Los Angeles Unified School District

1. LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENT HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOSTER YOUTH ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM Picking Up the Pieces: A Look into School Aged Foster Youth Dealing with Trauma and its Connection to High School Completion Picking Up the Pieces: A Look into School Aged Foster Youth Dealing with Trauma and its Connection to High School Completion Picking Up the Pieces: A Look into School Aged Foster Youth Dealing with Trauma and its Connection to High School Completion Supporting Foster Youth Success Los Angeles Unified School District

2. Objectives • Learn how to locate foster youth in MiSiS • Learn about Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) foster youth population • Examine the connection between trauma and school achievement outcomes • Share some practical strategies to use with foster youth to improve outcomes • Review the impact of attendance on academic achievement

3. MiSiS

4. New “SP” Alert on MiSiS • The Student Profile on MiSiS now displays an “SP” alert for students identified as belonging to a “Specialized Population.” The alert will display for currently enrolled students in grades TK-12 who were homeless and/or foster students in the last four years.  • These students may be eligible for certain educational rights as outlined in "Bulletin 6718: Educational Rights and Guidelines for Youth in Foster Care, Experiencing Homelessness and/or Involved in the Juvenile Justice System."

5. Identifying Current Foster Youth • Using the Census Tab, click on “Out of Home Care”

6. SP Alert on Teacher Roster

7. LAUSD Foster Youth

8. The Definition of Foster Youth • Definition of Foster Youth per Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF & LCAP) • A child/youth who has been declared a dependent of the court due to the presence or risk of abuse or neglect. (Any open court DCFS case.) • A child/youth subject to a petition filed under WIC Sec. 602, meaning a court has taken jurisdiction and declared the child to be a dependent of the court due to the child’s violation of certain criminal laws AND is ordered to be removed from the home. • Youth living outside of the home (as defined by EC Sec. 42238.01b) may include but not limited to; A county shelter, court specified home, foster family agency certified home, foster family home, group home, guardian with dependency, medical facility, non-foster care home, relative home, small family home, supervised independent living placement, Tribal Specified Home, or temporarily living in Juvenile Hall. • Youth between the ages of 18-21 who is enrolled in high school college or vocational school, is a non-minor dependent under the placement responsibility of child welfare, probation, or tribal organization participating in a transitional living case plan.

9. Foster Youth by Local District2017 – 2018 School Year Source: Consolidation of CALPADS, DCFS Data Match and Probation List

10. Foster Care Placement Types for LAUSD Youth2017– 2018 School Year Source: Consolidation of CALPADS, DCFS Data Match and Probation List

11. Nationwide Research Shows Students in foster care: • Experience much higher rates of school mobility than other students • Have higher rates of absenteeism • Perform lower on state testing • Are twice as likely to be eligible for special education services • Only 58% graduate from high school as compared to the statewide average of 84% • In California, less than 3% go on to earn a college degree Barrat, V. X., & Berliner, B. (2013). The Invisible Achievement Gap, Part 1: Education Outcomes of Students in Foster Care in California’s Public Schools. San Francisco: WestEd. Pecora, et al. (2005) Improving Family Foster Care: Findings from the Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study.

12. Attendance

13. Chronic Absenteeism and its Broader Consequences https://oag.ca.gov/truancy/2016#fn12

14. Foster Youth and Attendance • 1. Courtney, Charles, Okpych, Napolitano, and Halsted, Findings from the California Youth Transitions to Adulthood Study (CalYOUTH): Conditions of Foster Youth at Age 17 (2014) Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago. • 2. Education of Foster Youth in California (May 28, 2009) Legislative Analyst’s Office.

