New Opportunities for Serving Homeless Children Through Head Start National Association for the Education of Homeless Children & Youth Pre-conference, October 31, 2008, Washington, DC Barbara Duffield, NAEHCY Khari Garvin, NC HSSCO Grace Whitney, CT HSSCO Jill Carroll, HRA Head Start, New Britain, CT

Created under LBJ’s “War on Poverty” initiative ~ 1965  included other programs & initiatives like Job Corps and Community Action Agencies Originally part of the Office of Economic Opportunity; later transferred to HEW (now HHS) ~ 1969 Intended to achieve 2 primary goals: ~ break the cycle of poverty ~ empower low-income families “Head Start 101”

“Head Start 101” (continued) 1,600 grantees in the U.S (and U.S. territories) that serve approximately 908,000 children (age 0 to 5) annually  Early Head Start  Early Head Start – pregnant women and children ages birth to 3 years Smaller percent of overall number  Head Start  Head Start – preschool aged children 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds Vary as to number of three’s and four’s

“Head Start 101” (continued) Head Start mandates the provision of COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES to children and families (a unique feature of the program)  Health, mental health, dental and nutrition services  Education and special education/disabilities services Approximately 20% of children with IEPs served by Head Start  Family services thru Family Partnership Agreements, parent involvement and governance, fatherhood initiatives, etc % of Head Start staff are current or former Head Start parents  Community partnerships

“Head Start 101” (continued) Head Start is a discretionary-funded federal program  Requires 20% local match  Flat-funded since 2003, and then experienced a 1% cut in 2005  Approximately 12% cut in actual dollars over the past six years  May be supplemented with state dollars

“Head Start 101” (continued) Head Start Program Options  Full-day/full-year  School day/school year  Part day/part year  Home-based Model  Family child care home (Home Start)  Locally designed option Head Start Act of 2007 allows programs to explore changing program designs to meet changing community needs.

“Head Start 101” (continued) In 1968, Head Start begins funding a program that will eventually be called Sesame Street. It is a Carnegie Corporation Preschool Television Show In 1995, the first Early Head Start grants are awarded to provide services for children birth to age three and pregnant women Not less than 10% of each HS & EHS program’s enrollment must be children with special needs The following families are categorically eligible for HS: *Families receiving public assistance (e.g. TANF benefits) *Foster children *Homeless children

Homeless Children and the Head Start program Head Start’s historical commitment to addressing homelessness  Priority to serve the “neediest of the needy”  1992 IM  1993 Demonstration Project  Head Start-State Collaboration Offices

Experiences reported by ACF-IM Compared to non-homeless children, homeless children tend to have:  Greater developmental delays (language, motor- development, and/or social skills)  More learning disabilities  More mental health problems  Higher frequency of withdrawal, shyness, separation anxiety, short attention disorder, flat affect, aggression, hoarding, anxiety in response to changes in environment or staff absences, concern over getting enough food, and sharing toys  More physical health problems

Guidance provided by ACF-IM The following components were found to be useful to programs in serving homeless families:  Strong support for staff  Strong MH services for children & families  Structured environments for children (but w/ flexibility)  Transportation services  Community Collaborations  Parent involvement opportunities  Others

Head Start Demonstration Projects  Head Start Bureau funded 16 projects in 1993  Four objectives i. enhance access of HS services to homeless families ii. provide services responsive to the needs of homeless families families iii. identify effective methods of addressing needs iv. implement & document replicable strategies for community collaboration community collaboration  Funded for (3) years, with grantees offering a range of program options

Head Start – State Collaboration Offices The Head Start-State Collaboration Offices : Created to give E/HS programs a voice at the State policy-making table Created to help E/HS programs coordinate their services to improve outcomes along 8 federal priority areas Child CareHealth Services (all aspects) Disabilities Services Welfare/Child Welfare Family LiteracyCommunity Service Activities HOMELESSNESSEducation/Collaborating w/Pre-K Websites Phone

Head Start Reauthorization: Public Law “Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007” signed in December 2007 “Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007” signed in December 2007 New provisions for serving homeless children and families New provisions for serving homeless children and families IMs and FAQs can be found on the OHS Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center IMs and FAQs can be found on the OHS Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center Summary of provisions relating to homeless children and youth – Summary of provisions relating to homeless children and youth –

Setting the Context: Defining Homelessness The newly reauthorized Head Start Act includes a definition of homelessness that matches the definition of homelessness in the education subtitle of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which governs public schools Identical definition is in the Child Nutrition Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Violence Against Women Act Housing and Urban Development (HUD) homeless programs use a more restrictive definition (but changes are pending)

Impact on Head Start programs: E.R.S.E.A. E.R.S.E.A = Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, & Attendance Eligibility Homeless children are categorically eligible for Head Start - 42 U.S.C. 9840(a)(1)(B) Verification of homeless living situation suffices for eligibility (i.e. no documentation of income required) o Under McKinney-Vento, determinations of eligibility are case- by-case, individualized (see NCHE brief) NCHE’s Determining Eligibility brief is available at: NCHE’s Determining Eligibility brief is available at:

