The Missouri 94th General Assembly passed House Bill No. 827 , an act relating to the educational needs of children in residential care facilities. The bill now goes to the Missouri Senate.

The act remedies some of the educational problems faced by that children in residential care facilities. These children are often transient, changing residential placements and schools every few months or even weeks. They sometimes face stigma and discrimination.

The problems surfaced in a particular way at a youth residential care facility south of Kansas City. Their school district attempted to deny an education to the children residing at the facility. The district wanted to force the children into "home bound" education at the facility for only a few hours a week.

I had the privilege of being called by the management of the facility to advocate for the children. For my effort, I was honored as a 2006 Outstanding Family Advocate by Cornerstones of Care, a partnership of agencies that provides therapeutic treatment services for children and their families.

We realized that while advocacy for the individual children was important, we needed to find systemic solutions. We therefore joined with other service providers through the Missouri Council of Children's Agencies to propose the pending legislation.

If the bill becomes law, children in residential care facilities will receive a full day of school. If they cannot be educated in the regular school, the bill provides for educating them at the residential facility.