15. Contributing Factors • Possible underlying factors contributing to poor attendance: • Family factors • Economic influences • School factors • Student variables • “While the reasons children are absent vary, poor and low-income children are especially vulnerable because their families often lack resources such as transportation, food, clothing, and social supports that help ensure regular attendance.” -The Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA http://childlaw.sc.edu/frmPublications/TruancyEducationalNeglect.pdf Retrieved: June 19, 2017

16. Adult Outcomes for Foster Youth Within the first 2-4 years after transitioning out of foster care: • Only 25% are consistently employed • 68% receive public assistance • 27% of the homeless population spent time in foster care • One in four will be incarcerated McCoy-Roth, et. al, (2010), “Numbers of Youth Aging Out of Foster Care Continues to Rise; Increasing 64 Percent since 1999.” Fostering Connections Resource Center. Child Welfare Information Gateway, (2012), “Foster Care Statistics 2009., Pew Charitable Trust and Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, (2007) “Time for Reform: Aging Out and On Their Own,” Pecora, et. al, (2005), “Improving family foster care: Findings from the Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study.” Casey Family Programs, Courtney, et. al, (2005), “Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth: Outcomes at Age 19,” Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago, Smith et. al, (2009), “The National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: America's Prostituted Children.” Shared Hope International, Independent Living Program Policy Unit, Child and Youth Permanency Branch, California Department of Social Services, (2002), “Report on the Survey of the Housing Needs of Emancipated Foster/ Probation Youth.”

17. Trauma

18. What is Trauma? • The experience of trauma includes the following components: • An overwhelming experience • A threat to our physical and/or mental well-being • A feeling of helplessness and/or fearfulness • The impact of trauma includes: • Impact on relationships and belief systems • A threat to our sense of safety • Changes our world view

19. What is Traumatic Stress? • Traumatic stress refers to a level of stress that is so intense that it is overwhelming to manage, and results in overwhelming demands placed upon the physiological system which result in a profound sense of: • Loss of Control • Vulnerability • Immobilization Adapted from LAUSD School Mental Health PowerPoint: Trauma Informed Schools

20. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) • Term given to describe all type of abuse, neglect and other traumatic experiences that occur to individuals under the age of 18. • Examines the relationships between abuse, neglect and traumatic experiences during childhood and the reduced health and well-being later in life. • ACEs looks at three categories of adverse experience: • Childhood abuse • Neglect • Household challenges • Respondents given ACE score between 0 and 10 based on how many adverse experiences they report. • Source : CDC- ACE Study Infographic: Adverse Childhood Experiences, Looking at how ACEs affect our lives and Society • https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/resources.html

21. Untreated ACES only Exacerbate Over Time Source: ACE Study: http://www.cdc.gov/ace/index.htm

22. Foster Youth & Trauma • Foster youth, by definition have all experienced at least one traumatic experience with one or more of the following: abuse, neglect, exposure to domestic violence, or death of a loved one. • Many foster youth have also experienced additional traumatic experiences when being removed from their parents. • Over 70% of foster youth aged 7 and above present with trauma and/or mental health symptoms. Adapted from Toolkit for Foster Youth Education Success: Trauma Informed Education, March 17 2016; Catherine DeRidder; Alaina Mooves-Leb; Danielle Tenner

23. Why is this an Educational Problem? • ACEs are prevalent among all ethnicities and SES • Student responses to ACEs and toxic stress can have a profound impact on learning and school success. • Schools are often the first line of defense for buffering the impact of ACEs and remediating the negative effects. • Providing a safe, stable, nurturing relationship in the environment where kids spend most of their time is key. Adapted from LAUSD School Mental Health PowerPoint: Trauma Informed Schools

24. Trauma and School Performance • Traumatized children are: • 2.5x more likely to fail a grade in school • Score lower on standardized achievement tests • More likely to have struggles in receptive and expressive language • Suspended and expelled more often • More frequently placed in special education • 51% of children with 4+ ACE scores demonstrate learning and behavior challenges in school, compared with 3% of children reporting no score Source: Burke, N.J., Hellman, J.L., Scott, B.G., Weems, C.F. & Carrion, V.C. (June 2011). The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on an Urban Pediatric Population,” Child Abuse and Neglect, 35, No. 6

