September Advocacy Tip

Every month CASA publishes an "Advocacy Tip" to give Advocates the chance to earn 1 Hour of Ongoing Training Credit. Take the quiz at the bottom to earn your credit!

Educational Advocacy


As summer break comes to an end and the focus shifts to returning to school with buying new clothes, getting school supplies, and catching up with school friends, it’s natural for kids to get excited for the start of a new year. While children in foster care might also feel the excitement, there is a high probability that returning to school could be met with anxiety, which is very understandable. Part of an advocate’s role is to assist in this transition and to advocate to ensure the child’s educational needs are met.


The CASA advocate has the right to review a child’s educational data, communicate with school staff, and attend educational meetings. In your advocacy role, be proactive by building a strong positive rapport with the child’s school.   Below are some ways to help foster a positive relationship:

·       Contact the school (school counselor, teacher, principal).

·       Send an introductory email to introduce oneself and to explain CASA’s role in the child’s education.

·       Schedule a time to visit the school and meet with the teacher and with other school staff to meet in person and possibly visit with the child.

·       Provide a copy of the Court Order and a copy of your CASA badge. 

·       Visit the school and meet with teacher and any other staff member that is involved in the child’s education. Restate your role and offer how you can support the child in their education. 

·       Advise that you would like to attend all educational meetings such as 504s and ARD’s.

·       Communicate any behavioral triggers that would help the staff best know how to address the child to provide the best outcome.

·       Maintain ongoing contact with school staff and report any concerns that you might have.

Regular contact with school personnel is important to ensure the child is progressing in their academics and if concerns arise then these can be addressed as needed.


Advocates are very important members of the child’s educational team. Some caregivers may be kinship family members that have not been involved in the school system for years and some foster parents may not have experience in working with the school system. CASA advocates can guide these individuals within the system and help ensure that all the child’s needs are being met while in care.

Advocacy Tip Quiz

Story of Hope: Staff Advocate JoAnn

By bfines • March 9, 2026
In March 2025, Child Protective Services removed four young children, just 7, 4, 2, and 3 months old, from their mother’s care. This difficult step followed ongoing concerns about neglect, largely connected to the mother’s struggle with substance use, even during her most recent pregnancy. Although CPS offered support through Family Based Safety Services, the mother was unable to engage in the help provided. The children’s father was also unable to support them due to his own substance abuse and his incarceration in Bexar County Jail. Before removal, the children’s basic medical and educational needs were going unmet. They had been moved repeatedly between their mother and other relatives, leaving them without the stability, routine, and nurturing supervision every child deserves.  When CASA Staff Advocate, JoAnn Herring, was assigned the case in April 2025, she immediately reached out to both kinship caregivers to understand the children’s needs and how to best support the families stepping in to care for them. JoAnn quickly learned that the paternal grandmother, who lovingly took in some of the children, was struggling financially and facing barriers due to limited English proficiency. To ensure she wasn’t facing these challenges alone, JoAnn submitted a CFE (Collaborative Family Engagement) referral and personally provided translation support so the grandmother could access services with dignity and understanding. Throughout the case, JoAnn has witnessed moments where cultural sensitivity was lacking, and personal biases influenced important decisions; often at the expense of what was best for the children. Despite these obstacles, she continues to advocate steadfastly and compassionately for the children to remain with the kinship caregivers who have opened their homes and hearts to provide safety, consistency, and love. Although the case is not yet over, Joann’s story demonstrates that CASA’s advocacy reaches beyond the children themselves, strengthening the village of care and support surrounding them, because CASA wants children to be safe, to thrive, and to have their overall well-being protected.

March Advocate Spotlight

By bfines • March 9, 2026
Johnathan Cobb
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