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Advocating for the Educational Needs of Abused and Neglected Children

Advocating for the Educational Needs of Abused and Neglected Children. Presented by: Bonnie K. Hathaway. State CASA Conference November 3, 2012. Educational Advocacy Matters. Long-term effects are devastating when educational matters are not addressed for children in care:

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Advocating for the Educational Needs of Abused and Neglected Children

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  1. Advocating for the Educational Needs of Abused and Neglected Children Presented by: Bonnie K. Hathaway State CASA Conference November 3, 2012

  2. Educational Advocacy Matters • Long-term effects are devastating when educational matters are not addressed for children in care: • Drop-out or obtain a GED in lieu of high school diploma • Higher rates of homelessness • Higher rates of poverty • Higher rates of public assistance • Juvenile or adult court involvement

  3. CASAs are Uniquely Qualified as Educational Advocates • YOUunderstand the impact that abuse and neglect can have on a child’s education. • YOU have a unique opportunity to have access to a child’s educational history. • YOUhave the eyes and ears of the court.

  4. Educational Advocacy is Important at all Stages • Infants and Toddlers • Pre-school - Middle School • High School Every CASA Child needs a “Squeaky Wheel” regardless of their age.

  5. Advocating for Infants and Toddlers • Home Visiting Programs: (vary by locality) • Early Head Start/Head Start: 0-3 years/3-5 • CHIP of Virginia: Pregnant women or family with at least 1 child <6 • Resource Mothers: pregnant and parenting teenager 19 and under • Healthy Families: pregnant women and new parents under 3 months. • Early Intervention Part C: birth through 2

  6. Advocating for Infants and Toddlers • Home Visiting Programs accept referrals by anyone. • YOU can be the referral Source • By advocating for participation in a Home Visiting program, you are providing an EXTRA SET of EYES in the homeand SUPPORT.

  7. Advocating for Infants and Toddlers • Early Intervention Part C: • Birth through age 2 with diagnosed handicapping condition, or 25% delay in one or more developmental areas. • Eligibility is based on the child’s developmental needs – not on income. • Services are FREE!

  8. Advocating for Infants and Toddlers • Referrals to Early Intervention Part C: • A CASA can refer a CASA childfor “Eligibility Determination: • Infant and Toddler Connection of VA • 1-800-234-1448 • www.infantva.org • A CASA can refer ANY child • If you suspect a child has delays or a disability,Refer Immediately!

  9. Advocating for School Age Children WE KNOW: Abuse and Neglect can have a significant and long term impact on a child’s education: • Language Deficits • Developmental Delays • Hyperactivity • Depression • Anxiety • Disengagement

  10. Advocating for School Age Children: Use What You Know • Educate Foster Parents • Help them to advocate for the education of a child in their care. • Educate Educators • Help them understand the educational impact of abuse and neglect. (Remember: Confidentiality) • Build Compassion for the child • Seek to help others understand behavior • Identify Other Advocates within the educational system.

  11. Advocating for School Age Children: Use Your Unique Opportunity Your Court Order: • Take your court order to the child’s school and request to see the child’s Cumulative Education Record. • If the record is not cumulative, take your court order to the previous school etc. • Ask for copies of all records on the spot or a copy machine to copy them.

  12. Advocating for School Age Children: Information is Power! Build YOUR copy of the child’s Educational Record. • Put Report Cards, Special Ed. Documents, Teacher Comments, Discipline Reports in Chronological Order. • Review the file and make note of attendance history, including school changes, grades, discipline history and Special Ed. History • YOUR UNIQUE CASA ADVOCACY ADVANTAGE: You will be the expert on child’s educational history.

  13. Advocating for School Age Children: Meet the Child’s Teacher(s) • Ask: Child’s strengths and weaknesses? • Ask: What is the child’s Instructional Reading Level? • Ask: How are weaknesses being addressed? • Reading: What Curriculum is used? How often? How long? • Is Tutoring available and utilized?”

  14. Advocating for School Age Children: NCLB • Purpose of NCLB (No Child Left Behind): • “To ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on State academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.” • Importance of Scientific Based Reading Instruction • School Choice for Title I Schools who fail to make AYP • Supplemental Educational Services

  15. Advocating for School Age Children: Disabilities • Purpose of IDEIA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act): • “To ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education (FAPE) that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needsand prepare them for further education, employmentandindependent living.”

