B6.19 - Approve the Amendment of Service Agreement #ECA-C13-SA-SBHC-FY22 with Eckerd Youth Alternatives, Inc., d/b/a Eckerd Connects (Climate and Culture)

Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) and Eckerd Connects have collaborated since 2012 to support the educational success for students placed with licensed foster care families. Eckerd Connects works together with several local providers including the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit to support the educational success of these students.  

In collaboration with Eckerd Connects, HCPS will continue to provide a team of five employees during the 2020/2021 school year referred to as the Fostering Education Team. Eckerd Connects specifically funds 2.5 positions through this contract including one high school counselor, one middle school counselor, and .50 of the school social worker who serves as the educational court liaison.  HCPS also funds 2.5 positions including one high school counselor, one school social worker, and .50 of the school social worker who serves as the educational court liaison. (See Eckerd Service Agreement with Yearly Amendments for the original agreement and all amendments.)

District data indicates that there is a gap in learning and system barriers that lead to children in foster care lagging behind their peers academically. In 2017/2018, 67 percent of students residing in foster care received a standard diploma compared to the District graduation rate of 85.8 percent. Although Eckerd Connects Scorecard Data indicates positive outcomes with most targets being met, there are still areas in which students in licensed foster care need support. At the end of the 2018/2019 school year only 65.9 percent of students served met reading benchmarks and 58.1 percent of students served met math benchmarks.

Program services are evaluated on an ongoing basis. Individual support, guidance, and progress monitoring is provided at school sites for each participating student. The Supervisor and Coordinator of School Social Work Services meet with the program staff for program service planning and implementation. A current data sharing agreement between Mindshare, a subcontractor of Eckerd Connects and HCPS allows real time data to be shared between Eckerd Connects and HCPS. A Fostering Education Scorecard is updated monthly and specific goals related to academic success are monitored and used to make recommendations to improve services for youth (see attached report – Eckerd Connects Scorecard Data).

Students in licensed foster care served by the Fostering Education Team will be provided with individualized support in order to meet educational benchmarks outlined in the Fostering Education Scorecard. Specifically, measures will include school attendance, school suspensions, reading and math benchmarks, grade point average, promotion to the next grade level, mobility, and graduation. An education plan is developed for each student served by the Fostering Education Team and progress towards goals are monitored.

• Improve the high school graduation rate
• Improve Student Achievement
• Provide a student-centered learning environment that engages every child

Approve the amendment of the Eckerd Connects Service Agreement #ECA-C13-SA-SBHC-FY22.

Myrna Hogue, Supervisor, School Social Work Services, Myrna.Hogue@sdhc.k12.fl.us, (813) 273-7090
Holly Saia, Ed.S., General Director, Student Services, Holly.Saia@sdhc.k12.fl.us, (813) 273-7136
Tracye H. Brown, Chief of Climate and Culture, Tracye.Brown@sdhc.k12.fl.us, (813) 272-4879

Funds in the amount of $177,084.74 will be provided to the district from Eckerd Connects.  HCPS will provide equal funding to support this service agreement.