Homeless Education Network: A Collaborative Approach

1
Homeless Education Network A Collaborative
Approach

• William Wolfe, Executive Director
• Homeless Childrens Education Fund
• Charles LaVallee, Director, Homeless Education
  Network
• Homeless Childrens Education Fund
• Sister Mary Parks, CSJ, Executive Director
• Sisters Place, Inc.

National Association for the Education of
Homeless Children and Youth Forging the Future
Educating ALL Our Children and Youth 23rd Annual
Conference November 6, 2011 Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania
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Homeless Childrens Education FundBackground and
History

• Dr. Joseph F. Lagana
• Glued to Television
• hope through learning

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Homeless Childrens Education Fund2011 Menu of
Educational Opportunities

• Learning Centers/Resource Libraries
• Mini-Grants and Field Trips
• Gear for Grades
• Building Blocks for Success Afterschool Program
• C.A.P.E. (Customized Accelerated Programs for
  Education)
• Trainings and Learning Center Meetings

See enclosures 1 and 2 for more information.
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Research Study Educating Homeless Children
in Allegheny County An Evaluation of Families,
Agencies, and ServicesDr. Peter Miller and Dr.
James SchreiberDuquesne University, 2009

1. There is great diversity among homeless families
   with school-age children in Allegheny County.
2. Homeless students and parents experience
   widespread problems with school.
3. Most parents want to be active advocates in their
   childrens educational pursuits, but many of them
   face significant barriers in their attempts to do
   so.
4. Agency-based after-school learning centers appear
   to be highly effective at providing academic and
   social support for homeless students.
5. The nature and frequency of communication between
   schools, community programs, residential agency
   staffs, and parents is crucial.
6. Relationships (and the lack thereof) play
   important roles in parents and childrens
   development.

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Research Study continued

• The primary recommendation from the study was
  the development of a Homeless Education Network
  (HEN).
• Findings and recommendation were presented at
  Summit I Ensuring Quality Education for
  Homeless Children and Youth on November 20,
  2009.
• The HEN was then formed and its first meeting was
  held on April 26, 2010.

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Homeless Education Network
Integrated Model of Collaboration
Enroll, Attend Succeed in School
Family Stabilization
School Stability
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Homeless Education Network
8
Homeless Education Network

• Primary Partners with Experience
• PA Homeless Childrens Initiative
  (McKinney-Vento) Region 4
• Allegheny County Department of Human Services
• Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU)
• Homeless Childrens Education Fund
• Operation Safety Net
• Public Schools in Allegheny County
• Homeless Providers in Allegheny County
• Education Law Center
• University of Pittsburgh, Office of Child
  Development
• Duquesne University

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Achieving Positive Outcomes
10
Preventing Negative Consequences
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(No Transcript)
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The Homeless Education Network connects and
advocates with interested parties, facilitates
discussions among partners, serves as catalyst
for action, creates effective models, brokers
resources and provides a forum for community
discussions to ensure that children and youth who
are experiencing homelessness are enrolled,
attending, and succeeding in school as mandated
by The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
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(No Transcript)
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Creating Products in Collaboration
Children who are homeless are among the most
educationally at-risk of all students. National
research reflects that 45 do not attend school
regularly -- a significant predictor for dropping
out 43 repeat a grade 50 fail academically
and only one third read at grade level. Youas
a provider of services, a supporter and advocate
for children and youth experiencing
homelessnesscan change these dismal statistics
and improve the life outcomes of these vulnerable
children. The Toolkit provides information about
important laws and explains legal rights and how
to use them. The Toolkit also offers practical
suggestions, resources, check lists and other
tools to help ensure that children without
housing have access to the full range of public
education programs and services and experience
success in school.
Please see enclosure 3 for information on how to
purchase a Toolkit
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Summit II Collaborations and Models Impacting
Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness
Regardless of how, when, where or even how many
times they are homeless, the civil rights of
homeless children to obtain an education must be
maintained and protected. It is the law, and it
is the right thing to do, and every possible
measure must be exhausted to ensure it. David
J. Hickton U.S. Attorney for the Western District
of Pennsylvania
Please see enclosure 4 to review the full
transcript of David Hicktons remarks.
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Poverty and The Impact on Brain Development and
Learning

• Summit III May 4, 2012
• The Rivers Club
• Pittsburgh, PA

Please see enclosures 5 and 6, Key Findings for
the United States and Key Findings for
Pennsylvania.
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Creating a Strong Network/ Collaboration

• Collective Impact Initiatives are long-term
  commitments by a group of important actors from
  different sectors to a common agenda for solving
  a specific social problem. Their actions are
  supported by a shared measurement system,
  mutually reinforcing activities, and ongoing
  communication, and are staffed by an independent
  backbone organization.

- Stanford Social Innovation Review, Collective
Impact by John Kania Mark Kramer, Winter 2011,
p. 39  
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Thoughts or Questions?
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Contact Information

• Bill Wolfe
• 2100 Smallman Street, 2nd Floor Pittsburgh, PA
  15222
• Office - 412.562.0154
• Email - wwolfe_at_homelessfund.org
• Charlie LaVallee
• 2100 Smallman Street, 2nd Floor Pittsburgh, PA
  15222
• Office - 412.562.0154
• Email - clavallee_at_homelessfund.org
• Sister Mary Parks
• Sisters Place, Inc. 418 Mitchell Avenue Clairton,
  PA 15025
• 412-233-3903 ext. 11
• maryparks_at_sistersplace.org