1. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act

2. Become familiar with important homeless education concepts that support success using federal funds: Overview/Purpose Funding for Students Experiencing Homelessness Immediate Enrollment Transportation Policies Local Dispute Policies Collaboration with Other State Agencies Higher Education Opportunities Reauthorization and Its Effect on McKinney-Vento Next Steps Today’s Goals Louisiana Believes

3. Overview/Purpose

4. Louisiana Believes - Overview Louisiana Believes 4 Louisiana’s Department of Education’s homeless education technical assistance and information center has:  Louisiana Believes- LDE website has forms and requirements in the Library:  Louisiana Residency (several Languages) and Referral Form http://www.louisianabelieves.com/resources/library/scho ol-policy  BESE BULLETIN 741 - Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators Revised December 2015, §341 Homeless Children and Youth at http://doa.louisiana.gov/osr/lac/28v115/28v115.docBULLETIN 741 - Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators §341 Homeless Children and Youth  A Homeless Hotline: Call 225-219-2949, 844-533-4187, or e-mail Tasha.Anthony@la.govTasha.Anthony@la.gov  Homeless Tracking System (HTS) – Database of students identified by LEAs as homeless used to support Federal Reporting Requirements.

5. NCHE - Overview Louisiana Believes 5 The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) is the U.S. Department of Education’s homeless education technical assistance and information center NCHE has:  A comprehensive website: www.serve.org/nchewww.serve.org/nche  A toll-free helpline: Call 800-308-2145 or e-mail homeless@serve.org homeless@serve.org  A listserv: Visit www.serve.org/nche/listserv.php for subscription instructionswww.serve.org/nche/listserv.php  Free resources: Visit www.serve.org/nche/products.php www.serve.org/nche/products.php

6. Purpose 6 Louisiana Believes The purpose of the Education for Homeless Children and Youth grant is to ensure that all homeless children and youth have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education as any non-homeless child or youth.

7. Funding for Students Experiencing Homelessness

8. The McKinney-Vento Act Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. § 11431 et seq.) Reauthorized in 2001 by Title X, Part C of the No Child Left Behind Act Establishes the definition of homeless used by schools Ensures that children and youth experiencing homelessness have immediate and equal access to public education Provides for educational access, stability, and support to promote school success Needed to address the unique barriers faced by many homeless students Provides competitive Subgrants to LEAs every three years Reauthorized in 2015 as Every Student Succeeds Act (will address later in presentation)changes to be implemented in July or October 2016) Louisiana Believes

9. Title I Determining a Set-aside Amount Federal law does not mandate a particular method, allowing discretion at the district level Districts may use set-aside funds to provide educationally related support services to children in shelters and other locations Districts may provide homeless students with services that are greater in scope and intensity or different in nature than those provided to non- homeless students. Multiplying the number of homeless students by the Title I per-pupil allocation (At a minimum, LDOE requires $100 per homeless student) Louisiana Believes

10. Acceptable Usages of Set-Aside Funds Partial list from ARRA Guidance: Clothing/shoes (school uniform/dress code/gym uniform), Fees to participate in the general education program, School supplies, Birth certificates necessary to enroll in school, Medical/dental services (glasses, hearing aids, immunizations), Counseling for issues affecting learning, Outreach services to students living in shelters, motels, and other temporary residences, Extended learning time or tutoring support, Supporting parent involvement Signed into law on December 16, 2014 - It governs the spending of FY2015 Title I dollars, and FY2013 and FY2014 Title I carryover funds These reauthorized policy changes from 2014 omnibus bill regarding serving homeless children and youth through Title I Funds may be used to support the local liaison position Funds may be used to provide school of origin transportation Louisiana Believes

11. Immediate Enrollment

12. The School’s Charge 12 Louisiana Believes A school’s primary responsibility is to enroll and educate, as directed by federal and state law As federal law, the McKinney-Vento Act supersedes conflicting state and local law Schools do not need to understand and/or agree with all aspects of what has occurred within the student’s family

13. Enrollment States and districts must develop, review, and revise policies to remove barriers to the school enrollment and retention of homeless children and youth McKinney-Vento defines enrollment as attending classes and participating fully in school activities The McKinney-Vento Act (federal law) supersedes state or local law or policy when there is a conflict (U.S. Constitution, Article VI) Louisiana Believes

14. Enrollment Homeless children and youth have the right to enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documentation normally required for enrollment If a child or youth needs to obtain immunizations, or immunization or medical records, the enrolling school must refer the parent or guardian immediately to the local liaison, who must assist in obtaining necessary immunizations, or immunization or medical records; the school must continue the child’s enrollment in the meantime Louisiana Believes

15. Laying The Foundation 15 Louisiana Believes Who is eligible? McKinney-Vento eligibility is determined on a case-by- case basis by examining the living arrangement of each student.  Some instances will be clear-cut; others will require further inquiry and then a judgment call.  If the living arrangement does not meet all three criteria (fixed, regular, and adequate), it likely will be considered a homeless situation.

