Young Children in Homeless Families Ensuring Educational Opportunity

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Young Children in Homeless FamiliesEnsuring
Educational Opportunity

• Diana Bowman
• National Center for Homeless Education at SERVE
• 336-315-7453
• dbowman_at_serve.org
• www.serve.org/nche

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Challenges related to early childhood and
homelessness

• Inconsistent and inadequate health care
• Inadequate nutrition
• Inadequate or unstable housing
• Adolescent mothers
• Disrupted or limited family support
• Lack of social support network
• Emotional stress or depression

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Special needs

• 54 of children in homeless situations
  experience some form of developmental delay
• Homeless children are diagnosed with learning
  disabilities twice as often as other children
• Less than ¼ of children in LA shelters who met
  criteria for SE evaluation actually received
  testing or placement
• Over ½ of states reported in 2000 that homeless
  students faced barriers accessing SE programs

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Early childhood programs address developmental
and support issues that challenge homeless
families and children

• Offer children positive experiences with peers
  and other nurturing adults
• Bolster parental efficacy with their children
• Connect families with schools, agencies, and
  service providers
• Help address developmental delays and
  disabilities early

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Challenges facing young children in homeless
families related to attending early childhood
programs

• Lack of preschool availability
• Waiting lists
• Lack of awareness of preschools on the part of
  homeless parents
• Lack of identification of preschool-aged
  children lack of outreach to families, shelters,
  agencies
• Barriers related to enrollment, attendance,
  transportation, programming
• Inflexible policies and structures
• Lack of parent involvement strategies

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McKinney-Vento ActWho is Homeless?

• Students who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate
  nighttime residence
• Living in shelters, hotels, motels, camping
  grounds
• Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned
  buildings
• Sharing housing (doubled-up) due to loss of
  housing or economic hardship
• Migratory children who qualify as homeless

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What does the McKinney-Vento Act ensure?

• Immediate enrollment and full participation in
  classes
• Comparable servicesaccess to programs,
  transportation
• Attending school with non-homeless children and
  youth
• Local homeless education liaison in every school
  district

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How does the McKinney-Vento Act apply to
preschool-aged children?

• Homeless children have equal access to the same
  public preschool programs
• Preschool programs administered by SEAs or LEAs
  must comply with all provisions of the Act,
  including provisions on immediate enrollment,
  transportation, and comparable services
• The State McKinney-Vento plan must describe
  procedures that ensure children who are homeless
  have access to preschool programs
• LEA liaisons must ensure that families and
  children receive educational services, including
  Head Start, Even Start, and preschool programs
  administered by the LEA

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How does Title I apply to preschool-aged homeless
children?

• Title I preschool programs are operated by the
  LEA and must follow the mandates of the
  McKinney-Vento Act
• An LEA must reserve funds for homeless children
  who do not attend participating Title I schools
  and may provide support services to children in
  shelters and other locations where homeless
  children live
• An LEA may use reserved funds to provide a
  homeless student with services that are not
  available from other sources

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How does Head Start apply?

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  issued a memo in 1992 describing how Head Start
  grantees should collaborate with State Homeless
  Education Coordinators, local liaisons, and
  community agencies and adjust their programs and
  priorities to serve children in homeless
  situations.
• www.serve.org/nche/downloads/hhs_preschool_memo.
  pdf

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How does IDEAChild Find apply?

• States must ensure that all students with
  disabilities residing in the State who need
  special education are identified, located, and
  evaluated.
• This requirement specifically applies to young
  children experiencing homelessness.

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Helpful strategies for serving young homeless
children

• Interagency collaboration/interagency agreements
• Shared screenings and evaluations
• Child-centered decision-making
• Awareness resources throughout the community
• Staff training
• Include homelessness as a criteria for priority
  enrollment
• Provide vouchers for slots
• Provide transportation
• Flexible options on tardiness and absences
• Strong family component outreach to homeless
  parents