Homeless Education (HE) McKinney-Vento - Homeless Education Act Title X, Part C - ESEA J Jesus Contreras Accountability and Compliance

2 Homeless Facts and Figures Approximately 1.4 million homeless children nationwide 10 percent of all children live in poverty 1.7 million youth run away each year Over 40 percent of all homeless children are under the age of 5

3 Causes of Homelessness Lack of affordable housing Poverty Health problems Domestic violence Natural and other disasters Abuse, neglect, and/or abandonment

4 Barriers to HE Enrollment requirements High mobility Lack of transportation Lack of school supplies, clothing, etc. Poor health, fatigue, hunger, anxiety/trauma

5 Barriers to HE (Cont.) Lack of awareness Prejudice and misunderstanding For unaccompanied youth –Lack of adult/guardian –Need for employment –Credit accrual policies –Concerns of capture by authorities

6 Define Homelessness Individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence –A fixed residence is one that is stationary, permanent, and not subject to change –A regular residence is one that is used on a normal, standard, and consistent basis –An adequate residence is one that is sufficient for meeting both the physical and psychological needs typically met in home environments

7 Define Homelessness (Cont.) Sharing of housing due to economic hardship Motels, hotels Public or private place not designed for sleeping Trailer parks Campgrounds

8 Define Homelessness (Cont.) Cars, parks, and abandoned buildings Living in emergency or transitional shelters Substandard (which means falling short of a standard or norm). Consider: –Health and safety concerns –Number of occupants per square foot –Age of occupants –State and local building codes

9 Define Homelessness (Cont.) Unaccompanied youth –Not in the physical custody of their parent or guardian Awaiting foster care placement Migratory children who qualify as homeless Shelters Abandoned in hospitals

10 Equal Access Homeless students have equal access to all programs run by the school/district.

11 Equal Access (Cont.) School meal program Before- and after-school programs Homeless preschoolers may be given priority enrollment Unaccompanied youth have the right to enroll without a legal guardian

12 Segregation Local educational agencies (LEAs) are required to ensure that homeless children and youth are not stigmatized or segregated on the basis of their homeless status

13 Local Educational Agency (LEA) Liaison All LEAs must have a liaison: –Access the CDE Homeless Web page at LEA liaisons must ensure that: –Homeless children and youth are identified –Public notice of the educational rights is disseminated

14 LEA Liaison (Cont.) –Parents or guardians are informed of educational opportunities –Enrollment disputes are mediated –Unaccompanied youth are assisted –Children and youth who do not have immunizations are assisted

15 LEA Liaison (Cont.) –Collaboration is conducted with the state coordinator, community agencies, and school personnel –Homeless students enroll in, and have full and equal opportunity to succeed in, the schools of the LEA –Homeless families, children, and youth receive educational services

16 Identification Strategies Coordinate with community service agencies such as: –Shelters and drop-in centers –Soup kitchens and food banks –Street outreach teams –Welfare departments –Housing departments –Public health departments –Faith-based organizations

17 Identification Strategies (Cont.) Develop relationships with truancy officials and/or other attendance officers Provide awareness activities for school staff Avoid using the word “homeless” in initial contacts with school personnel, families, or youth

18 Identification Strategies (Cont.) Make special efforts to identify preschool children Use enrollment and withdrawal forms to inquire about living situations Enlist youth to assist with identification Provide outreach materials and posters

19 Reporting Requirements (Cont.) All enrolled homeless students will be collected through the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS)

20 Immediate Enrollment “Enroll” and “enrollment” are defined to include attending classes and participating fully in school activities Homeless children must be immediately enrolled

21 Immediate Enrollment (Cont.) No prior records are needed, but should be obtained by the enrolling school as quickly as possible

22 Enrollment Strategies Train all staff on the legal requirements for enrollment: –Secretaries –School counselors –School social workers –Principals Develop residency forms to replace typical proof of residency

23 Enrollment Strategies (Cont.) Accept school records directly from families and youth Request all records from the previous school immediately, including immunization records –Parental signature is not required for transfer students –The vast majority of students have been enrolled in school before and have received immunizations

24 Enrollment Strategies (Cont.) Speak with parents and youth about the classes the student was in, previous coursework, and special needs Use the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) brief entitled “Prompt and Proper Placement”