16. The Definition 16 Louisiana Believes Individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. Working definitions:  Fixed: Stationary, permanent, and not subject to change  Regular: Used on a predictable, routine, or consistent basis (e.g. nightly); consider the relative permanence of the living arrangement  Adequate: Sufficient for meeting both the physical and psychological needs typically met in home environments

17. Doubled-UP 17 Louisiana Believes Legislative wording: “Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason” Questions:  Why did the parties move in together? Crisis or by mutual choice as a plan for mutual benefit?  How permanent is the living arrangement intended to be?  Where would the party live if not doubling up?  Is the living arrangement fixed, regular, and adequate?

18. Unaccompanied Homeless Youth To be considered an unaccompanied homeless youth (UHY): 1.The child’s or youth’s living arrangement must meet the Act’s definition of homeless 2.The child or youth must be considered unaccompanied, defined as “not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian” 3.No McKinney-Vento-specific age limits; standard state age limits for eligibility for public education apply 4.A youth can be eligible regardless of whether he or she was asked to leave the home or ran away 5.Sometimes the parent/guardian/student may not reveal the full nature of what has brought about the separation

19. Awaiting Foster Care Placement 19 Louisiana Believes  US ED Non-Regulatory Guidance, Question G-10 (available at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/homeless/guidance.pdf) http://www2.ed.gov/programs/homeless/guidance.pdf  Awaiting foster care placement = homeless  Already in foster care = not homeless  Local liaisons should coordinate with local public social service agencies to determine how to support this population

20. Steps: Get the Facts, Analyze Facts and Call if Back-Up Needed 20 Louisiana Believes  Use an enrollment questionnaire for all students; this will assist with identifying eligible students. (See http://www.louisianabelieves.com/resources/library/school- policy) http://www.louisianabelieves.com/resources/library/school- policy  Discuss the living arrangement with the family/student in a private place and with sensitivity.  Does the student’s living arrangement fit into one of the examples of homelessness in the law?  Ask additional questions respectfully, as needed. (These are often very personal discussions for the family)

21. Transportation

22. School districts must provide the following transportation for McKinney-Vento students: – Districts must transport homeless students to and from the school of origin, at a parent’s or guardian’s request, or at the local liaison’s request for unaccompanied homeless youth – Comparable transportation Districts should use a team approach in developing transportation policies and procedures; the team should include the transportation director, local liaison, neighboring school districts, and service providers, as appropriate Louisiana Believes

23. Transportation Cost Questions Q1.Is it still the responsibility for the LEA to provide Homeless Students with transportation to their school of origin? A. Yes, LEAs must provide Homeless Students with transportation to their school of origin. Q2. Is using Title IA Funds to pay for this is supplanting? A. No, using Title IA Funds to pay for transportation to the school of origin is not considered supplanting now. This was first changed in the appropriations bill in FY2015, then it continued for FY2016, and now it is part of the Title I statute in the "Every Student Succeeds Act!' Louisiana Believes

24. Local Dispute Policies

25. What if We Disagree? 25 Louisiana Believes If there is a disagreement about whether the student meets the McKinney-Vento definition of a homeless child or youth (between the parents/youth and the school), the state’s dispute resolution process should be followed. If a disagreement occurs, the district must: – Provide a written explanation of its decision, including the right to appeal the decision – Refer the parent/guardian/youth to the local liaison, who will carry out the dispute resolution process as expeditiously as possible Unaccompanied homeless youth have the same right to dispute as parents/guardians

26. While the dispute is in process, students must be: – Enrolled immediately in the school in which enrollment is sought – Provided with school of origin transportation, if requested – Provided with all services for which they are eligible Districts should familiarize themselves with their state’s McKinney-Vento dispute policy, as it may include important details about how disputes are mediated within the state Documentation should be kept for all local liaison interventions, not just formal disputes Dispute Resolution Louisiana Believes

27. Collaboration with Other State Agencies

28. Resources in Your Community Local liaisons should be proactive in identifying local early childhood resources, including: Public preschool providers (Head Start, Even Start, Migrant Education Even Start, etc.) IDEA Part C programs Federal and state programs serving homeless, low-income, or at-risk young children and their families (Child Care Development Fund [CCDF] programs; Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting [MIECHV] programs; etc.) Louisiana Believes

