Join us for a “National Conversation” on the intersection of education and foster care that will leave you with a reasonable expectation of radical social change on Wednesday, October 19th at 3pm ET RIGHT HERE.

When Americans contemplate the impending debate over education reform, the majority is not likely to consider the lessons to be learned from foster care.  Research consistently suggests that childhood trauma, placement instability and myriad other factors leave many students in foster care far behind their peers in almost all academic measures. Despite this reality, stakeholders from both child welfare and education across the country are proving that tight collaboration can yield dramatic results for students in foster care. This signals an opportunity to apply these lessons to wider populations of vulnerable students struggling through similar educational impediments.

On October 18^th, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee will begin the long awaited overhaul of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, commonly referred to as No Child Left Behind. It is doubtful that the ensuing media coverage will focus much attention on students in foster care, creating an incredible opportunity to merge the narrative of education reform with the bright spots in a nationwide effort to improve the educational outcomes of students in foster care.

In an effort to highlight and bolster this national movement, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) and Fostering Media Connections (FMC) have organized an unprecedented “National Conversation” on the intersection of education and foster care.

On OCTOBER 19^th, as Congress begins to publicly grapple with education reform, teachers and students In California, researchers in Illinois and policymakers in Washington DC will share effective strategies to improve educational outcomes for students in foster care. All the proceedings will be transmitted live, over the Internet. Further, CCAI and FMC will release a report laden with research, legislative history, on-the-ground journalistic accounts and a broad range of recommendations.

WHO:

Sen. Mary Landrieu: (D-LA): Co-Chair of the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth.

Sen. Chuck Grassley: (R-IA): Co-Chair of the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth.

George Sheldon: Acting Assistant Secretary Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Cheryl Smithgall: Researcher Fellow at Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago

Mike Jones: Teacher and Co-Founder of Courageous Connection in Sacramento, CA

Carey Sommer: High School graduate through Courageous Connection

Jetaine Hart: Former CCAI Foster Youth Intern and current Educational Mentor for Foster Youth at Alameda County Office of Education, Foster Youth Services

WHEN: 12:00 PM PST – 1:30 // 2:00 PM CST – 3:30 // 3:00 PM EST – 4:30

DATA & RESEARCH: Find a link to the National Working Group on Foster Care and Education‘s 2011 fact sheet on educational outcomes for students in foster care entitled: “Education is the Lifeline for Youth in Foster Care”