Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare
School of Social Work, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota
Research & Evaluation
High School Graduation and Child Welfare:
A Description of the Education Status of Older Minnesota Adolescents in the Academic Year After Substantiated Child Maltreatment Findings
Title IV-E Curriculum Module
Discussion Questions
- This study found a significant gap between the graduation rates of
older adolescents who had had recent contact with the child welfare
system and those who did not. Because the child protection finding
did not necessarily require open services, many of these youth did not
have open cases with county social services and consequently, no case
plan that included current educational attainment goals. With what
other services may these youth have contact and what role might those
services play in reinforcing school attendance and completion?
- In what
ways may counties and school districts in Minnesota discuss and share
the practices that they have in place that are making a difference for
at-risk youth? What strategies are employed in situations where
funding is less generous than in the past?
- Is it necessary to have a
county social worker in all high schools and middle schools? If
not, what are some other strategies that can facilitate communication
between schools and county agencies when social work staff cannot be on
site in all cases?
- A high proportion of non-graduating child welfare
adolescents in this study had received special education compared to
graduates. What is being done to address the unique needs of these
students and how can current services be enhanced? What are the
implications for these student's adult outcomes?
- How could Minnesota
school districts and counties experiment with funding so that schools
can best serve these adolescents?
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