The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

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The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Part
IIDigging Deeper Law into Practice

• National Center for Homeless Education
• Jan Moore Christina Dukes
• Beth Hartness Diana Bowman

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Some things to keep in mind

• Feel free to ask questions in the chat pod at any
  time
• When we stop for questions or work on a scenario,
  press 6 to unmute if you wish to speak, then
  press 6 to re-mute afterwards
• Please dont place the call on hold at any time

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Eligibility Doubled-up

• The McKinney-Vento Act qualifies doubled-up
  students as homeless sharing the housing of
  others due to loss of housing, economic hardship,
  or similar reason
• Does the living situation not meet any of the
  three conditions of the definition meaning is it
  not fixed, regular, or adequate?
• Consider the way in which the doubling-up came to
  be Was it planned and agreed upon for mutual
  benefit or was it entered into due to hardship
  and/or a crisis?
• How long-term is the living arrangement?

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Eligibility Scenario

• In March, the Maynard family lost its housing due
  to a fire. Mr. Maynards brother is letting the
  family live in a trailer on his property until
  the house is repaired.
• Would you qualify the Maynard kids for services
  under McKinney-Vento? Why or why not? Do you need
  to ask any questions to help you make your
  determination?
• If the repairs on the house will not be completed
  until the following December, will the children
  be eligible for the whole time?

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Eligibility Awaiting Foster Care Placement

• Children in foster care face many of the same
  challenges as children experiencing homelessness
  (high residential and school mobility, academic
  challenges, educational discontinuity)
• Eligibility must be reviewed in the context of
  state and local child welfare policies
• View through the lens of lacking a fixed,
  regular, and adequate nighttime residence

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Eligibility Scenario

• Several weeks ago, Lisa was removed from her
  parents home by the department of social
  services. She was placed in a group home until an
  appropriate foster placement can be determined.
  The group home is in a different school district
  from where Lisa was attending school. The amount
  of time finding a more long-term placement will
  take is uncertain.
• Would Lisa be eligible for services under
  McKinney-Vento? Why or why not?

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School of Origin and Feasibility

• Feasibility factors listed in U.S. Department of
  Education Guidance
• the age of the child or youth
• the distance of a commute and the impact it may
  have on the student's education
• personal safety issues
• a student's need for special instruction (e.g.,
  special education and related services)
• the length of anticipated stay in a temporary
  shelter or other temporary location
• the time remaining in the school year

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How do you determine feasibility?

• Case-by-case determination
• What is in the childs best interest?
• There is no specific time or distance limit
  placed on transporting a homeless child to
  his/her school of origin consider the unique
  situation of the student and how the
  transportation arrangement will affect the
  students education

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Feasibility Scenario

• Last May, the Miller family lost its housing and
  moved in with relatives 15 miles away from where
  their son Mark was attending school. Its the
  beginning of the school year, and the family
  would like for Mark to continue to attend in his
  school of origin.
• What are some of the issues to help the family
  consider if this decision is feasible?
• What additional information do you need?

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Unaccompanied Youth The Basics

• The McKinney-Vento defines unaccompanied youth as
  a youth not in the physical custody of a parent
  or guardian
• An unaccompanied youths living arrangement must
  meet the Acts definition of homeless for him/her
  to qualify for McKinney-Vento services
• There is no lower age limit for unaccompanied
  youth the upper age limit (as with all
  McKinney-Vento eligible students) is your states
  upper age limit for public education usually 21,
  sometimes older for special education
• A youth can be eligible regardless of whether
  he/she was asked to leave the home or chose to
  leave remember that sometimes there is more
  than meets the eye for youths home life
  situations

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What are some good strategies for serving
unaccompanied youth?

• Train all district and school staff who work with
  youth (enrollment staff, secretaries, guidance
  counselors, principals, and teachers) on the
  definition, rights, and needs of unaccompanied
  youth
• Develop caretaker forms, self-enrollment forms
  for unaccompanied youth, and other forms to
  replace typical proof of guardianship such forms
  should be crafted carefully so they do not create
  further barriers or delay enrollment visit
  www.serve.org/nche/downloads/toolkit/app_d.pdf
  for sample forms
• Become familiar with state and local policies
  related to unaccompanied youth (medical signature
  authority, reporting, emancipation)

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What are some good strategies for serving
unaccompanied youth? (cont.)

• Provide unaccompanied youth the opportunity to
  enroll in diversified learning opportunities,
  such as vocational education, credit-for-work
  programs, and flexible school hours yet dont
  assume that they need alternative learning
  programs
• Provide a safe place and trained mentor at
  school for unaccompanied youth to access as
  needed
• Permit exceptions to school policies on class
  schedules, tardiness, absences and credits to
  accommodate the needs of unaccompanied youth
• Assist with credit accrual and recovery

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Unaccompanied Youth Scenario

• Delores is a 16-year-old who has come to your
  school to enroll. She said she left home because
  she cant get along with her stepfather and is
  staying with a girlfriend. Her mom wants her to
  come home says she has a perfectly good home to
  come to and does not want her to enroll in
  another school.
• Should the school enroll Delores?
• What else could the school do to support Delores
  in her education?
• To what other organizations could the school
  refer Delores for additional support?

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The Title IA set-aside

• Title IA of the No Child Left Behind Act requires
  districts to set aside Title IA funds to be used
  to serve homeless students these funds can be
  used
• To support homeless students not attending a
  Title IA school
• To provide services to homeless students that are
  not ordinarily provided to other Title I students
  and that are not available from other sources,
  according to the need of the homeless student

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The Title IA set-aside

• Federal law does not give any set method for
  determining the set-aside some suggested methods
  include
• Project for next year based on this years
  numbers and any anticipated new needs or change
  in the homeless population
• Multiply the of homeless students by the Title
  IA per pupil allocation
• Match your McKinney-Vento subgrant
• Reserve a of your Title IA funds based on your
  districts poverty level

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The Title IA set-aside

• Neither Title I nor McKinney-Vento provides a
  specific list of approved usages of Title I
  set-aside funds, however the funds must be used
  to support the academic achievement of the child
• Title IA set-aside dollars can not be used to
  transport a homeless student to the school of
  origin due to supplanting restrictions

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Title IA scenario

• Jimmy and his mom are currently living in a
  domestic violence shelter. He is continuing to
  attend his school of origin, although the shelter
  is outside of the school of origins residential
  zone. His teachers have recommended that he
  enroll in the schools after school tutoring
  program, but his mom cant pick him up after the
  program. Also, his teachers have noted that
  Jimmy seems troubled. His teachers and his mom
  agree that he might benefit from counseling.
• How could the school district use Title IA funds
  to help Jimmy?

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How can I get more information and help?

• Call your State Coordinator http//www.serve.org/
  nche/states/state_resources.php
• Get to know local liaisons from other school
  districts
• Join the NCHE listserv e-mail bhartnes_at_serve.org
• Download the Local Homeless Education Liaison
  Toolkit and/or NCHE briefs and keep handy as a
  reference
• Contact NCHE 800-308-2145 or homeless_at_serve.org
  
• Attend the 2009 NAEHCY conference www.naehcy.org
• Create awareness, commitment and buy-in among
  staff
• Become aware of community agencies make them
  aware of the homeless education program
• Invite yourself to the table of community
  agencies
• You are not alone!