25. Foster Youth with an Individualized Education Program 2017– 2018 School Year Source: Consolidation of CALPADS, DCFS Data Match and Probation List

26. Manifestations of Child Trauma Adapted from LAUSD School Mental Health PowerPoint: Trauma Informed Schools

27. First Impressions: Exposure to Violence and a Child's Developing Brain VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brVOYtNMmKk

28. Trauma Informed Strategies

29. What does ‘Trauma Informed’ look like? • A person or organization has knowledge of how trauma impacts a person and mindfully avoids re-traumatization actions • A person adjusts their teaching or discipline style to meet the needs of a traumatized student/child • Has flexibility • Empathy • Has a growth mindset

30. Shifting to a Trauma Lens • Children act in a way that makes sense according to their understanding of how the world works • Understands that a child is not ‘out to get us’ • “A child whose behavior is creating issues is not trying to cause a problem. They’re trying to solve a problem.”-American Journal of Pediatrics, Nov. 1956 • Instead of asking, “What is wrong with you?”, ask “What happened to you?” Adapted from LAUSD School Mental Health PowerPoint: Trauma Informed Schools

31. Schools can Mitigate the Negative Effects of Trauma • Schools and adults can: • Create a sense of safety • Provide a sense of control • Foster connections • Teach and model self-regulation techniques • Provide opportunities for the child to experience competence and success Adapted from Toolkit for Foster Youth Education Success: Trauma Informed Education, March 17 2016; Catherine DeRidder; Alaina Mooves-Leb; Danielle Tenner

32. What’s Behind the Behavior? • Often times a child’s behavior is a reaction to a deeper feeling or belief, or trying to avoid uncomfortable feelings Adapted from San Diego County Office of Education: TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICES FOR SCHOOLS – TIPS: Susie Terry, MPH; Michelle Lustig, Ed.D, MSW, PPSC: Foster Youth & Homeless Education Services

33. Under the Surface • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ-pU7ozt3g

34. What’s Behind the Behavior? Misguided Power Adapted from Trauma Sensitive Schools, session 3. Based on the Psychology of Alfred Adler and Rudolf Dreikurs. Adapted by Jody McVitfa’e from similar schema by Steven Maybell and Jane Nelsen 3/06

35. Imagine…..Trauma Informed Schools • A shared understanding among all staff • All adults support children to feel safe physically, socially, emotionally, and academically • Addresses student needs in a holistic way • Their relationships • Self-regulation • Academic competence and • Physical and emotional well-being • Connects with students • Embraces teamwork with staff and students • Leadership and staff adapt to the ever changing needs of students

36. Two-By-Ten • The teacher focuses on a student who is being the most challenging • For two minutes each day, for ten days in a row • Have a personal conversation with the student about anything the student is interested in “Assuming the Best”, by R.Smith & M. Lambert, Educational Leadership, Sep. 2008

37. Thank You

38. Resources • AAP Parenting After Trauma: Understanding Your Child’s Needs, a Guide To Foster and Adoptive Parents, https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/healthy-foster-care-america/documents/familyhandout.pdf • Child Welfare Information Gateway: Parenting a child who has experienced trauma, https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/child-trauma.pdf

39. How To Reach Us Foster Youth Achievement Program Briana Guzman, MSW Foster Youth Counselor, Bell HS on Campus Mondays & Fridays briana.guzman@lausd.net(213) 604-5055 La Shona Jenkins, DSW, LCSW Coordinator, Foster Youth Achievement Program lashona.jenkins@lausd.net (213) 241-3552 Iola Smith, MSWKatrina Taylor, LCSWKaren L. Timko Specialist, LDs NW and NE Specialist, LDs W and C Specialist, LDs E and S Iola.smith@lausd.netkatrina.taylor@lausd.netkaren.timko@lausd.net (818) 654-3703 (213) 241-3552 (213) 264-2486