McKinneyVento Homeless Education Assistance Act

1
McKinney-Vento Homeless Education
Assistance Act
Region 12 ESC
October 2, 2007
2
Welcome!
Barbara James
Project Director
3
Our Partners
4
Our Goal
Understand McKinney-Vento Act and Texas Education
Code regarding students in homeless situations
so that..
5
systems can be established to address
compliance, and more importantly.
students in homeless situations receive every
opportunity to succeed.
6
We will learn how to
become aware
identify enroll
deliver services
7
For many years, our image of a homeless person
was that of a single, older man.
8

The Reality
9
(No Transcript)
10
VIDEO
My Own Four Walls
11
Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness
Nationwide Estimates

• 1989 - 272,773
• 1991 - 327,416
• 1993 - 744,266
• 1997 - 841,730
• 2000 - 930,232
• 2002 - 1,350,000
• 2005 - 1,450,000

12
Number of Texas Children and Youth Experiencing
Homelessness(Estimate)
190,000
13
Why do people become homeless?
Poverty
Lack of affordable housing
Lack of adequate health care
14
Other Factors
Lack or Loss of Economic Support Networks
Lack or Loss of Social Support Networks
15
Cycle of Homelessness
Source Mary Ann Weinacht, Ed.D., Assoc.
Professor Mary Nan Aldridge, Ph.D., Professor,
Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas 79832
16
Avoid stereo-typing individuals in poverty
Avoid used deficit-based models when working with
children in poverty
17
Who is homeless?
The Federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance
Act Says that children and youth who lack a
fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime
residence are homeless.
18
Who is homeless?
19
Who is homeless?
20
Who is homeless?
21
Who is homeless?
22
Who is homeless?
Families living in doubled-up situations
because they have lost their housing
23
Who is homeless?
Children and youth in temporary foster care while
awaiting placement
24
Are migrant students homeless?
Only if they meet the same criteria for
homelessness as other students
25
Are unaccompanied students homeless?
Only if they meet the same criteria for
homelessness as other students
students not with a parent or legal guardian
26
Who is homeless in your district or community?
27
What stressors do students in homeless situations
experience?
28
Transient / unstable lifestyle
29
Transient / unstable lifestyle Living in
crowded conditions
30
Transient / unstable lifestyle Living in
crowded conditions Frequently changing schools

31
Transient / unstable lifestyle Living in
crowded conditions Frequently changing schools
Sporadic school attendance
32
Transient / unstable lifestyle Living in
crowded conditions Frequently changing schools
Sporadic school attendance Inadequate personal
hygiene
33
Transient / unstable lifestyle Living in
crowded conditions Frequently changing schools
Sporadic schoolattendance Inadequate personal
hygiene Shabby or unclean clothing
34
Transient / unstable lifestyle Living in
crowded conditions Frequently changing schools
Sporadic school attendance Inadequate personal
hygiene Shabby or unclean clothing Poor health
/ nutrition
35
Transient / unstable lifestyle Living in
crowded conditions Frequently changing schools
Sporadic school attendance Inadequate personal
hygiene Shabby or unclean clothing Poor health
/ nutrition Lack of school supplies
36
There is GREAT news!!
37
State and Federal laws address educational challen
ges.
38
Texas Education Code
39

• The Texas Education Code
• 25.001(b)(5)

Admit students that are homeless, regardless of
the residence of the student, of either parent
of the student, or of the student's guardian or
other person having lawful control of the
person....
40

• The Texas Education Code
• 25.001(d)

For a person under the age of 18 years to
establish a separate residence for the purpose
of attending the public schools, the person's
presence in the school district must not be for
the primary purpose of participation in
extra-curricular activities.
41
Federal Statute
Title X of NCLB
42

• The McKinney-Vento
• Homeless Assistance Act

• defines and protects the rights of
• homeless students to enroll in,
• attend, and succeed in our
• public schools