Homeless children are eligible for Head Start, regardless of income and… 1. Head Start programs can continue to serve 10% of their enrollment with children over the poverty line. 2. Also, Head Start programs may serve an additional 35% with children from families with incomes up to 130% of poverty.  However, to exercise these options Head Start programs must demonstrate that they are doing outreach to, prioritizing, and meeting the needs of children who are homeless and children from families with incomes below poverty. This provision is in effect immediately [ACF-IM-HS-08-03] Impact on Head Start Programs: Eligibility (cont’d)

Impact on Head Start Programs: Recruitment & Selection Recruitment Homeless Liaisons can assist HS programs by…. Helping HS programs identify younger siblings of school-age children who are homeless Sharing target locations in Head Start service areas where homeless families live Referring eligible families to the local Head Start programSelection Homeless Liaisons should understand…  That HS programs must prioritize homeless families for enrollment  What “categorical eligibility” means with regard to “selection”  Head Start selection protocols  selection criteria and point system

Impact on Head Start Programs: Enrollment Enrollment Homeless Liaisons can assist HS programs by…. Providing guidance on re-tooling enrollment applications  including questions that help determine homeless status, but are “family-friendly”  Understanding the differences in the definition of “enrollment” by Head Start and M-V Act

Impact on Head Start Programs: Enrollment (cont’d) Requires Secretary of HHS to issue regulations to remove barriers to the enrollment and participation of homeless children, including requiring Head Start agencies: 1) to implement policies and procedures to ensure that homeless children are identified and prioritized for enrollment; 2) to allow families of homeless children to apply to, enroll in, and attend Head Start programs while required documents are obtained within a reasonable time frame; and 3) to coordinate individual Head Start programs with efforts to implement subtitle B of title VIII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

Impact on Head Start Programs: Enrollment (cont’d) Head Start grantees m ust maintain an “active” wait list and conduct outreach and activities to identify underserved populations - 42 U.S.C. 9837(g)

Impact on Head Start Programs: Enrollment (cont’d) If, after receiving technical assistance and developing and implementing a plan for reducing under-enrollment, a Head Start agency still operates with less than 97 percent enrollment, the Secretary of HHS may recapture or withhold funds.  However, the Secretary of HHS can waive or reduce funding reductions if causes of enrollment shortfalls include serving significant numbers of highly mobile children; the shortfall is not significant; or the shortfall can reasonably be expected to be temporary. 42 U.S.C. 9836a(h)

Impact on Head Start Programs: Attendance Attendance Homeless Liaisons can assist HS programs by….  Trouble-shooting strategies to increase and/or sustain high attendance rates of children served  (Other) Developing strategies to help parents be active participants in activities that support the development of their child(ren)

Head Start Reauthorization: Collaboration and Coordination Requires Head Start agencies to: Coordinate and collaborate with the agencies responsible for programs under Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act - 42 U.S.C. 9837(e) Establish channels of communication between Head Start staff and McKinney-Vento liaisons to facilitate coordination of programs - 42 U.S.C. 9837a(a) Develop and implement a family outreach and support program in coordination with outreach efforts under the McKinney-Vento Act - 42 U.S.C. 9837a(a)

Head Start Reauthorization: Collaboration and Coordination (cont’d) Head Start Reauthorization: Collaboration and Coordination (cont’d) Requires Head Start State Collaboration Directors to develop a strategic plan that will enhance collaboration and coordination with and services provided for homeless children, children in foster care, and children referred to Head Start programs by child welfare agencies, including agencies and State officials responsible for such services - 42 U.S.C. 9837b(a)(4) Requires Early Head Start programs to coordinate services with programs in the community for homeless infants and toddlers - 42 U.S.C. 9840a(b)(5)

Head Start Reauthorization: Increasing Access and Participation Identification Prioritization/enrollment Community needs assessments “Reasonable time frame” State licensing requirements Placement stability Transportation Coordination Program options Issues for Regulations and Implementation:

Where should Head Start programs begin? PLANNING Encourage Head Start Programs to: Include data about homeless children in their community assessments Include data about homeless children in their community assessments Conduct self-assessments to determine strengths and weaknesses regarding services to homeless children Conduct self-assessments to determine strengths and weaknesses regarding services to homeless children Contact local school district homeless education liaisons and establish routine communication to coordinate planning Contact local school district homeless education liaisons and establish routine communication to coordinate planning

Community Assessment Data Sample questions for community needs assessments: How many families are homeless? How many families are homeless? What are the trends? What are the trends? Where do homeless families stay? Where do homeless families stay? What is the level of employment of homeless families? What is the level of employment of homeless families? What is the availability of child care? What is the availability of child care? What resources exist in the community? What resources exist in the community? What task forces or coalitions exist? What task forces or coalitions exist?

