Supporting Highly Mobile Students 2018-2019

Why Educational Stability The numerous changes and chaos experienced by highly mobile students impacts their education in many ways. It is rarely an overnight event when a student …. goes homeless, is taken into state custody, follows a parent’s agricultural or fishing jobs, or experiences the deployment of a parent.

Why Educational Stability Being Highly mobile affects Whole family School attendance Ability to focus and learn Educational gaps Behavior Grade promotion On time graduation

Why Educational Stability … including the teacher, classmates and the others in the school. Students coming and going Could that happen to me? I’ve been worried about her. Is he going to be ok? Is he safe?

Why Educational Stability By focusing on educational stability we can - Improve school attendance Reduce distractions from learning Minimizes educational gaps Provide consistency while everything else is changing Encourage continued parent engagement Maintain connections with relatives, peers, and community.

What else is going on for Highly mobile students? Among highly mobile students we often see Food insecurity Lack of medical, dental, and mental health services Loss of connection to family, friends, community - including siblings Disrupted adult and peer relationships Students experience a culmination of ongoing instability … and trauma.

Trauma Recovery

What helps Predictability Daily routines Avoid sudden changes in the classroom Consistent rules and expectations Mentoring, daily check ins Engaging in group activities Sports community service learning afterschool clubs, student newsletter… Focus on student strengths

In small groups discuss: What works…. In small groups discuss: What are you seeing as the needs of highly mobile students (perhaps a particular student comes to mind)? What strategies or best practices have you been using? Do those strategies work for all your highly mobile students? What did not work? Have you learned a new way(s) to support these students today?

Regional Liaisons The Regional Liaisons are available to provide districts with technical assistance on highly mobile students, talk through cases and suggest best practices and/or local resources. Carol Baez, Worcester Public schools 508-799-3652 Jacob Hansen, Framingham Public Schools 508-782-6894 Julie Mador, New Bedford Public Schools 508-997-4511 x3424 Stacy Parsons, North Adams Public Schools 413-766-1677

Contact Information – Educational Stability Team DESE Websites: Homeless Education http://www.doe.mass.edu/mv/ Foster Care Education http://www.doe.mass.edu/sfs/foster/ People Search for Liaisons/POCs http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/search/search.aspx?leftNavId=11239 Migrant Education http://www.doe.mass.edu/ssce/migrant.html Military-Connected Students http://www.doe.mass.edu/sfs/military.html Staff: Christine Cowen, Migrant Education, Military Connected Students 781-338-6301 ccowen@doe.mass.edu Kristen McKinnon, Foster Care Point of Contact 781-338-6306 kmckinnon@doe.mass.edu Sarah Slautterback, State Coordinator< Homeless Education 781-338-6330 sslautterback@doe.mass.edu

Educational Stability, Office of Student and Family Support THANK YOU Educational Stability, Office of Student and Family Support 781.338.3010 achievement@doe.mass.edu www.doe.mass.edu/sfs/