Nurturing Resilience: Supporting Foster Youth in the Public Education System

Education Headline Roundup

We cover the following stories in our education headlines this week:

• The US Department of Education is penalizing the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (“Mohela”) for failing to send timely bills to 2.5 million student loan holders.
• Teachers in Portland, Oregon have gone on strike over increased teacher pay, smaller class sizes, and more resources.
• A study by the Washington Post finds that the number of families homeschooling their children has increased by 50% over the past 6 years.

Nurturing Resilience: Supporting Foster Youth in the Public Education System

Our episode this week takes a look at the complexities of the U.S. foster care system and its intersection with public education. We explore the historical roots of foster care, tracing an evolution from English Poor Law in the 1500s to the modern-day child welfare system, which was shaped by the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act and the Obama-era Every Student Succeeds Act. We examine the challenges that are unique to the foster youth population in the educational setting, including frequent school changes, a lack of legal and medical advocates, and the need for a post-emancipation plan.

Sources & Resources:

Episode 66 - Columbus Teachers on Strike

Founders Online - From George Washington to Benjamin Harrison, 18 January 1784 To Benjamin Harrison

Ohio Department of Education & Workforce - Students in Foster Care

Independent - Judi Dench renders Graham Norton Show speechless with ‘spellbinding’ Shakespeare reading by Tom Murray

Ohio Department of Education - Every Student Succeeds Act: Foster Care Overview

The Annie E. Casey Foundation - Child Welfare and Foster Care Statistics

Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse - Case: L.J. v. Massinga

Veneable LLP - Venable and Disability Rights Maryland File Lawsuit Against State Officials Over Long-Term Placement of Foster Children in Hospitals by Mitchell Y. Yirviss

Civil Rights Lawsuit Concerning Maryland Foster Students - Baltimore Sun

Wikipedia - Library of Alexandria

National Foster Parent Association - History of Foster Care in the United States

FosterED - Every Student Succeeds Act Foster Care Provisions

Ohio Department of Education & Workforce - Ensuring the Educational Stability of Students in Foster Care

CNBC - Education Department penalizes Missouri lender for error that made 800,000 student loan borrowers delinquent by Annie Nova

The Washington Post - Home schooling’s rise from fringe to fastest-growing form of education by Peter Jamison,  Laura Meckler,  Prayag Gordy,  Clara Ence Morse and  Chris Alcantara