25 Enrollment Strategies (Cont.) Review and revise LEA policies, as necessary

26 School Selection Students have the right to stay in “school of origin:” –to the extent feasible –for the duration of homelessness –if in the best interest of student –parent requested “School of origin” is the school the child attended when permanently housed or last enrolled

27 School Selection (Cont.) Students can stay in their school of origin the entire time they are homeless, and until the end of any academic year in which they move into permanent housing If a student is sent to a school other than that requested by a parent or guardian, the district must provide a written explanation to the parent or guardian of its decision and their right to appeal

28 Feasibility - Sample Criteria Continuity of instruction Age of the child/youth Safety of the student Length of stay in shelter Student’s need for special instructional programs Impact of commute on education School placement of siblings Time remaining in the school year

29 Research on School Mobility Students who switch schools frequently score lower on standardized tests It takes children an average of four to six months to recover academically after changing schools

30 Research on School Mobility (Cont.) Students suffer psychologically, socially, and academically from mobility Mobile students are less likely to participate in extracurricular activities and more likely to act out or get into trouble

31 Research on School Mobility (Cont.) Mobility during high school greatly diminishes the likelihood of graduation Controlling for other factors, studies found students who changed high schools even once were less than half as likely as stable students to graduate

32 Dispute Resolution Whenever there is a disagreement, the school must: –Immediately enroll student in school according to parent’s wishes –Keep the student until the dispute is settled –Provide transportation to the school of origin –Explain the decision in writing to parents

33 Dispute Resolution (Cont.) –Contact liaison to assist in settling the dispute with parents, guardian, or youth –If dispute is not resolved at the district level, refer case to the county liaison –If case is still not resolved, refer to state coordinator

34 Transportation Must be provided or arranged to and from the school of origin In addition to providing transportation to the school of origin, LEA’s must provide students in homeless situations with transportation services comparable to those provided to other students If the districts cannot agree on who will pay the costs, the districts must share the costs

35 Transportation Strategies Coordinate with local housing authorities and placement agencies to house students near their school of origin Use approved van or taxi services Develop close ties among LEA homeless liaisons, school staff, and pupil transportation staff

36 Transportation Strategies (Cont.) Provide passes for public transportation, including passes for caretakers when necessary Take advantage of transportation systems used by public assistance agencies Re-route school buses

37 Transportation Strategies (Cont.) Reimburse parents, guardians, or unaccompanied youth for gas Develop formal or informal agreements with school districts where homeless children cross district lines

38 Title I and HE Homeless children are by definition automatically eligible for Title I services LEAs are required to: –Reserve Title I, Part A funds for homeless students - to be determined by the LEA, as appropriate –Indicate this reservation in the Consolidated Application Reporting System (CARS) –Describe what Title I services will be provided in the CARS and LEA Plan

39 Uses of HE Reservation May include: Meeting basic needs –Clothing –Supplies –Health, dental, and vision Supporting homeless liaison position Hiring special teachers, aides, and tutors to provide supplemental instruction

40 Uses of HE Reservation (Cont.) Providing outreach to homeless parents Providing after-school and/or summer programs Collecting data on homeless students Providing emergency food while the student is in school, including breakfast, lunch, and snacks

41 Uses of HE Reservation (Cont.) Paying for fees associated with: –Obtaining birth certificates and/or immunization –Obtaining a General Educational Development (GED) for homeless students –Obtaining a GED to improve literacy skills of homeless parents

42 Uses of HE Reservation (Cont.) Providing the cost of cap and gown to wear at graduation Paying for projects and/or field trips Providing academic support as well as non-academic support to homeless students in non-Title I schools

43 Prohibited Uses of HE Reservation May not: Provide rental assistance for homeless families Provide clothing assistance for parents Pay for the cost of prom dresses, sports, or yearbooks Pay for physical exams to participate in sports

44 Resources CDE Homeless Education Web page National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (Outside Source) National Center for Homeless Education (Outside Source) National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (Outside Source)

45 Contacts J Jesus Contreras – SMCOE (650) Leanne Wheeler, Education Programs Consultant - CDE (916) Toll-free Number 1(866)