On the Road to Educational Equality – Town Hall Event, May 26, 2011 5:30-8PM

Leveling the Playing Field for all Students Starts with Increasing Stability and Achievement for those Experiencing Foster Care

Town Hall Event

Rhode Island College

May 26, 2011 5:30-8PM

In studies from around the country, students in foster care score woefully lower on all academic measures than their peers. Despite this, research has consistently shown that when the particular educational needs of foster youth are addressed through thoughtful policy and practice the resulting improvements in educational achievement for these students can be dramatic.

As national attention is driven to educational reform and the likely overhaul of No Child Left Behind this year, right now is an ideal opportunity to widen the discourse to include those children in foster care.

The moderated town hall will highlight how the problems affecting our public education system as a whole – student mobility, achievement gaps and heightened drop out rates– impact foster youth in particular. Panelists will then explore solutions, the feasibility of such solutions and their likely effect, not only on students in foster care, but on all students.

Hors d’oeuvres and light refreshments will precede the program, giving guests a chance to meet, mingle and explore ways to level the educational playing field for all students. A Q & A session will follow the discussion.

Partners Include:

Rhode Island Foster Parents Association

Rhode Island College School of Social Work

Child Welfare Institute

• Please email info@fosteringmediaconnections.org with any questions.
• Click here for a map of the location
• Click here for the campus map (Alger Hall is in Central Campus and is building #19)
• Fact Sheet – A Report by The National Working Group on Educational Outcomes for Children and Youth in Foster and Out-of-Home Care.

To RSVP, fill out the form below.

Fostering Media Connections is a project of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute.  FMC harnesses the power of journalism and media to drive public and political will behind policy and practice that improve outcomes for children experiencing foster care.