Title X Part C No Child Left Behind Act Our children need adults who focus on results. Secretary Rod Paige McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act

Number of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness , , , , , , , , – 930, – 930,232

Definitions of Homeless Children and Youth Lack fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence Lack fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence Share housing (due to loss or hardship) Share housing (due to loss or hardship) Live in hotels, motels, trailer homes, campgrounds, emergency or transitional shelters, abandoned in hospitals, awaiting foster care Live in hotels, motels, trailer homes, campgrounds, emergency or transitional shelters, abandoned in hospitals, awaiting foster care

Definitions of Homeless Children and Youth Primary nighttime residence not designed or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation Primary nighttime residence not designed or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation Live in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus, or train stations Live in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus, or train stations

Definitions of Homeless Children and Youth Pre-school aged children. Pre-school aged children. Unaccompanied youth (youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian) Unaccompanied youth (youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian) Migratory children who qualify as homeless because of their living situation Migratory children who qualify as homeless because of their living situation

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act Other Definitions Enroll and Enrollment include – right to attend classes and participate fully in school activities Enroll and Enrollment include – right to attend classes and participate fully in school activities School of Origin – school that child or youth attended when permanently housed or last enrolled School of Origin – school that child or youth attended when permanently housed or last enrolled Comparable Services – services offered to other students in the school selected Comparable Services – services offered to other students in the school selected

Barriers to Enrollment Lack of transportation to or from temporary residence Lack of transportation to or from temporary residence Lack of immunization and medical Lack of immunization and medical records records Lack of school records Lack of school records State guardianship/residency requirements not uniformly State guardianship/residency requirements not uniformly interpreted by school interpreted by school Lack of birth certificates Lack of birth certificates

Youth ages 12 and up face additional barriers to school enrollment, for example: Attendance policies Attendance policies Secondary school credit accrual Secondary school credit accrual Legal guardianship requirements Legal guardianship requirements Barriers to Enrollment

Barriers to School Success Frequent mobility Frequent mobility Lack of staff awareness and sensitivity Lack of staff awareness and sensitivity Inability to complete school assignments Inability to complete school assignments Lack of psychological services Lack of psychological services Poor health and inadequate medical care Poor health and inadequate medical care Physical needs -- food, clothing, health care Physical needs -- food, clothing, health care

Access to Special Programs and Services Special Education Special Education Head Start Head Start Gifted and Talented Gifted and Talented Even Start Even Start Programs for English language learners Programs for English language learners Children experiencing homelessness have difficulty accessing the following programs and services

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act Comparable Services Homeless children and youth must receive comparable services to those received by all other children including Transportation services Transportation services Educational services Educational services Meals through school nutrition programs Meals through school nutrition programs

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act Requires schools to keep children in the school of origin to the extent feasible, except where contrary to the wishes of the parent or guardian Requires schools to keep children in the school of origin to the extent feasible, except where contrary to the wishes of the parent or guardian Child or youths right to attend their school of origin extends to entire duration of homelessness Child or youths right to attend their school of origin extends to entire duration of homelessness Requires removal of any barriers that contribute to exclusion or enrollment delay Requires removal of any barriers that contribute to exclusion or enrollment delay Educational Stability & Continuity

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act Requires schools to immediately enroll children and youth experiencing homelessness Requires schools to immediately enroll children and youth experiencing homelessness Requires a Liaison in every school district Requires a Liaison in every school district Requires public notice of educational rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness disseminated in every school district Requires public notice of educational rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness disseminated in every school district Students Access to School

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act Parental Options and Involvement Requires schools to fully inform parents and guardians of enrollment options and educational opportunities available enrollment options and educational opportunities available Requires schools to fully inform parents of right to have the Requires schools to fully inform parents of right to have the district transport children to school of origin district transport children to school of origin Requires schools provide written explanations to parents Requires schools provide written explanations to parents regarding disputes over school selection and enrollment regarding disputes over school selection and enrollment and referral to Liaisons for dispute resolution and referral to Liaisons for dispute resolution Requires schools to provide parents and guardians with Requires schools to provide parents and guardians with meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children children

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act Educational Rights of Unaccompanied Youth Requires schools to fully inform youth of their enrollment Requires schools to fully inform youth of their enrollment options and available educational opportunities options and available educational opportunities Requires LEA Liaison to assist youth in school Requires LEA Liaison to assist youth in school enrollment and selection decisions and transportation needs enrollment and selection decisions and transportation needs