  16. Advocating for School Age Children: Disability Categories • Autism • Developmental Delay • Emotional Disability (ED) • Intellectual Disability (ID) • Specific Learning Disability (SLD) • Speech or Language Impairment • Other Health Impaired (OHI)

  17. Advocating for School Age Children: Be the Referral Source • YOU can be the referral source for Special Education Evaluation if you suspect a disability: • Go to VDOE Home: http://www.pen.k12.va.us to find your local school division website. • Monitor Referrals for Compliance • Eligibility Determination: 65 Business Days • IEP Development: 30 Calendar Days

  18. Advocating for School Age Children: Attend IEP Meetings • Who is the Educational Decision Maker? • Is the child’s educational decision maker an active participant in decision making or just attending and signing documents. • Ask questions and express your concerns at IEP meeting. • Follow-up in writing with concerns. • Counsel the IEP Decision Maker: • DO NOTsign an IEP at the meeting. • Thoroughly review first! • Can consent to part!

  19. Advocating for School Age Children: School Placement Children in Foster Care: • Current School vs. New School • What is in the best interest of the child? • As the child’s CASA, YOU can participate in the determination. • After determination, local DSS arranges transportation and payment of expenses.

  20. Use your CASA Report to Elevate a Child’s Educational Needs in the Courts • Make education a part of every CASA report! • Recommend parental participation and compliance with PART C Early Intervention Services. • If necessary, request appointment of a Surrogate Educational Parent by the Court.

  21. Important Things to Be Aware of!

  22. What Letter Grades and Passing SOL scores Mean • An A, B, or C on a report card for a child in Special Education DOES NOTmean they are on-grade level. • A passing SOL score DOES NOT mean a child can read and write on grade level. • Be Aware and Be Skeptical! • A Child’s Literacy and Numeracy Skills are extremely important!

  23. SOL Tests have Serious Consequences • In early years, SOLs are used to decide whether to promote a student to the next grade, and/or place a child in remediation programs. • Also, impact course selections • In High School, SOL tests determine whether a child student will receive a high school diploma upon graduation.

  24. High School Students with Special Needs • What is the Diploma Status of the Child? • Advanced Diploma(24 Credits, 9 SOLs required) • Standard Diploma(22 Credits, 6 SOLs required) • Modified Standard Diploma(20 Credits, 2 SOLs required, Special Ed. Students Only) • Special Diploma (Special Ed. Student s Only) • Certificate of Program Completion • If student fails to pass required SOLs for diploma • Not considered a High School Diploma • GED

  25. High School Students with Special Needs • Remember SOL tests determine whether a student will receive a high school diploma: • Students must pass the Literacy and Numeracy SOL tests at the 8th grade or higher to receive a Modified Standard Diploma.

  26. School Discipline • Short Term Suspension: less than10 days • Educate parents, if they disagree with suspension to request a review by the School Superintendent • Ask school to provide assignments so they do not fall behind • Long Term Suspension: more than10 days • Help parents appeal the Superintendent’s decision immediately in writing. (They disagree and want a hearing.)

  27. School Discipline • Expulsion: can last up to 365 days. • Help parents appeal the decision in writing, request an in person hearing immediately. • Help prepare the child to explain what happened. • Help parents prepare for the hearing. • Offer to be a witness to support your CASA child or write a letter of support. • Suggest alternative forms of punishment (community service, anger management courses) • Solicit other people who can advocate for the child to stay in school.

  28. Be an Educational Advocate for your CASA Child! The opportunity for a solid education can mean: Decrease in stressors for the child and parent/caretaker. Increased stability in the foster care placement. Strong positive effect on permanency. Increased likelihood of success as adults.

  29. Food For Thought The greatest danger for most of us is not that we aim too high and we miss, but that we aim too low and we reach it. Author Unknown Advocate for your CASA child’s education and encourage others to AIM High!

  30. Out of the Cracks….On the Bus to Success! • AEIOU Matters to our CASA Children! • Access • Equity • Intensity • Opportunity • Urgency

  31. On A Lighter Note! Just a funny little poem by an Unknown Author! Coming Soon!

  32. Helpful Resources • Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) • www.pen.k12.va.us • The National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities • www.dropoutprevention.org • The Access Center: Improving Outcomes for all Students K-8 • www.k8accesscenter.org • The National Right to Read Foundation • www.nrrf.org • Infant and Toddler Connection of VA • www.Infantva.org • The National Center for Learning Disabilites • www.ncld.org

  33. Helpful Resources (Cont.) • National Institute for Literacy: Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read (Very informative to help understand the reading process, can be downloaded from: • www.nifl.gov • No Child Left Behind • www.penk12.va.us/VDOE/nclb • www.nochildleftbehind.gov • www.Wrightslaw.com/info/nclb.index.htm • Free Online Newsletter: The Special Ed Advocate • www.wrightslaw.com/subscribe.htm • Can also register for training and order books. • To explore What Works in Education: U.S. Department of Education’s What Work’s Clearinghouse • http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc • If working with a child with severe disabilities: • Google: The Least Dangerous Assumption, A Challenge to Create a New Paradigm

  34. My Contact Information Bonnie K. Hathaway Educational Advocate Richmond CASA Volunteer Cell: 804-337-4398 Email: bkhvt81@gmail.com

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