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• Year 2 Sample LCAP Provisions for Foster Youth• Flowchart -- to help districts customize the

sample LCAPhttp://cfyetf.org/publications.html• Los Angeles Districts LCAP Review – Narrative report– Excel spreadsheets for each LCAPhttp://educationcoordinatingcouncil.org/ECC_Reports.html

TOOLKIT OF RESOURCES DEVELOPED BY CEEFY MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS

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Recommended language in two sections of LCAP template:

Section 1: Stakeholder Engagement– Lists categories of key stakeholders

Section 2: Goals, Actions, Expenditures and Progress Indicators-- Close achievement gap-- Reduce school transfer rates-- Prompt and correct enrollment and credits-- Individual assessment and services/supports-- Participation in school-wide supports

YEAR 2 SAMPLE LCAP FOR FOSTER YOUTH

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Actions and Expenditures:– Data and policy infrastructure– Adequate district-level staffing– Funding for direct supports (tutoring, transportation, etc.)

Progress indicators:Gap between FY and general student population on attendance, discipline, test scores, course passage, dropout rates, graduation rates and other key metrics will close:

-- 2015-2016: by 10%-- 2016-2017: by 20%

GOAL 1 (OVERARCHING): CLOSE ACHIEVEMENT GAP

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Actions and Expenditures– Data system, Policies and MOUs– Coordination with child welfare and probation agencies– Transportation funds

Progress indicators– 2015-2016: infrastructure in place– 2016-2017: transfer rate (due to change in placement or transfer

to continuation/alternative school) will decrease by 10%.

GOAL 2: REDUCE SCHOOL TRANSFERS

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Actions and Expenditures– Data system, Policies and MOUs re enrollment, partial credits,

transfer of records

Progress indicators– 2015-2016: infrastructure in place– 2016-2017: number of days before foster youth are enrolled after

transfer in appropriate school and classes, and awarded all credits earned, will decrease by 10%.

GOAL 3: PROMPT ENROLLMENT, CREDITS

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Actions and Expenditures– Foster youth receive individual educational assessment and any

needed services and supports, from a dedicated counselor.– Services and supports include: engagement of ERHs, prompt

enrollment, transfer of records, award of credits, placement in correct classes, implementation of IEP; graduation and transition planning; addressing attendance and behavior issues.

Progress indicators:– 2015-2016 – 50% of foster youth have individual assessment and

support– 2016-2017 – 75% of foster youth have individual assessment and

support

GOAL 4: INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT AND SUPPORT

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Actions and Expenditures– Data system to track foster youth participation– Ensure equal access for foster youth to: tutoring and enrichment

programs; summer school; credit recovery; academic counseling; PSA counseling; PBIS and RJ programs; school-based health and mental health services; sports and extracurricular activities; career pathways and linked learning programs.

Progress indicators:– Foster youth will participate in programs at the same rate as

general student population.

GOAL 5: EQUAL ACCESS TO ACADEMIC AND SOCIO-EMOTIONAL SUPPORTS

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Flowchart is meant to be used along with the Year 2 Sample LCAP

Flowchart outlines 7 steps for school districts to customize the sample LCAP provisions in light of their size, foster youth demographics, data, priorities, and resources.

FLOWCHART: BUILD-YOUR-OWN MODEL LCAP FOR FOSTER YOUTH

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Los Angeles LCAPs Reviewed

How did the 80+ LA County school districts addressthe needs of foster youth in their Year 1 LCAPs?

