Foster Care & Student Success

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Contact Information

Dr. Ann H. Lê
Deputy Program Management Director (Foster Care)

fostercareliaison@tea.texas.gov

Foster Care & Student Success is dedicated to improving educational stability, access, and outcomes for students experiencing foster care across Texas public schools. The program provides resources, technical assistance, guidance, and professional learning opportunities to help school personnel meet federal and state requirements while supporting the unique needs of students experiencing foster care. Through collaboration with local education agencies, child welfare partners, and other stakeholders, the program works to remove barriers to enrollment, attendance, engagement, and academic success.

Foster Care Resource Hub

Professional Development Opportunities

Stay connected through professional learning opportunities designed to help educators, school staff, and program leaders strengthen their knowledge, explore promising practices, and gain practical strategies to support student success.

Coordinated Care: Points of Contact and Principles for Foster Youth Success

Texas is dedicated to ensuring that students experiencing foster care have the support they need to succeed academically and beyond. Central to this commitment is a strong foundation of cross-system collaboration between education agencies, child welfare professionals, and community partners. At the heart of these efforts are designated foster care points of contact at the local and regional levels, who play a vital role in coordinating services, removing barriers, and advocating for student success. This section highlights the key players, collaborative strategies, and guiding principles that drive Texas’s approach to supporting students in foster care.

  • School System Foster Care Liaisons

    Each school district and open-enrollment charter school in Texas is required to appoint at least one employee to act as a foster care liaison. Both districts and open-enrollment charter schools must submit their foster care liaison's name and contact information to TEA.

    Liaison Duties

    • Facilitate the enrollment in or transfer to a public or open-enrollment charter school of any child in the district or area served by the charter school who is in the conservatorship of the state (TEC §33.904).
    • Advocate for the needs of students in foster care.
    • Coordinate with various school personnel and departments to ensure the required supports, practices, and best-practice strategies for serving students in foster care are implemented within school systems.
    • May coordinate with the Title I director, transportation director, McKinney-Vento homeless liaison, dropout prevention/at-risk coordinator, special education staff, and other federal program staff to coordinate ESSA and other requirements for students in foster care within their school systems. 
    • May coordinate with individual campuses, community services agencies, caregivers, local colleges, and advocates involved with the child welfare system. 

    See Chapter Five of the Foster Care & Student Success Resource Guide for more information on foster care liaison duties. 

    Foster Care Liaison Contact Information

    School Systems must submit Foster Care Liaison contact information to TEA through AskTED. AskTED is a real-time public database where each school district and charter school's foster care liaison is listed.

    • Districts must submit their liaison information to TEA through the district’s AskTED administrator.
    • For charter schools, please complete the All-In-One Charter Update Form for any AskTED updates. More information can be found here for Charter Schools.
    • Include your liaison’s name, email address, and phone and fax numbers. This information will be added to the AskTED directory.

    School systems should review this information annually. Contact your district's AskTED administrator or TEA's Charter School Division immediately if there are any changes.

    You can view and download foster care liaison information in AskTED. Information is available by district, region, and county. For step-by-step instructions with pictures of how to view and download a current list of foster care liaisons in AskTED, please follow the guidelines for how to find the foster care liaison contact information in AskTED (PDF).

  • Each regional Education Service Center (ESC) has voluntarily designated an ESC Foster Care Champion to serve as a regional point of contact and resource on foster care education matters. ESC Foster Care Champions support School Systems [local education agencies (LEAs)] by providing guidance, technical assistance, professional development, and opportunities for collaboration focused on improving educational outcomes for students affected by foster care.

    Many ESCs offer professional learning opportunities and may convene Education Consortiums - collaborative forums and joint trainings that bring together school personnel, child welfare professionals, and community partners to address the unique educational needs of students in foster care. These partnerships help strengthen local capacity, promote educational stability, and support compliance with federal and state requirements.

    District and campus staff are encouraged to contact their local ESC to learn about available trainings, resources, technical assistance, and other supports designed to enhance services for students in foster care. 

