team formed the Collaborative’s core group, bringing together creative thinkers to help guide and advance the Collaborative’s work. Design Team members included representatives of the child welfare and public education fields as well as former foster youth, legislators and policymakers, legal system representatives, philanthropy representatives, researchers, mental health providers, and advocates. During a series of meetings between 2005 and 2007, the Design Team members worked together to identify key questions, review research, monitor and interpret the policy landscape, and develop a set of recommendations to improve educational outcomes for foster youth.
Products of Collaborative
“Ready to Succeed: Changing systems to give California’s foster children the opportunities they deserve to be ready for and succeed in school”
Related Links
California Department of Education, Foster Youth Services
Child Welfare Dynamic Report System
Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc.
The Stuart Foundation, Child Welfare Programs
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