504 Plan – Falling under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, this plan can help students with learning and attention issues participate in the general education curriculum
AFCARS – Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System – collects case-level information from state and tribal title IV-E agencies on all children in foster care and those who have been adopted with title IV-E agency involvement
BID – Best Interest Determination; also referred to as the joint determination for school placement
CASA – Court Appointed Special Advocate – community volunteer trained to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children
CSA – Children’s Services Act for At-Risk Children and Families – establishes the collaborative administration and funding system for services for certain at-risk youth and their families
CWA – Child welfare agency – also referred to as local department of social services (LDSS)
DJJ – Department of Juvenile Justice – the Virginia DJJ serves court-involved youth throughout the state
Educational Stability Liaison – also called child welfare point of contact in federal guidance, this is the LDSS designee for ensuring school stability for children and youth in foster care
English Learners (ELs) – students identified as having limited English proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, or writing English through procedures established by school districts
Enrollment – child is attending classes and participating fully in school activities
ESEA – Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 – provided national education law and commitment to equal opportunity for all students
ESSA – Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 – reauthorizes ESEA and builds upon certain key areas of ESEA to ensure student success
Family Partnership Meeting – structured decision making process to engage family members and key players prior to making a significant change, including a change in placement for a child in foster care
FAPE – Free Appropriate Public Education, an educational right of children with disabilities
Foster Care Liaison – also called educational point of contact in federal guidance, this is the school division designee for ensuring school stability for children in foster care
Fostering Connections – the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008
GAL – Guardian ad litem – an individual appointed by the court to represent the best interests of a child
IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 – national law amending the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and ensuring services to children and youth with disabilities
IEP – Individualized Education Program – a written education plan designed to meet the placement and services needs of students with disabilities who need special education
Immediate enrollment – enrollment of a student no later than the beginning of the next school day after presentment
Joint determination for school placement – also referred to as the Best Interest Determination (BID)
LEA – Local Education Agency, also referred to as school division
Level C residential facility – residential, in-patient care with 24-7 therapeutic treatment of severe mental, emotional and behavioral disorders
LRE – Least Restrictive Environment – for educational purposes, ensures that students with disabilities are educated in integrated settings, alongside students with and without disabilities, to the maximum extent appropriate
LDSS – Local Department of Social Services, also referred to as child welfare agency
Presentment – the person enrolling the child in school has appeared at the school and presented all required information and certifications
Prior Written Notice – written notice that an LEA provides to parents regarding any proposed changes to an IEP, required in certain circumstances
Private day and residential schools – licensed, privately operated schools providing specialized educational services for students with disabilities
Receiving school division – public school division in which the student’s new or proposed foster care placement is located
Re-enrollment process – procedures for re-enrolling youth released from the custody of DJJ and returned to public schools, as provided in joint guidance authored by VDSS and DJJ
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 – authorized grants to States for vocational rehabilitative services, emphasizing services for those with severe disabilities
Residence determination – LDSS determines the most appropriate placement for a child
School division – also referred to as the local education agency (LEA)
School placement decision – school division and LDSS jointly determine the child’s best interest for school placement
School attendance zone – school a youth would attend based on domicile or residence
School of origin – the school in which a student is enrolled at the time of placement in foster care. If a student's foster care placement changes, the school of origin would then be considered the school in which the student is enrolled at the time of placement change.
Sending school division – division in which the student last attended public school; also called school of origin (SOO)
SEA – State Education Agency, also referred to as the Virginia Department of Education
SOO – school of origin – see definition above
Specialized transportation – transportation indicated in an Individualized Education Program (IEP)
TFC – Treatment Foster Care – out of home placement provided by specially trained foster parents for children and youth who may have a high level of needs
Title I – Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended (ESEA) provides financial assistance to local educational agencies
Title IV-E – part of the Social Security Act that provides a funding stream for foster care costs, requiring specific eligibility criteria
Glossary from Fostering Connections and the Every Student Succeeds Act: Joint Guidance for School Stability of Children and Youth in Foster Care (VDOE and VDSS, 2017)