Abstract:
Children who live in foster care are more likely than their peers in the general population to have academic delays, special education needs, and social-emotional and behavior problems. Research suggests that a plethora of educational accommodations and interventions may help address these needs; however, it is uncertain to what extent these accommodations and interventions are routinely used in school districts and how prepared schools are to deal with the needs of children in foster care. One hundred and two school districts across the country were surveyed using the School Rating Scale for Children in Foster Care to examine policies and procedures routinely used to address the needs of children in foster care. Results suggest that school districts engage in several interventions and accommodations recommended by research for topics regarding policies and procedures, social-emotional and behavioral interventions, special education, homework, and collaboration. The results indicated a significant positive correlation between districts' average policy adherence and the presence of a written policy; however, many participants were unaware of their school district's policies suggesting a need for professional development.
Description:
Dissertation completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Psychology degree in School Psychology at Alfred University, Alfred, NY.