29. States: State plans must establish procedures that ensure that homeless children have equal access to public preschool programs administered by the State Education Agency (SEA) State Coordinators must collaborate with other agencies and educators, including early childhood program personnel, to provide comprehensive education and related services to homeless children and their families Districts should familiarize themselves with state policy. To ensure the identification of homeless preschoolers, local liaisons should: Work with school personnel, who can ask families enrolling school-age children whether there are preschool-age siblings Collaborate with special education personnel to identify students. Must provide homeless children with referrals to services. Qualifying childhood centers. Is it public and private? CCAP – Child Care Assistance Program NSECD – Nonpublic School Early Childhood Development Program LA4 McKinney-Vento and Preschool Louisiana Believes

30. Head Start Act Uses the McKinney-Vento definition of homeless Establishes categorical Head Start eligibility for young homeless children; also see 45 C.F.R. § 1305.4 - Determining, verifying, and documenting eligibility at www.serve.org/nche/legis/hs.phpwww.serve.org/nche/legis/hs.php Requires Head Start personnel to collaborate with the local liaison and personnel of community programs serving homeless infants and toddlers to facilitate program coordination Head Start Louisiana Believes

31. HHS Implementation Guidance U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued implementation guidance on early care and education (ECE) services for homeless children Applies to Head Start and Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Programs Recommendations include: Prioritization of access to services for homeless families Flexibility for homeless families regarding documentation requirements and immunization requirements Coordination with State Coordinators and local liaisons Louisiana Believes

32. Higher Education Opportunities

33. College Admissions Checklist Take Advanced Placement (AP) tests, if applicable Take college entrance exam(s) (SAT and/or ACT) Complete and submit college applications Complete and submit the FAFSA Complete and submit applications for private scholarships More information: “Applying 101”: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/applyinghttps://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/applying “Financial Aid 101”: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for- college/financial-aidhttps://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for- college/financial-aid Louisiana Believes

34. College Application Fees Most colleges accept the College Board or NACAC waiver forms; however, individual institutions may have their own fee waiver policies that vary Colleges that use The Common Application (https://www.commonapp.org/) accept the SAT college application fee waiverhttps://www.commonapp.org/ Some colleges do not charge application fees for students that apply online NCHE does not recommend using McKinney-Vento Subgrants funds or Title IA set-aside funds to pay for AP exam, college entrance exam, or college application fees Louisiana Believes

35. “Accompanied” Homeless Youth Students experiencing homelessness with their family fill out the FAFSA as dependent students Accompanied: In the physical custody of a parent or guardian Homeless: Living arrangement meets the McKinney-Vento definition of homeless The EFC is based on family income and assets Additional information is available at https://www.ifap.ed.gov/efcformulaguide/attachments/100615 EFCFormulaGuide1617Attach.pdf https://www.ifap.ed.gov/efcformulaguide/attachments/100615 EFCFormulaGuide1617Attach.pdf Louisiana Believes

36. Unaccompanied, Homeless, At-Risk Unaccompanied homeless youth and unaccompanied youth at risk of homelessness fill out the FAFSA as independent students Unaccompanied: Not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian Homeless: Living arrangement meets the M-V definition of homeless At risk of homelessness: When a student’s housing may cease to be fixed, regular, and adequate, for example, a student who is being evicted and has been unable to find fixed, regular, and adequate housing. Louisiana Believes

37. Determiners of Independent Status Local homeless education liaison For students graduating from high school who were identified as an UHY while in high school U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) shelter director or designee For students who have received services Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) shelter director or designee For students who have received services Financial Aid Administrator (FAA) For any student, but particularly those who cannot get a determination from one of the other three authorized parties Louisiana Believes

38. Next Steps

39. 39 Louisiana Believes Important Resources National Center for Homeless Education http://center.serve.org/nche/index.php National Association For The Education of Homeless Children and Youth http://www.naehcy.org/educational-resources/naehcy-publications Contact LDOE for Assistance - 225-219-2949, 1-844-533-4187 or Tasha.Anthony@la.govTasha.Anthony@la.gov Action Steps Attend Training available through the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) at www.center.serve.org/nche. Webinars are live or taped for self-paced training.www.center.serve.org/nche Posters should be visible at schools and LEAs Order Free Products for schools/district office. Review additional resources provided on the website NCHE Products and Publications http://center.serve.org/nche/products.phphttp://center.serve.org/nche/products.php Review frequently asked questions of the Education Rights of children and youth in Homeless situations http://www.naehcy.org/dl/naehcy_faq.pdf http://www.naehcy.org/dl/naehcy_faq.pdf

40. NCHE Homeless Liaison Toolkit Comprehensive resource that will assist both new and veteran local liaisons Draws on the expertise of experienced practitioners Includes requirements of the law, good practices, sample forms, and links to resources Visit www.serve.org/nche/pr/liaison_toolkit.phpwww.serve.org/nche/pr/liaison_toolkit.php Louisiana Believes

41. Questions 41 Louisiana Believes Tasha Anthony, Homeless Coordinator Tasha.Anthony@la.gov or Louisiana Homeless Hotline 225-219-2949 1-844-533-4187