• Year 1 LCAP template made it difficult to connect goals, actions, and funding

• Districts used the LCAP template in varying ways

• Many LCAPs were difficult to interpret, especially as to funding and staffing allocations, so our findings are tentative

• Purpose of review was not “scientific accuracy,” but to inform the Year 2 LCAP process

Data limitations

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• Year 1 of a seven-year implementation process

• Districts were using an unfamiliar planning process and format, with limited guidance from CDE, for the first time and within a limited timeframe

• Districts did not have recent, reliable data on the number of foster youth students – and foster youth are a small student population (1-2% for most districts)

• Districts were facing multiple competing needs and priorities in developing their LCAPs

Early stage of implementation

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• LAUSD – about 8,500 foster youth, over 10 times as many foster youth as the next largest district in the state

• “Large” districts – 25 districts with between 100 and 650 foster youth, with a total of about 6,000 foster youth

• “Mid-sized” districts – 35 districts with between 15 and 100 foster youth, with a total of about 1,500 foster youth

• “Small” districts – 20 districts with 15 or fewer foster youth, with a total of less than 300 foster youth

Review grouped LA districtsby size

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• LCAP includes detailed and specific goals focused on closing the academic achievement gap for foster youth

• LCAP includes district-level actions to create policy, develop MOUs with child welfare agency, and gather data

• LCAP includes goals, actions, and funding for a new “Foster Youth Achievement Program” – 60+ PSA counselors specifically for foster youth

LAUSD’s LCAP: Foster Youth Achievement Program

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• Several other districts’ LCAPs included goals, actions, and substantial funding for foster youth:– Pomona USD (495)– Compton USD (466)– Inglewood USD (189)– Downey USD (171)– Bonita USD (146)– William Hart USD (132)– Whittier Union HSD (100)

Other large districts leading the way for foster youth

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• Goals:– Closing achievement/education outcome gaps– Reducing rates of school transfers– Providing counseling/planning for each foster youth

• Actions:– Developing policies, collecting data, hiring and training designated

staff

– Increasing access to socio-emotional supports• Social workers and mental health staff

– Increasing access to academic supports

• Tutoring, afterschool and summer programs, online credit recovery

Examples of LCAP provisions from large districts

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• One mid-size district, Eastside Union HSD (65), included a very concrete and specific academic support for foster youth:

– LCAP provides funding for a laptop or desktop computer for every student in foster care

Example of innovative foster youth LCAP provisions

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• 12 districts with large foster youth populations (between 100 and 600) included LCAP goals and/or actions for foster youth, but very little funding ($0 to $55K)

• 7 districts with between 100 and over 500 foster youth did not include any goals, actions, or funding specific to foster youth in their Year 1 LCAPs

More progress needed…

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• In our review, we also identified LCAP investments that may be especially important for foster youth, given their challenges of:– Frequent school changes– History of repeated trauma

– Lack of consistent adult support for their education

• Some districts’ LCAPs appeared to intend to address the needs of foster youth along with other at-risk students

Leveraging opportunities

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• Attendance support and intervention for students with chronic absenteeism

• School climate improvements through Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS), restorative justice, and other alternatives to exclusionary discipline

• Afterschool and summer enrichment programs, credit recovery programs, and other avenues for students to catch up academically

Types of leveraging opportunities

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• Keppel ESD (47) – allocates funding to provide free transportation to all students to address attendance issues

– Could help with transportation of foster youth to their school of origin

Example of innovative leveraging opportunity

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• “Early leader” districts provide numerous examples of ways to address needs of foster youth in LCAP goals, actions, and funding

• As more disaggregated data become available, we will learn more about distribution of foster youth in schools/districts, and achievement gaps.

• Early positive indicators may include:– Improved attendance– Lower rates of suspension and expulsion– Fewer school changes

Next steps

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Angela Vazquez Vincent Holmes Advancement Project Education Coordinating Councilavazquez@advanceproj.org vholmes@ceo.lacounty.gov

Martha Matthews Jackie Wong and Minsun MeekerPublic Counsel National Center for Youth Law/FosterEdmmatthews@publiccounsel.org jwong@youthlaw.org

mmeeker@youthlaw.org

Molly Dunn and Jill Rowland Patrick HirschAlliance for Children’s Rights Children’s Law Center of Los Angelesm.dunn@kids-alliance.org hirschp@clcla.orgj.rowland@kids-alliance.org

Contact information: