Mason BurleySenior Research Associate

Washington State Institute for Public PolicyPhone: (360) 528-1645

E-mail: mason@wsipp.wa.govInstitute Publications: www.wsipp.wa.gov

Educational Attainment of Foster Youth:

What Do We Know, andWhere Do We Go (from here)?

Washington Education Research AssociationDecember 5, 2008

Background

Policy Shift

Results

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Current Project

…review and summarize existing research that identifies problems and barriers to improved educational attainment of children in long-term foster care and suggest ways to improve the availability of information about the educational experiences of these children

The 2000 Legislature asked the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (Institute) to:

Safety & Permanency Well-being & Education

Background

Prior Research (pre-2001)

Results

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Current Project

1. Focused on older adolescents2. Small populations3. No comparison groups4. Primary outcome – gpa and graduation

1. Matched foster care records to grade 3, 6, 9, and 112. Statewide sample (~1,500 foster)3. All non-foster youth (~70,000 per grade) with self

assessment4. Norm referenced test and longitudinal completion5. Any history of foster care

Background

Results

Results

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Current Project

2000 Iowa Standardized Tests

Background

Results

Results

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Current Project

On-Time Graduation of 11th Grade Students

11th Grade Students On-Time Graduation Percentage

Non-Foster 86 percent

Foster 59 percent

11th Grade Students On-Time Graduation Percentage

Non-Foster 86 percent

Foster 59 percent

Background Results

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Current Project

Achievement

Completion

Family Factorsparent's educationhours per week watching TVEnglish spoken in the hometime spent on homeworkadult helps with homework

School Factorschanged school during yearfirst enrolled in school / districteducational aspirationsfeel safe at schoolopinion of school problems

Individual Factors gender / ethnicityspecial assistanceextra-curricular activitiesaptitude/course workfoster care background

Background

Results

Results

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Current Project

Change Schools During Year Repeated

Grade Level

Special Ed.

Foster 16%

School 7%

Foster 29%

School 10%

6%School

Foster 13%

Background Results

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Current Project

Domain Student Characteristics

Increase (Decrease) in Percentile Ranking

Grade 3 Grade 6 Grade 9Individual Male (0.7) n/s 1.3

Race: African-American (11.1) (12.3) (14.9)Race: Asian 1.7 1.2 (4.5)Race: Hispanic (14.6) (12.4) (10.3)Race: Native American (8.8) (9.3) (8.3)Current or previous foster care placement (7.7) (7.0) (6.8)

Personal appraisal of future educational prospects (6-point scale: will not graduate high school – advanced degree) 4.0 3.4Grade point average (8-point scale) 4.9Plan to attend four-year college/university 2.8

SchoolEnrolled in special education program (26.9) (27.1) (25.2)Enrolled in highly capable program 26.4 26.3 15.8Receives extra help in reading or math (Title I) (14.4) (11.6) (12.3)Attended another school this year (8.5) (6.4) (3.7)Stayed in same grade more than one year (8.6) (9.5) (5.5)Never feels safe at school (6.4) (5.0)Number of school activities participated in during last year (1 to 5) 0.2

Family Has computer at home and uses for school work 4.2 8.8 7.0Language other than English spoken most frequently in household (10.9) (8.5) (9.3)Receives periodic homework assistance 8.4 7.2 (0.8)Watches TV five or more hours per day (6.9) (6.2) (3.2)

Number of Children in Analysis 44,147 60,083 62,483

Adjusted Results (Iowa Tests)

Background Results

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Current Project

Total Time in Foster Care Average Number of Placements/Year

Number of Placements Average Number of Caseworkers/Year

Age First Entered Foster Care Special Services Provided

Do Any of These Measures of the Foster Care System Relate to Test Scores?

Currently in Foster Care Recently Entered Foster Care

Background Results

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Current Project

Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 (Chaffee Act) – doubled amount of federal funding for independent living programs

Education and Training Vouchers (2003) – $5,000 per year for tuition assistance for emancipating foster youth

Child and Family Services Review (2003) – “children receive appropriate services to meet educational needs”

Legislative Changes and InitiativesFederal

Foster Care Education Workgroup (2002)

Educational Advocacy Program (2006) – 1-2 per DSHS region work with students, parents, teacher, administrators to help with educational progress

Foster Care to College (FCTCP) and Foster Care Passport to College Promise Program (2007)

Braam Monitoring Panel

State

Background ResultsCurrent Project

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Study DifferencesTopic 2001 WSIPP Report

Study Sample Students in Grades 3, 6, and 9

Assessment Outcomes

Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS)—grades 3 and 6

Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED)—grade 9

( tests eliminated in 2006)

Assessment Type

Norm-referencedRanks each student to the achievement of othersTest items help discriminate between high and low achieversIndividual assessment scores are compared and assigned a percentile or grade-equivalent score

Assessment Covariates

Student information questionnaire (self-reported information on demographics, school history, and family background).

