Issue Position: FOSTER CARE

Issue Position

Reducing the instability of life in foster care
Unfortunately, when children in foster care are placed in a foster home outside of their original school district, they often aren't able to attend school. Therefore, they sit in offices during the day instead of being in school. And, if they're placed in a foster home in a different county, it becomes really difficult for children to attend school.

We know that when children miss three or more days of school, they fall behind. Frequently interrupted schooling, and the resulting lack of development and lifetime costs -- under-employment and unemployment, poverty, desperation, alcohol and drug addiction, and incarceration -- are a burden borne by thousands of Kansas foster children, largely due to being denied a normal education.

I will introduce a bill in the 2020 session to help prevent foster care children from sitting in offices during the day when they should be in school.

I believe my bill will help prevent absences, and help foster children get an education, become employable, and stay out of the prison system.

Source