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Witness tells Ways and Means better cross-agency data on foster youth would guide education policy
Summary
A student witness and sponsor told the committee HB 13-05 would add comparative K–12 and college metrics for foster youth and commission a one-time study of best practices from other states to clarify gaps in services that disrupt educational outcomes.
Delegate Kaiser presented House Bill 13-05 and introduced Anand Kadebe, a senior public policy major at the University of Maryland, to testify in support of requiring improved reporting on education outcomes for students in the child welfare system.
"Students involved in the child welfare system frequently encounter substantial barriers to educational success," Kadebe told the committee, urging that data across agencies be linked and compared to peers so policymakers can identify where supports are needed.
Kadebe and the sponsor argued that current reporting — such as MSDE’s K–12 metrics and the MLDS college dashboard — does not routinely compare foster youth to peer groups, leaving gaps in context that hinder policymaking. The bill would add comparative data elements to existing reports and require a one-time study to identify best practices, how schools and child-welfare agencies share data, and barriers to coordination.
Committee members asked about what specific data would be most useful and how the study would be structured. Witnesses and members agreed improved information could help spot patterns and target interventions, though several noted the practical challenge of consolidating metrics collected by separate agencies.
The hearing closed without a committee vote; the bill proceeds through committee review.
