The presentation will focus on how School Social Workers support districts and school sites to meet the needs of the whole child. Fostering Academic Success in Education (FASE) is a program that aims to elevate the education success of youth in foster care through collaborative and well-coordinated services between community partners from the County of San Diego Health & Human Services Agency, Child Welfare Services (CWS), and San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE). Through a targeted approach in education, FASE aims to make an impact in helping foster youth students from diverse backgrounds and underserved communities beat the odds. FASE will continue to be one of the many strategies used to ensure equity for youth so they can achieve their full potential. FASE is tailored to support educational thriving for youth in the child welfare system that enables them to attain educational success in high school and beyond. A CWS social worker is assigned to each child in the participating schools to work in collaboration with the school and educational liaisons as well as other supports to provide comprehensive educational case management. FASE outcomes during the first year of the pilot include an increased graduation rate for participating seniors, GPA improvements, and an increase in placement stability.

Learning Objective:
1. Learn how the San Diego County Office of Education supports School Social Workers across San Diego County through technical assistance, internships, and professional learning opportunities.
2. Raise awareness of a student-centered approach to ensure youth have the support for success and learn program outcomes of students who participated in the FASE program.
3. Gain knowledge on how the involvement of school social workers positively influences educational outcomes through whole child design thinking and the Community Schools Framework.