Archived Homeless List Serve Messages
SUBJECT: Senate Bill 291 - Foster Care Education Bill of Rights
LISTSERVE MESSAGE DATE: December 19, 2011
In August 2009, Senate Bill 291 created sections 167.018 and 167.019, RSMo, otherwise known as the “Foster Care Education Bill of Rights.”
Under Senate Bill 291, districts are required to designate an educational liaison for children in foster care. It also mandates procedures to: promote educational stability for foster care children, insure credit for satisfactory work completed by foster children; insure accommodation by schools of absences caused by child placement proceedings; allow timely transfer of school records; and insure access of foster children to educational services.
Guidance on the rights of children in foster care has been posted on the Department’s website at: http://dese.mo.gov/schoollaw/freqaskques/documents/FosterCare.pdf .
The designation of a Foster Care Liaison for your district is required to be reported in the August Cycle of Core Data. The following link will provide you with information as reported by your district in that cycle: http://dese.mo.gov/qs/gr/homeless/documents/qs-homeless-foster-care-liaisons-2011.pdf . Many districts have failed to report this information in Core Data.
If your district has not designated a Foster Care Liaison as outlined in Section 167.018, RSMo of Senate Bill 291, we ask that you do so no later than your January board meeting. Again, this information is reported in the August cycle of Core Date, Screen 03 District Contact Personnel, Line 39 Foster Care Liaison.
If you have questions regarding Senate Bill 291, please contact Donna Cash at 573-522-8763 or donna.cash@dese.mo.gov .
Julia A. Cowell
Director, Federal Compliance Unit
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
P.O. Box 480
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0480
(573) 751-8289 Phone
(573) 526-6698 Fax