Louisianas Homeless Office of Education

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Louisianas Homeless Office of Education
McKinney-Vento Homeless 101
Presenter Laverne Dunn State Coordinator for the
Education of Homeless Children Youth
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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
Title X Part C No Child Left Behind Act - 2001
"We must not, in trying to think about how we can
make a big difference, ignore the small daily
differences we can make which, over time, add up
to big differences that we often cannot foresee."
Mariam Wright Edelman
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McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

• Reauthorized 2002 by NCLB
• Main themes
• School stability
• School access
• Support for academic success
• Child-centered, best interest decision making

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Adult and Child Homelessness

• Correlation Between Negative Childhood
  Experiences and Adult Homelessness
• Of Homeless Adults Interviewed in NSHPAC Survey
• 33 ran away from home
• 27 lived in foster care, group home,
  institutional setting
• 25 reported childhood physical or sexual abuse
• 22 were force to leave home
• 21 experience homelessness as a child

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Correlation Between Stress in Childhood and
Disorders Later

• The National Scientific Council on the Developing
  Child
• Frequent or sustained activation of brain
  systems that respond to stress in early childhood
  can lead to heightened vulnerability to a range
  of behavioral and physiological disorders over a
  lifetime.

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Education Matters

• Adults age 18 and over with a high school diploma
  earned 28,645. Those without a high school
  diploma earned an average of 19,169.
• People who graduate from high school on average
  live 6 to 9 years longer than high school
  drop-outs due to a variety of factors, including
  income, living conditions, occupational safety,
  and access to health insurance.

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School as Safety Net

• School provides
• Structure
• Routine/consistency
• Meals
• Caring adults
• Health care/social services
• Socialization and friendships
• Skills needed to escape poverty and realize
  dreams
• Freedom

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Students experiencing homelessness have an
opportunity to meet challenging State academic
achievement standards
Equity Through High Standards and Accountability

• Closing the Achievement Gap
• Focus on What Works
• Increasing Accountability for Student Performance
• The first and primary use of local data is to
  improve programs.
• Joseph Johnson, Jr., CEP Director

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Number of Children and Youth Experiencing
Homelessness

• Nationally
• 1989 - 272,773
• 1991 - 327,416
• 1993 - 744,266
• 1997 - 841,730
• 2000 930,232
• 2004 602,568
• 2005 655,591
• 2006 907,228

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Youth Count Report 2004 - 2007
SIS EOY Aggregate File as of 08/16/2007,
Students Flagged as Homeless Any Time during the
Year Disclaimer Homeless counts were
self-reported by LEAs through the SIS database.
Counts have not been verified, and discrepancies
may exist. EOY refers to end of the year data
SIS refers to Student Information System
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Definitions of Homeless Children and Youth

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

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Definitions of Homeless Children and Youth

• Primary nighttime residence not designed for
  ordinary use as a regular sleeping accommodation
• Live in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned
  buildings, substandard housing, bus, or train
  stations

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Definitions of Homeless Children and Youth

• Unaccompanied youth (youth not in the physical
  custody of a parent or guardian)
• Migratory children who qualify as homeless
  because of their living situation

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001

• Other Definitions
• 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
• Comparable Services services offered to other
  students in the school selected

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Barriers to Enrollment

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

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Barriers to Enrollment

• Youth ages 12 and up face additional barriers to
  school enrollment, for example
• Attendance policies
• Secondary school credit accrual

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Barriers to School Success

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

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Access to Special Programs and Services
Children experiencing homelessness have
difficulty accessing the following programs and
services

• Special Education
• Head Start
• Gifted and Talented
• Even Start
• Programs for English language learners

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
Students Access to School

• Requires schools to immediately enroll children
  and youth experiencing homelessness
• Requires a liaison in every school district
• Requires public notice of educational rights of
  children and youth experiencing homelessness
  disseminated in every school district

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
Educational Stability Continuity

• Requires schools keep children in the school of
  origin, 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
• Requires removal of any barriers that contribute
  to exclusion or enrollment delay

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
Parental Options and Involvement

• Requires parents be fully informed of the
  enrollment options and educational opportunities
  available
• Requires schools provide written explanations to
  parents regarding disputes over school selection
  and enrollment and referral to liaisons for
  dispute resolution
• Requires parents be provided with meaningful
  opportunities to participate in the education of
  their children

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
Educational Rights of Unaccompanied Youth

• Requires youth be fully informed of their
  enrollment options and available educational
  opportunities
• No separate schools based on homelessness
• Comparable services (transportation, nutrition,
  educational programs and services)

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
Integration of Children and Youth Experiencing
Homelessness

• Prohibits segregation of students into separate
  schools or separate classrooms within schools
  except in exempted counties
• Requires posting public notice of educational
  rights in every school

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
State Support to All School Districts

• Requires Office of State Coordinator to provide
  technical assistance to LEAs to ensure statewide
  accountability, compliance, support
• States must distribute at least 75 of allocation
  to LEAs
• Increases the amount of McKinney-Vento funds for
  small States (150,000) must distribute at
  least 50 of allocation to LEAs

