A bill unanimously passed by city leaders last week would require New York City officials to begin publishing broader data on the educational outcomes of thousands of students in foster care. It will be done. Advocates have long argued that such accountability is necessary for children who grow up in government custody and face difficult challenges in school.
If signed into law by Mayor Eric Adams in the coming weeks, the Department of Education will begin releasing statistics on students in temporary housing and foster care who receive disability evaluations, special education, therapy and transportation assistance. It’s planned. The data also includes out-of-school suspensions and calls to emergency services, and is broken down by factors such as district, school, and grade level, among others.
There are approximately 7,000 students living in foster care in the city’s schools. Child lawyers and education rights activists say a more specific tally of these students’ progress will help them better tailor support efforts and help policymakers understand the urgency of their needs. It is said that it will be possible to reliably recognize the
The bill seeking new oversight was introduced by Brooklyn City Councilwoman Rita Joseph in December and passed by the City Council on Friday.
“More data would allow for much better oversight and analysis of services for our city’s most vulnerable students,” Joseph said during Friday’s public meeting on foster youth. said.
The new law will take effect immediately upon Mayor Adams’ signature.
The need for data
Although the challenges that youth development faces in schools are widely known, there is little reliable data to consistently monitor progress. A 2022 study by the city’s Center for Innovation with Data Intelligence found that only one in four New York City youth graduates from high school on time.
Their education can be challenged by a number of factors, including difficulty in commuting to their alma mater, multiple transfers, inadequate communication of transcripts and records, and disproportionately high suspension rates.
“For too long, data demonstrating these disparities has been hidden from the public eye, and the unique needs of students in foster care have been ignored,” said the nonprofit group Advocates for Children. Executive Director Kim Sweet said.
More than 40% of the city’s students who have been in the child welfare system are classified as students with disabilities, twice the city’s overall rate, according to an analysis of public records data by advocacy groups. . Analysts say “District 75” schools also have a majority foster youth population and segregate students with severe disabilities from other schools in the system, but lack resources and The graduation rate is said to be much lower than that of city schools.
The bill passed by the City Council would require the Department of Education to track the documentation required for students enrolled in individualized education programs, or special education programs.
Erica Palmer, supervising attorney for Advocates for Children, said foster youth are likely to be placed in “very restrictive special education settings” and that more careful monitoring of how students are classified is needed. He said it implied sex.
Long-requested support is now in the works
This school year marks a new first for New York City’s foster youth. The Department of Education currently has a staff of nine of hers dedicated to meeting the needs of the city’s public school students growing up in the child welfare system. Top priorities include addressing transportation needs, attendance issues, and providing counseling and guidance services.
Advocates plan to continue pushing for transparency in data collection and sharing.
In an interview last month, former New York City foster youth Dulles Ogle spoke about his childhood. She entered the child welfare system in 1998 and attended five schools by her sixth grade. Other than making sure she attended classes, she said, she grew up with no adults who seemed to take an interest in her education.
She praised the role of city leaders and coaches for students in foster care, as well as the new support being provided by the Department of Education.
“Social workers can’t do everything, and we can’t always rely on foster parents to invest in their child’s education,” Ogle said. “Now there is someone who will advocate for that young person and ensure that their academic potential reaches its peak performance.”