Outcome Analysis

Increase/decrease in National Percentile Ranking (continuous 1–100); Ordinary Least Squares Regression

2008 WSIPP Report

Students in Grades 4, 7, and 10

Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL)—grades 4, 7, and 10

Criterion-referencedDetermines whether each student has achieved specific skillsTest items are designed to assess competence in key conceptsIndividuals are compared with preset standards for acceptable achievement

Administrative records on demographics, program participation, school mobility, and retention

Likelihood of meeting WASL standard (yes/no);Logistical Regression

Background ResultsCurrent Project

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“The CA will replicate the 2001 WSIPP study Educational Attainment of Foster Youth: Achievement of Graduation Outcomes for Children in State Care for school-age children in foster care three months or longer in FY2005, with inclusion of WASL performance for 4th, 7th and 10th grades and all other variables in the study.”

Current Study Direction

[Revised Implementation Plan Adolescent Services Action Step 1] [Goal 2, Outcome 3, Action step 1 of February 2006 Braam Implementation Plan]

Background ResultsCurrent Project

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Record Linkage (FERPA)

Student self-assessment (independent variables)

Test completers / alternate versions

Study Challenges

Grade 4 Grade 7 Grade 10

Non-Foster Foster Non-Foster FosterNon-

Foster FosterUnmodified WASL

70,899 (96.5%)

1,022 (88.9%)

75,055 (96.0%)

1,158 (86.0%)

76,875 (95.8%)

1,084 (85.0%)

Alternative Assessments for Special Populations

2,543 (3.5%)

128 (11.1%)

3,116 (4.0%)

189 (14.0%)

3,402 (4.2%)

192 (15.0%)

Total 73,442 1,150 78,171 1,347 80,277 1,276

Completed WASL Grade 4 Grade 7 Grade 10

Non-Foster Students 70,504 (96%) 74,631 (95%) 67,202 (84%)

Foster Students 1,042 (91%) 1,192 (88%) 773 (61%)

Background Current Project Results

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81,553 Grade 10 students

2,299 Grade 10 students with any current or previous foster care placement (2.8%)

1,276 Grade 10 students with a placement lasting 3 months or more (1.6%)

382 Grade 10 students with a placement lasting 3 months or more and in active placement at time of WASL

Who is a ‘Foster Student’?In the 2005-06 school year, there were…

Of the 1,276 Grade 10 youth with 3-month placement, 61% (778) completed WASL

Background Current Project Results

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Percentage of Students Meeting Standard in All Content Areas of the 2005–06 WASL

Background Current Project Results

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Percentage of Students Meeting Standard by Subject Area on the 2005–06 WASL

Background Current Project Results

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Characteristics of 10th Graders Completing the 2005–06 WASL

Percentage of 10th Graders

Met Standard inAll Three Areas

Category of Student Non-Foster Foster Non-Foster Foster

All Students 99% 1% 53.8% 27.2%

Race/Ethnicity

American Indian/Alaskan Native 2.1% 10.0% 35.4% 20.3%

Asian American 8.5% 2.5% 60.8% 50.0%

African American 4.2% 14.8% 26.4% 17.0%

Hispanic/Latino 9.6% 8.3% 27.6% 28.3%

Caucasian 75.5% 64.4% 58.6% 30.5%

Background Current Project Results

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Characteristics of 10th Graders Completing the 2005–06 WASL

Percentage of 10th Graders

Met Standard inAll Three Areas

Category of Student Non-Foster Foster Non-Foster Foster

All Students 99% 1% 53.8% 27.2%

School Status

Behind Grade Level 10.7% 17.4% 37.1% 15.7%

Time in Same District

One Year or Less 12.5% 22.5% 44.4% 20.4%

One to Two Years 17.6% 19.9% 52.6% 22.3%

Longer Than Two Years 70.0% 57.6% 55.8% 31.4%

Background Current Project Results

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Characteristics of 10th Graders Completing the 2005–06 WASL

Percentage of 10th Graders

Met Standard inAll Three Areas

Category of Student Non-Foster Foster Non-Foster FosterAll Students (with Alternative) 98.9% 1.1% 52.3% 24.1%

Disability Status

No Disability 91.6% 72.6% 55.9% 31.6%

Health Disability 1.9% 7.4% 13.7% 3.5%

Specific Learning Disability 4.7% 11.5% 9.2% 2.2%

Special Education Status

Special Education Services 7.8% 26.3% 10.9% 3.0%

Background Current Project Results

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After accounting for other differences, foster students are…

35 percent less likely to meet WASL standards in Grade 4

46 percent less likely to meet WASL standards in Grade 7

38 percent less likely to meet WASL standards in Grade 10

(non-foster students are 2-3 times more likely to meet WASL standards in all three content areas)

Background Current Project Results

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Next Steps/Future Analyses

1. Prior WASL scores: Match a student’s 10th grade scores to their previous score (in 7th grade).

2. Expanded definition of high school graduation: NGA standard four-year, adjusted cohort graduation rate

3. Analysis of Educational Advocacy Program

IDEAS??