Community Assessment Data (continued) What additional state or school-district preschool programs exist? How do they serve homeless children? What additional state or school-district preschool programs exist? How do they serve homeless children? What transportation resources exist in the community that could be tapped? What transportation resources exist in the community that could be tapped? Who are the homeless education liaisons in the communities in the service area? What do the homeless education programs look like? Who are the homeless education liaisons in the communities in the service area? What do the homeless education programs look like? What state childcare licensing policies exist that might pose barriers to enrolling and serving homeless children? What state childcare licensing policies exist that might pose barriers to enrolling and serving homeless children?

Good Practices – Attendance Challenges and Strategies Challenges Lack of transportation: High mobility: Lack of full-day program and child care: Strategies Community and school district collaboration, home-based models Allow child to remain in program, when in his/her best interest, when family moves; include in parent handbook the importance of notifying program when moving Assist families to access child care subsidy, family child care model, community collaboration

Building Head Start— McKinney-Vento Partnerships at the STATE Level Head Start State Collaboration Offices and McKinney- Vento State Liaisons  Sharing statewide surveys, needs assessments, data  State Advisory Councils  Reading grant proposals  Collaborating on small grants  Cross-training of staff, conference teams  Special projects, intentional partnership strategies and initiatives

Building Head Start—McKinney-Vento Partnerships at the STATE Level: HSSCO Statewide Survey Homelessness - rate working relationship with: Local McKinney-Vento liaison (in LEA) Local agencies serving families experiencing homelessness Local housing agencies and planning groups (e.g., shelters, Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness committees) Title I Director, if Title I funds are being used to support early care and education programs for children experiencing homelessness* *Note: Title I funded preschool programs must follow the Head Start Performance Standards

Building Head Start—McKinney-Vento Partnerships at the STATE Level: HSSCO Statewide Survey Homelessness - rate the extent to which each of the following was difficult: Aligning Head Start program definition of homelessness with McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Implementing policies and procedures to ensure that children experiencing homelessness are identified and prioritized for enrollment Allowing families of children experiencing homelessness to apply to, enroll in and attend Head Start while required documents are obtained within a reasonable time frame Obtaining sufficient data on the needs of homeless children to inform the program’s annual community assessment

Building Head Start—McKinney-Vento Partnerships at the STATE Level: HSSCO Statewide Survey Homelessness - rate the extent to which each of the following was difficult: Engaging community partners, including the local McKinney-Vento Liaison, in conducting staff cross training and planning activities Entering into an MOU with the appropriate local entity responsible for managing publicly funded preschool that includes a plan to coordinate selection priorities for eligible children, including children experiencing homelessness In coordination with LEA, developing and implementing family outreach and support efforts under McKinney-Vento and transition planning for children experiencing homelessness

Building Head Start—McKinney-Vento Partnerships at the LOCAL Level Head Start/Early Head Programs and McKinney-Vento District Liaisons  Head Start Community Assessments, School district needs assessments, data  Head Start Policy Councils and Advisories, Local Early Childhood Councils, Homeless Services Councils, School District Councils  Cross-training of staff  Specific E.R.S.E.A. policies and protocol  Collaborating on small grants/special projects

Resources: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) America’s Invisible Children /Homelessness/Homelessness/AmericasInvisib.htm Confirming Eligibility for McKinney-Vento Services: Do's and Don'ts for Local Liaisons /Homelessness/Homelessness/ConfirmingEligib.htm Determining Eligibility for Rights and Services Under the McKinney-Vento Act /Homelessness/Homelessness/DeterminingEligi.htm

Resources: Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) State Coordinators for the Education of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness /Homelessness/Homelessness/StateCoordinator.htm The Educational Rights of Students in Homeless Situations: What Service Providers Should Know /Homelessness/Homelessness/TheEducationalR.htm Who Is Homeless? /Homelessness/Homelessness/WhoisHomeless.htm

Resources National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth National Center on Homeless Education National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty Horizons for Homeless Children

Questions and discussion…..

Contact Information Jill Carroll ERSEA/Parent Involvement Manager Human Resources Agency of New Britain Head Start/School Readiness Programs 180 Clinton Street New Britain, CT Phone: (860) X 2332 Fax: (850) Web: hranbct.org Barbara Duffield, Policy Director National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth 4701 Connecticut Avenue, NW, #402 Website: Phone: Fax: Web: Khari Garvin, M.Ed. Director Head Start--State Collaboration Office Office of School Readiness NC Department of Public Instruction 2075 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC Phone: phone Fax: Web: Grace Whitney, PhD, MPA, Director CT Head Start State Collaboration Office Commissioner's Office CT Department of Social Services 25 Sigourney Street Hartford, CT Phone: Fax: