Foster Care Collection 2013-14 Peims update Presenter: Kelly Kravitz, MPSA Texas Education Agency: Foster Care Education & Policy Coordinator

Presentation Goals Update Foster Care Data Collection 2013-14 Eligibility Acceptable Documentation Non-Acceptable Documentation: Examples Training Resources Kelly

PEIMS Code Information: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/PEIMS/ Section 2: Data Submission Requirements, 102 Record Texas Education Code § 7.029 **Foster Care status must be handled with the utmost sensitivity and in accordance with all FERPA guidelines! **

Comprehensive resource and training guide, released in October 2013; Co-written with TEA, DFPS and Children’s Commission. Research based: Codifies foster care education practice, policy, laws and resources in one central location. Foundational resource for education community, foster care liaisons, and all who support the education of students in foster care. Guidebook provides foundation for district training and development on foster care. PEIMS/Data related information pg. 16, 36, 45, 50, 51, 123.

PEIMS 2013-14 Foster Care Collection Update: Thank you for all that you did to support districts in implementing the new PEIMS collection and identifying students in foster care at enrollment. Soft-launch year – many lessons learned and areas to improve as we move forward. Significantly low number of students identified in the initial fall snap-shot. Moving forward – Increase coordination with district foster care liaison(s) and encourage campuses to identify in PEIMS any remaining students who were identified in the school-year in the summer collection. Large systemic change that impacts both the child welfare and education systems. Late role out of new PEIMS collection – district enrollment packets already developed. Confusion about identifying students in foster care and what documentation is accepted for eligibility. Notifying school at enrollment is a new CPS policy and practice. Training and implementing all persons and systems impacted within the child welfare community will take time. Other considerations/feedback

Identifying Students in Foster Care for the purpose of PEIMS: Who’s eligible? Only students in the conservatorship of Texas Department of Family and Protective Services are eligible should be coded for the purpose of PEIMS. Students or families who may be involved with the child welfare system, but not in Texas DFPS conservatorship, are not in foster care and should not be coded for the purpose of PEIMS. Students who are placed in Texas by another state’s child welfare system are not in Texas DFPS conservatorship and therefore should not be coded for the purpose of PEIMS. Students who are Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) and under Federal Foster Care status should not be coded for the purpose of PEIMS.

What types of settings do students live in when placed in Texas DFPS Conservatorship, ‘Foster Care’? Kinship Caregiver (KO)* Foster Home (FC)* Emergency Shelter Group Home Residential Treatment Centers (FC)* -Students who live in these settings and are in Texas DFPS conservatorship will have a Placement Authorization form 2085. All students with a Placement Authorization form 2085 are in DFPS conservatorship and should be coded for the purpose of PEIMS. *The letters following the number 2085 at the top right corner of the document are different and reflect the living setting that a student is placed in.

Understanding Acceptable Documentation: Placement Authorization Form – 2085 (PEIMS 2013-14) This form comes in a variety of formats - Please request the Placement Authorization form 2085 for PEIMS. Other 2085’s that a school may see (these are not Placement Authorization forms): 2085, B & D – Related to Medical Consenter E – 2085 – Education Decision Maker (New law, 83rd Session) *All forms in the 2085 series designate the student is in DFPS conservatorship – please request the Placement Authorization form 2085 for PEIMS* There are no-expiration dates on Placement Authorization form 2085’s. Districts should accept a 2085, regardless of the date on it.

Placement Authorization form 2085 Chap 6, pg. 50-51, 123

Chap. 9 p. 68, 69 Texas Family Code §263.004 4 page form.

Education Decision-Maker Form 2085-E Resource Guide p. 91. Chap. 11 p. 91 Texas Education Code § 25.007

Acceptable Documentation: Court Order Chap 6. 50-51 Acceptable Documentation: Court Order Court order naming DFPS Temporary Managing Conservatorship (TMC) or Permanent Managing Conservatorship (PMC).

Examples of Non-Acceptable documentation that you may see: (PEIMS 2013-14) Forms/Letters from a Child Placing Agency on behalf of a child* DFPS Kinship Caregiver Agreement – 0695** Agreement for Parental Child Safety Placement (PCSP) – DFPS Form 2298 (p. 51) Authorization Agreement for Nonparent Relative or Voluntary Caregiver – State of Texas Form (p. 51) Home and Community-based Services (HCS) – DFPS Form 8865*** Court/and or Legal paperwork stating another party outside of DFPS is legally authorized representative or the custodial parent. Documents from another state’s child welfare system. Documentation that a student is in conservatorship under another party other than Texas DFPS. (e.g. - Unaccompanied Refugee Minors who are in the conservatorship of Baptist Children’s Home (federal foster care)). *Students with this form are likely in DFPS conservatorship and should also have a Placement Authorization Form 2085. **Students with this form are in DFPS conservatorship and should also have a Placement Authorization Form 2085. ***Students with this form may or may not be in DFPS conservatorship. Students who are in DFPS conservatorship will also have a Placement Authorization Form 2085.

Training Resources

Chapter 5, pg. 44-48

p. 10

Where to find the Foster Care & Student Success Resource Guide: Online Interactive PDF available for download: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/FosterCareStudentSuccess/resource-guide.pdf Individual chapter download: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/fostercarestudentsuccess Hard-copies may be ordered through TEA’s Office of Publication: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=2147487430 A professional grade PDF file is available for groups and organizations that would like to have the guide printed to disseminate: email fostercareliaison@tea.state.tx.us or kelly.kravitz@tea.state.tx.us for information.

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