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Backpack

Encouraging A Community Conversation

• Table of Contents
• How to Help Children & Youth in Foster Care Get the Best Education Possible.

Suggested Activities

• Mythbusting
• Call to Action Plan - PowerPoint Sample
• Action Plan - Sample

Resources

• Questions & Answers
• By Topic
• Alpha Listing
• Ideas for People Who Want to Help
• School Stability - Discussion Questions
• Resources for Professionals
  Working to Improve Education Outcomes

Exhibits

• Sample Invitation
• Sample Press Release
• Sample Agenda
• Sample Ground Rules for Meetings
• Talking Points Video
• Sample Email

Transcript for Everybody's a Teacher Video

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Big Bend Community Based Care embraces new DCF campaign
Tallahassee Democrat - 6/2/11

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How to Help Children & Youth in Foster Care Get the Best Education Possible

DCF's new "Everybody's a Teacher" initiative is designed to encourage individuals and communities to become involved in the education of children and youth in foster care and address issues that often stand in the way of their doing well in school. The message DCF and others hope to convey: Everybody is a teacher.

Many professionals in our local communities understand these issues, and our hope is to use this initiative to bring judges, guardians, care managers, advocates, teachers and school administrators, and others together to develop an action plan that will improve the educational outcomes for our children.

On December 1, 2010, DCF kicked off the first of several community meetings that will be held across the state to address obstacles to the educational success of children and youth in foster care and find ways to ensure that they receive a high-quality education. Education professionals, foster parents and individuals representing the courts, Guardian ad Litem, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, Workforce Plus and Big Bend Community Based Care were among the participants.

DCF will hold similar meetings around the state in the next several months. Please check back to this site for locations, dates and times.

In the meantime, please review the items in the Everybody's a Teacher "Backpack" at left. They provide you with suggestions on how you can be involved in this exciting initiative to help all children succeed in school.

• A Guide to Improve Educational Opportunities for Florida's Foster Youth
• Child Abuse Prevention Sourcebook for Florida School Personnel: A Tool for Reporting Abuse and Supporting the Child - (PDF, 4MB)

Interagency Agreement between the Department of Children and Families, Department of Education, Department of Juvenile Justice, Agency for Persons with Disabilities and the Agency for Workforce Innovation to coordinate services for Children Served by the Florida Child Welfare System.