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act Integration of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness Prohibits segregation of students into separate schools or separate into separate schools or separate classrooms within schools classrooms within schools SEAs and LEAs must adopt policies and practices to ensure SEAs and LEAs must adopt policies and practices to ensure that children are not stigmatized or segregated on the basis that children are not stigmatized or segregated on the basis of their status as homeless of their status as homeless

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act State Support to All School Districts Requires Office of State Coordinator to provide technical assistance to LEAs to ensure technical assistance to LEAs to ensure statewide accountability, compliance, support statewide accountability, compliance, support States must distribute at least 75% of allocation States must distribute at least 75% of allocation to LEAs (except in States with minimum allotments) to LEAs (except in States with minimum allotments)

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act State Support to All School Districts Develop strategies to address enrollment delays caused by immunization and medical records, residency, caused by immunization and medical records, residency, guardianship, other required records, uniform or dress guardianship, other required records, uniform or dress code requirements code requirements Continue to review and revise all policies for barriers Continue to review and revise all policies for barriers Provide procedures to identify homeless youth separated Provide procedures to identify homeless youth separated from public schools and to ensure equal access to from public schools and to ensure equal access to secondary education and support services secondary education and support services

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act Role of State Coordinator Gather, validate, and report data on children and youth experiencing homelessness Access to public preschools, elementary, and secondary Access to public preschools, elementary, and secondary schools schools Special needs of students Special needs of students Progress made by State and LEAs in addressing Progress made by State and LEAs in addressing problems and difficulties problems and difficulties Success in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school Success in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act Role of State Coordinator Technical Assistance Technical assistance to LEAs in coordination with LEA Liaisons to ensure LEA compliance to ensure LEA compliance Inform school personnel, service providers, advocates of the Inform school personnel, service providers, advocates of the duties of the LEA Liaisons duties of the LEA Liaisons

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act LEA Requirements Enroll homeless child or youth immediately even if no records are currently available records are currently available Schools must contact childs or youths school last attended Schools must contact childs or youths school last attended for academic and other records for academic and other records Immediate referral to LEA Liaison if immunization or medical Immediate referral to LEA Liaison if immunization or medical records are unavailable from prior school(s) records are unavailable from prior school(s) Records must be kept, maintained, and available for future Records must be kept, maintained, and available for future school enrollment school enrollment

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act Enrollment Disputes Admit child or youth immediately to school selected by parent/guardian school selected by parent/guardian or youth pending resolution of dispute or youth pending resolution of dispute School must provide parent/guardian or youth with written School must provide parent/guardian or youth with written explanation of decision including statement of rights explanation of decision including statement of rights Referral to Liaison for dispute resolution Referral to Liaison for dispute resolution Liaison ensures unaccompanied youth is immediately enrolled Liaison ensures unaccompanied youth is immediately enrolled

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act Role of LEA LIAISON Assist unaccompanied youth with placement, enrollment, and knowing their rights and knowing their rights Disseminate public notices of educational rights Disseminate public notices of educational rights Inform and assist with accessing Inform and assist with accessing transportation transportation Mediate enrollment disputes Mediate enrollment disputes Coordinate and collaborate Coordinate and collaborate

Coordination with Title I Title I requires that districts must provide services for children and youth who live in homeless situations Title I requires that districts must provide services for children and youth who live in homeless situations Children and youth experiencing homelessness are automatically eligible to receive Title I services by virtue of their homelessness Children and youth experiencing homelessness are automatically eligible to receive Title I services by virtue of their homelessness

Title I Requirements SEAs have to submit a Title I Part A plan coordinated with the McKinney-Vento Act - Sec SEAs have to submit a Title I Part A plan coordinated with the McKinney-Vento Act - Sec LEAs have to submit a Title I Part A plan to SEAs that is coordinated with McKinney-Vento and describes services and set-asides – Sec LEAs have to submit a Title I Part A plan to SEAs that is coordinated with McKinney-Vento and describes services and set-asides – Sec. 1112

Title I Requirements Reservation of Title I Funds - a local education agency needs to reserve funds to provide comparable services for eligible homeless children who do not attend participating schools, including providing educationally related support services to children in shelters and other locations where children may live. - Sec Reservation of Title I Funds - a local education agency needs to reserve funds to provide comparable services for eligible homeless children who do not attend participating schools, including providing educationally related support services to children in shelters and other locations where children may live. - Sec. 1113

Contact Information National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) Diana Bowman, Director Helpline: U.S. Department of Education Gary Rutkin, Federal Coordinator McKinney-Vento Program

We stand on the brink of comprehensive change in the culture of education. Secretary Rod Paige McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act