New report card from Gov. Laura Kelly puts
Kansas’ foster children on the right path
By Laura Howard Special to The Star
July 20, 2020
Read more here: https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article244314582.html#storylink=cpy
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Gov. Laura Kelly’s decision to issue an executive order creating an annual Foster
Care Academic Report Card was the right one for Kansas’ foster youth. As secretary
of the Kansas Department for Children and Families, I’m proud of the progress our
agency has made throughout the Kelly administration to improve outcomes and the
life trajectory for young people who experience state custody.
When Kelly took office, her administration inherited a foster care system in crisis.
Years of severe funding cuts to pay for failed tax policy had undermined the state
safety net and the number of children in foster care were at record highs.
Over the last 18 months, the DCF has improved practices, implemented new
programs and made systemic changes, all with the aim of achieving better outcomes
for youths in state custody. We affirmed our commitment to continue this work
when we reached an agreement this month to settle the class action lawsuit filed
against the state in 2018.
DCF practitioners have been trained in new practice models that prioritize family
involvement in safety and placement decisions. This year, Kansas was one of the
first states to implement the federal Family First Prevention Services Act, providing
vulnerable families with the skills training, support and resources they need to keep
their children out of the foster care system when safely possible.
These improvements have yielded increased stability for foster youth. Currently,
95.9% of foster children in the state are in a stable placement according to federal
case review standards. In the second half of fiscal year 2020, the DCF also achieved
a decrease in the number of children who had no overnight placement and stayed in
an office from an average of 16 per month to six per month.
As we have refocused our mission, we have made improving education a key
priority because we know it is vital for the long-term success and well-being of all
children. This report card, which tracks and reports educational outcomes of
Kansas foster youth on an annual basis, will give us valuable insights into what gaps
exist and how to better meet the educational needs of these children.
I’m proud to say Kansas will be among the first states in the nation to produce and
publish such a report. The report also provides accountability and transparency to
the public. I am especially pleased that the report will include data by race and
ethnicity, allowing us to identify and specifically target any disparate outcomes.
While we don’t yet know exactly what this data will show, I am eager to see where it
leads us. This is an unprecedented opportunity for the child welfare and education
systems to work together to support foster youth. I am thankful Kelly took swift
action to issue the executive order, continuing her commitment to improve
outcomes for foster youth.
While educational outcomes are a key issue for Kansas foster children, the Foster
Care Academic Report Card is only one of many initiatives we have undertaken at
the department to improve outcomes for young people in state custody. While there
remains work to be done to relieve our state’s strained child welfare system, we
have made significant progress in getting it back on the right track.
Gov. Kelly and I are committed to continuing to improve outcomes for foster youth
in Kansas. We’ve made progress, but we aren’t yet where we want to be or where
the children and families of Kansas need us to be. With the support of the governor,
Legislature, engaged communities and child welfare stakeholders, I am confident
we will succeed — together.
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Laura Howard is Kansas Department for Children and Families Secretary.
Read more here: https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article244314582.html#storylink=cpy