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
State Support to All School Districts

• Develop strategies to address enrollment delays
  caused by immunization and medical records,
  residency, guardianship, other required records,
  uniform or dress code requirements
• Continue to review and revise all policies for
  barriers
• Provide procedures to identify homeless youth
  separated from public schools and to ensure equal
  access to secondary education and support services

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
Role of State Coordinator
Gather, validate, and report data on children
and youth experiencing homelessness

• Access to public preschools, elementary, and
  secondary schools
• Special needs of students
• Progress made by State and LEAs in addressing
  problems and difficulties
• Success in enrolling, attending, and succeeding
  in school

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
Role of State Coordinator Service Coordination

• SEA, social services, mental health, and other
  State agencies
• Child development and preschool personnel
• Service providers (e.g., shelters, domestic
  violence agencies, centers for runaway youth,
  transitional living programs, etc.)
• LEA liaisons
• Community organizations and groups

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
Role of State Coordinator
Technical Assistance

• Technical assistance to LEAs in coordination with
  LEA Liaisons to ensure LEA compliance
• Inform school personnel, service providers,
  advocates of the duties of the LEA Liaisons

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
Assurances

• SEA and LEAs must adopt policies and practices to
  ensure no stigmatization or segregation based on
  homelessness
• All LEAs need to designate an appropriate Liaison
  (may be a coordinator of other Federal programs)
• Adopt policies and practices to ensure
  transportation is provided, at request of parent
  of guardian (or Liaison on behalf of
  unaccompanied youth), to and from the school of
  origin

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
LEA Requirements

• Serve the best interests of the student by
• Continuing child or youth in school of origin to
  the extent feasible or
• Enrolling child or youth in a public school in
  the attendance area where the child or youth
  temporarily resides
• Provide written explanation and right of appeal
  if LEA places child at site other than school of
  origin or parent- or youth-requested school

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
LEA Requirements

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

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
Enrollment Disputes

• Admit child or youth immediately pending
  resolution of dispute
• School must provide parent/guardian or youth with
  written explanation of decision including
  statement of rights
• Referral to Liaison for dispute resolution
• Liaison ensures unaccompanied youth is
  immediately enrolled

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
Role of LEA Liaison

• Ensure identification of students through
  coordination with school personnel and other
  agencies
• Ensure enrollment with full and equal opportunity
  to succeed in school (e.g., Head Start, Even
  Start) preschool, health care, dental, mental
  health, etc.)
• Ensure parent/guardian or youth is informed of
  educational rights

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
Role of LEA Liaison

• Assist unaccompanied youth with placement,
  enrollment, and knowing their rights
• Disseminate public notices of educational rights
• Inform and assist with accessing transportation
• Mediate enrollment disputes
• Coordinate and collaborate

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
LEA Sub-Grant Applications-Needs

• Provide an assessment of educational needs
• Description of services and programs
• Assurance current fiscal effort not less than
  prior year
• Assurance local plan complies with State plan
  requirements
• Policies and procedures that do not isolate or
  stigmatize students

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
LEA Sub-Grant Applications-Quality

• Needs assessment reflects stated needs
• Types and intensity of coordination effort(s)
• Involvement of parents, guardians, youth
• Students integrated within regular classroom
  program
• Evaluation plan
• Coordination with other available services

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
LEA Sub-Grant-Use of Funds

• Tutoring, supplemental instruction linked to
  challenging State content and achievement
  standards
• Expedited evaluations (e.g., GATE, ELL, IDEA,
  etc)
• Professional development to promote
  understanding, sensitivity, and the educational
  rights of students
• Referral services (e.g., medical, dental, mental
  health)

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
LEA Sub-Grant-Use of Funds

• Excess costs of transportation
• Early childhood education
• School engagement activities
• Before-, after-school, and summer programs
• Payment of fees and other costs related to
  records
• Education and training for parents

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001
LEA Sub-Grant-Use of Funds

• Costs for coordinating school and agency services
• Pupil services and referrals (e.g., violence
  prevention)
• Services needed as arise from domestic violence
• Supplies and adaptation of space for nonschool
  services
• School supplies, including at temporary housing
• Other emergency assistance

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Coordination with Title I

• Title I requires that districts 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

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Title I Requirements

• SEAs have to submit a Title I Part A plan
  coordinated with the McKinney-Vento Act - Sec.
  1111
• 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

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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. 1113
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Technical Assistance

• Laverne Dunn
• State Coordinator- 1-800-259-8826
• Office Number 225-219-0353
• Fax Number 225-342-0178
• E-mail Address Laverne.Dunn_at_la.gov

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Resources

• National Association of the Education of Homeless
  Children and Youth www.naehcy.org
• National Center on Homeless Education
  www.serve.org/nche
• National Coalition for the Homeless
• www.nationalhomeless.org
• National Law Center for Homelessness and Poverty
  www.nlchp.org
• National Network for Youth www.NN4Youth.org

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of
2001 Summary
Enroll in school, Stay in school, Succeed in
school!
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