The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law on December 10, 2015, amending the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). ESSA contains provisions related to protections for children in foster care and requires the Maine Department of Education ( DOE) and Maine school administrative units (SAUs) to collaborate with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) to ensure educational stability for children in foster care.
Join the Maine DOE’s Office of School and Student Supports Director Julie Smyth and Associate Director of Child Welfare Services Bobbi Johnson on Tuesday, January 31st via Zoom for a 4:00 pm Annual Foster Care Training for Point Of Contacts (POCs). Participants receive a certificate upon successful completion of a post-session quiz.
The goal of ESSA is for children in foster care to experience minimal disruption in their education because of being placed in foster care and that they are given the same opportunities to develop the necessary skills to be successful as children who are not in foster care.
Under ESSA the Maine DOE and OCFS must work together to ensure:
- A child in foster care will enroll or remain enrolled in the child’s school of origin unless a determination is made that it is not in the child’s best interest to attend that school.
- If a determination is made that is not in the child’s best interest to remain in the school of origin, the child will immediately be enrolled in a new school, even if the child and/or his or her guardians are unable to produce records normally required for enrollment; and
- The child’s new school must immediately contact the school of origin to obtain relevant records.
Register here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing further information about joining the meeting.
For questions, please contact Julie Smyth, Director of the Office of School, and Student Supports – at 207.592.0949 or julie.a.smyth@maine.gov .
