Building brighter futures for children in foster care through education

Educational advocacy at CASA of Galveston County helps ensure each child’s educational needs are identified, supported and met. CASA volunteer advocates work with schools, teachers, counselors and other professionals to remove barriers to learning, secure services and accommodations, monitor progress and promote academic success while keeping the child’s voice and best interests at the center of educational decisions.

Education can be overlooked in foster care because of caseworker workloads, turnover and placement changes that may send a child to multiple schools in one year. A consistent advocate helps prevent the child’s education from falling through the cracks, regardless of what is happening in the CPS case.

Volunteers contact the child’s school district foster care liaison when the child is registered and reconnect if the child changes schools. Advocates attend education meetings, including individualized education program, or IEP, meetings; complete education surrogate parent training; learn special education rights and processes; and participate in continuing education, including CASA’s education summer series.

CASA of Galveston County volunteer advocates may be appointed by the court as educational surrogate parents to protect a child’s educational rights and help make decisions when a parent or guardian is unavailable or unable to participate.

CASA of Galveston County also offers a tutoring program. Tutors complete training, interviews and background checks to ensure they are trauma-informed and understand CASA policies, procedures and confidentiality. Volunteers include former and current educators, school principals and school counselors.

“I began tutoring a young man in June, and at first, he was quiet and reluctant to try. After a few sessions — and a bag of Takis — his confidence began to grow. We focused on multiplication, division and reading comprehension. By September, he was completing math problems with little help,” Volunteer tutor Leslie Burke said.

CASA of Galveston County’s Education Committee, established in 2020, addresses complex education issues. Its six members include CASA advocates, former school principals, special education directors, foster care liaisons, college deans and others.

Education Program Manager Kate Sonnier oversees educational advocacy.

“Educational advocacy is important for the future of our children and not something CASA of Galveston County let’s slip through the cracks. We ensure every child is able to reach their full potential and get the help they need by ensuring our advocates know what to look for. Our advocates are trained to understand educational advocacy and always have someone to reach out to if they have any questions. We’re committed to helping our children grow in every aspect,” Kate Sonnier says.

If you are interested in becoming an advocate or a tutor, please visit our website, casagalveston.org or contact info@casagalveston.org