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Minutes for SB384 - Committee on Education
Short Title
Requiring a Kansas foster care children annual academic report card.
Minutes Content for Mon, Mar 16, 2020
Chairperson Huebert opened the hearing on SB384.
Revisor Jason Long gave an overview of the bill. (Attachment 1)
Senator Baumgardner spoke as a proponent of the bill. She wrote this bill (based on the Indiana bill that was put into statute last year), as the Chairperson of the Senate Education Committee, because of the lack of information and continuity among the foster care children, the Department of Children and Families and the school systems. She believes in data, as the basis for policy change. At this point there is not enough data to make effective policy in relation to foster care children and their educational journey. This bill would gather the necessary data needed to comprehend the present situation and begin to craft any changes needed to support these children as they navigate the system. There are many reasons that children end up in Foster Care. 2,397 children were placed in Foster care in the past 6 months. In the shifting sands of foster homes, parents who are not able to care and support their children; schools are often the most stable piece of their lives. There are presently 8,000 children being fostered. We must help them, they are ours, she urged the Committee to pass this bill so data can be gathered and supportive policy for these children can be crafted. (Attachment 2)
There was a short discussion with the Representatives and Senator Baumgardner.
Ethan Belshe spoke as a proponent for this bill on behalf of the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF). DCF supports this bill wholeheartedly. They will use the data to improve outcomes for foster youth. Presently, they send the Kansas Department of Education a data file every day, for every child in the KS school system. DCF requests that there be a small amendment in the bill to add the number and percentage of foster youth participating in the Mental Health Intervention Team Pilot Program. (Attachment 3)
Dr. Jane Adams spoke in favor of the bill from her viewpoint as representing a family organization for parents and their children who have severe emotional behavioral problems. Her organization uses the tool of a report card, to share a student's history, quick information and a clear snapshot of their education so far. She noted that foster kids have many elective classes because they are easier to transfer into if the student comes in mid-semester. Data gathering is important but data intervention is key to helping these children catch up and get the credits they need to graduate and to succeed. (Attachment Testimony 4) (Attachment Handout 5)
Chairperson Huebert closed the hearing on SB384.
