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Foster Care & Education
Resources
- School of Origin Determinations for Students in Foster Care
- Top 10 Things to Know About Education for Children in Foster Care in Residential Treatment Centers (RTCs)
- Support for Foster Alumni: Financial Aid, Enrollment Process & Campus Support
- Foster Care & Student Success: Texas Data and Trends 2018 - Educational Experiences, School Stability, and Academic Achievement
- Resource Letter for Judges and Attorneys Handling Child Protective Services Cases: Educational Resources for the 2025-2026 School Year
- State College Tuition Waiver
- Texas Child Welfare Law Bench Book:
- Texas Education and Training Voucher (ETV) Program
The Texas Blueprint:
- The Texas Blueprint: Transforming Education Outcomes For Children & Youth In Foster Care
- Texas Blueprint Implementation Task Force Final Report
- ABA Child Law Practice: The Texas Blueprint - A Model for Improving School Experiences for Children in Foster Care
2024 Foster Care Summit
In collaboration with DFPS and TEA, the Children’s Commission held the 2024 Foster Care Summit at Angelo State University. The 2024 Summit provided an opportunity for educators and administrators to further their knowledge to help foster youth receive the necessary services. Attendees came from all over the state of Texas and included school administrative staff, transportation staff, advocates, attorneys, and child welfare and education professionals. Key topics included transportation issues, focus on mental health, transition assistance, and school of origin and best interest determination.
Materials: 2024 Foster Care Summit Agenda
2018 Foster Care & Education Summit
In July 2018, Texas hosted its second Foster Care and Education Summit. The 2018 Summit provided an opportunity to look at past accomplishments, assess current challenges, and build momentum going forward. Teams attended from every region in Texas and they included advocates, attorneys, child welfare and education professionals, foster care alumni, and judges. Key themes included using data to drive decisions, engaging youth in decisions that impact their lives, approaching students with a trauma-informed lens, and creating a college-going culture for children and youth in foster care.
Materials:
Texas Foster Care & Education Collaborative Reports:
- 2022 Foster Care and Student Success Resource Guide
- Foster Care College Tuition & Fee Waiver Process
- Infographic: Texas commits to transform education outcomes of students in foster care: Findings from the Texas Blueprint Implementation Data Workgroup
- Information Sharing Between Child Welfare and Schools: Maintaining Privacy and Promoting Educational Success, April 2017
- Regional CPS Education Consortia: The Building Blocks to Engaging Community Stakeholders
- Statewide Survey on Local Collaboration Summary and One-pagers (School, Caregiver, CPS, and Legal)
- Texas CASA: Educational Advocacy Toolkit
- Texas Higher Education Information and Resource Guide for Foster Care Liaisons, September 2018
- The Road to College: Texas Foster Youth & Post-Secondary Education
- Transition Planning Guide for Students in Foster Care Receiving Special Education Services, July 2018