Foster children and the Arise Academy

There are almost 21 thousand foster children in Pennsylvania, and more than 5 thousand in Philadelphia. But they’re not staying in school: Between 2000 and 2004, more than 75 percent of Philadelphia students in foster care dropped out of school. To those shattering statistics, a novel response is being tried: A new charter school has just opened in Philadelphia devoted solely to foster children. Guest host DAVE DAVIES talks with JILL WELSH DAVIS, board president and founder of the Arise Academy, and DEBRA SCHILLING WOLFE of the Field Center at Penn, a leading expert on children’s welfare, about foster children in Philadelphia. Listen to the mp3