    ESC Full Name Email Address Phone Number
    1 Manuel Salinas  Mansalinas@esc1.net (956) 984-6138
    2 Cristina Sandoval cristina.sandoval@esc2.us  (361) 561-8454
    3 Kelly Gabrysch kgabrysch@esc3.net (361) 573-0731 x138
    4 LaShonda Evans lashonda.evans@esc4.net (713) 744-6380
    5 Brenda Thompson brendat@esc5.net (409) 951-1877
    6 Albert Archuleta aarchuleta@esc6.net (936) 435-8228
    7 Dana Harper dharper@esc7.net (903) 988-6785
    8 Nikole Jones  njones@reg8.net (903) 575-2785
    9 Taniqua Blakely taniqua.blakely@esc9.net  (940) 322-6928
    10 Dr. Cynthia Jaird cynthia.jaird@region10.org (972) 348-1217
    11 Lesley Cathey lcathey@esc11.net (817) 740-7709
    12 Amy Jimenez amy.jimenez@esc12.net  (254) 297-1116
    13 Jerretta Jimmerson Davenport jerretta.jimmersondavenport@esc13.txed.net (512) 919-5184 
    14 Jennifer Andress jandress@esc14.net  (325) 675-7008
    15 Lesley Casarez  Lesley.casarez@esc15.net (325) 481-4097
    16 Megan Wade 
    CeCe Favela     		 megan.wade@esc16.net 
    cecilia.favela@esc16.net     		 (806) 677-5286
    (806) 677-5173 
    17 Kristen Lewis klewis@esc17.net (806) 281-5762
    18 Angie Balderrama abalderrama@esc18.net  (432) 567-3205
    19 Angie Arsola adarsola@esc19.net (915) 780-5316
    20 Melissa Clarke melissa.clarke@esc20.net (210) 370-5239

     

  • Each of the 11 Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) regions has a least one Education Specialist. These specialists act a liaisons between DFPS and local schools and School Systems within their region. The Regional Education Specialist is an excellent contact for building partnerships with the community and local child welfare system. Regional Education Specialists also serve as the point of contact for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

    Contact your DFPS Regional Education Specialist for assistance with:

    • Education best-interest decisions
    • Transportation
    • Dispute resolution
    • Cross-system coordination needs, trainings, and requirements
    • Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

    Find your region below for your representative.

    View Education Specialists        View Education Specialists by County

  • Collaboration among education agencies, child welfare agencies, and community partners is essential to improving educational stability, access, and outcomes for students experiencing foster care. The federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 and Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), establish important requirements for coordination between education and child welfare agencies.

    The following guiding principles support successful collaborative and coordinated efforts among education, child welfare, and community partners:

    1. Guiding Principle 1: Children and youth in foster care remain in their school of origin unless a determination is made that remaining in that school is not in their best interest.
    2. Guiding Principle 2: Children and youth in foster care experience prompt enrollment and seamless transitions when a school change is necessary.
    3. Guiding Principle 3: Young children in foster care receive services and interventions that support school readiness and success.
    4. Guiding Principle 4: Children and youth in foster care have opportunities and support to participate fully in developmentally appropriate activities and all aspects of the educational experience.
    5. Guiding Principle 5: Children and youth in foster care receive support to promote attendance, prevent school dropout, address disciplinary barriers, and reengage in their education.
    6. Guiding Principle 6: Children and youth in foster care are involved, empowered, and prepared to advocate for their educational needs and goals.
    7. Guiding Principle 7: Children and youth in foster care have consistent adult support to advocate for them and make or participate in educational decisions, as appropriate.
    8. Guiding Principle 8: Children and youth in foster care receive support to prepare for, enter, and complete postsecondary education, training, or other pathways to successful adulthood.

  • Texas supports improved educational outcomes for students experiencing foster care through collaboration among education, child welfare, judicial, and community partners. Cross-system collaboration helps promote educational stability, strengthen transitions, connect students and schools with resources, and support positive educational outcomes.

    Current Cross-System Collaboration

    The Texas Education Agency (TEA), Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), Texas Children’s Commission, education service centers, local education agencies, and other partners work across systems to support the educational needs of students experiencing foster care.

    Collaborative efforts support key areas such as:

    • Educational Stability – Supporting school stability and continuity for students experiencing foster care.
    • School Transitions – Strengthening coordination when students enter foster care or change schools or placements.
    • Training and Resources – Providing educators, child welfare professionals, caregivers, and other partners with information and resources to support students.
    • Cross-System Coordination – Strengthening communication and collaboration among education, child welfare, judicial, and community partners.
    • Student Success – Supporting students throughout their educational journey, including transitions to postsecondary education, training, and other opportunities.

    Texas Blueprint: A Foundation for Collaboration

    The Texas Blueprint: Transforming Education Outcomes for Children & Youth in Foster Care was submitted to the Supreme Court of Texas in 2012. Developed through collaboration among education, child welfare, judicial, and community stakeholders, the Blueprint provided recommendations focused on school readiness, school stability and transitions, the school experience, and postsecondary education. The Blueprint and subsequent implementation work helped establish a foundation for continued cross-system collaboration to improve educational experiences and outcomes for students in foster care.

    Visit the Texas Children’s Commission Foster Care & Education webpage to access the Texas Blueprint and additional foster care and education resources.