43
The McKinney-Vento Act mandates that . . .
every school district is required to have a
homeless education liaison, and
the liaison is required to perform specific
tasks.
44
Homeless Liaison
Assist with identification and enrollment
Help settle enrollment disputes
Connect students to district and community
services
45
Homeless Liaison
Liaison has autonomy to make decisions
Everyone is aware of the liaison
Campus Liaisons
46
Separate Schools Prohibited
Students experiencing homelessness are NOT to be
placed in separate schools or classrooms because
of their status as homeless.
47
Key Provisions of Law Address Educational
Challenges
48
Schools must identify students in homeless
situations.
49
Identification
Administer SRQ to every student
Several people trained to identify students--use
volunteers
Determine eligibility for services
50
Students Rights
Schools required to post public notice of
homeless students rights
THEO has free posters and brochures
51
Key Provisions of Law Address Educational
Challenges
Immediate Enrollment
52
Immediate Enrollment
Enroll homeless students even if they have no
records
Contact previous school for records
10 days to send records
30 days to receive immunization records or start
the process
53
Immediate Enrollment
Enroll homeless students even if they have no
legal guardian
Unaccompanied Youth
Enroll homeless students even if they have no
proof of residency
54
Key Provisions of Law Address Educational
Challenges
Immediate Enrollment
Choice of Schools
55
Choice of Schools
School of origin school in which student was
enrolled when he/she became homeless or where
student was last enrolled.
56
Choice of Schools
Homeless students may remain at school of origin
or may attend school to which they are zoned.
57
Choice of Schools
Notify all parents upon enrollment that in
certain instances, their children may be able to
remain at their school all year -- be sure to ask
before changing schools.
58
Choice of Schools
Before student withdraws, ask questions to
determine if they have the right to remain
at their school.
59
Key Provisions of Law Address Educational
Challenges
Immediate Enrollment
Choice of Schools
Transportation
60
Transportation
Homeless students have the right to comparable
transportation
61
Transportation
Must be provided to and from the school of origin.
Split costs between districts if agreement cannot
be reached.
62
Transportation
Develop a contract
Include important information
Pick-up drop points and times
Bus drivers contact info
Each partys responsibilities
Signatures
63
Key Provisions of Law Address Educational
Challenges
Immediate Enrollment
Choice of Schools
Transportation
Services
64
Placement Decisions
Work with Title I, Special Ed, and other programs
Set up systems for prompt placement in special
programs
65
Title I
All homeless students eligible
Title I, Part A, set-aside required for students
in homeless situations
Greater flexibility with these funds
66
Special Education
IDEA now defines homeless children and youth
using same definition as NCLB
67
Special Education
60 days to conduct initial evaluations
Limited exception extension for
schools receiving transfer students in middle
of evaluation process prior to changing schools
New school must make sufficient progress
AND Parents must agree to new time
frame
68
Special Education
Schools must promptly provide Spec Ed services
when children with IEPs change schools in
mid-year
Services must be comparable to those in previous
IEP
Services must be made in consultation with parents
New school must immediately request records
AND Previous school must
immediately send records
69
Special Education
Unaccompanied Youth with Special Needs
Must have surrogate parents appointed with 30 days
Temporary surrogates can be staff from emergency
or transitional shelters, independent living
programs, or street outreach programs
70
Special Education
Children and Youth Awaiting Foster Care
If parent cannot be found or if parental rights
have been terminated, children and youth awaiting
foster care no longer need consent of parent or
surrogate to receive initial evaluations
Either a surrogate (appointed by a judge or LEA)
or a foster parent must consent to
actual services
71
Special Education
Early Intervention
LEAs have option to reserve 15 of IDEA funding
to develop and implement early intervention
services for K-12 students who need additional
academic and behavioral support but havent been
found eligible for Spec Ed
Special emphasis on serving K-3 students in this
manner
72
Special Education
Infants Toddlers
States are required to meaningfully involve
homeless families and wards of the state in their
special education programs for infants and
toddlers
73
Special Education
Coordination/Compliance with McKinney- Vento
Homeless Assistance Act
States receiving IDEA funding must ensure that
MV requirements are met for all children with
disabilities in homeless situations
IDEA requires inclusion of homeless education
personnel on state special education advisory
panels and Interagency Coordinating
Councils
74
Special Education
Reaffirming Previous Federal Requirements
States and LEAs must still adhere to Child
Find requirements for all children--New IDEA
states that homeless children are included within
the term all
IDEA still requires states to make early
intervention services available to all infants
and toddlers (to the extent practicable)--New
IDEA states that homeless children
are included within the term all
75
Special Education
Other Federal Requirements
Student Discipline Reporting Requirements Disput
e Resolution Teacher Quality
76
Key Provisions of Law Address Educational
Challenges
Immediate Enrollment
Choice of Schools
Transportation
Services
Free Lunch
77
Free Lunch
Immediate access
Appoint several contacts on each campus to notify
school nutrition program in writing
Homeless liaison can send master list on
monthly basis
78
Key Provisions of Law Address Educational
Challenges
Immediate Enrollment
Choice of Schools
Transportation
Services
Free Lunch
Dispute Resolution
79
Dispute Resolution
Enroll students if possibly homeless
Gather information, then make determination of
status
80
Dispute Resolution
If homeless, student remains enrolled
Notify parent/caregiver/youth in writing of
decision
81
Dispute Resolution
If not homeless, parents must be notified in
writing of decision
Written decision must include
information on how to appeal
During appeal, student may remain in district
82
Key Provisions of Law Address Educational
Challenges
Immediate Enrollment
Choice of Schools
Transportation
Services
Free Lunch
Dispute Resolution
Awareness
83
Awareness
Staff training
Visit homeless students living sites
Poverty simulation
84
Know Your School and Community
Needs
Resources
Human Fiscal Physical
85
Collaboration
Within the district
Within the community
Businesses
Service Providers
Faith-Based Organizations
86
Outreach Efforts
87
Parent Involvement
Homeless parents are interested in their
childrens education.
Keep them informed about their childs progress,
needs
Ask how the school can help them
88
What Schools Can Do
Review district policies, procedures to ensure no
barriers exist--make changes as needed to remove
barriers
Ensure homeless students have supplies and
materials needed to succeed
89
What Schools Can Do
Provide tutoring, extra assistance if needed
90
What Schools Can Do
Provide clothing, shoes
Provide fees for field trips, extra-curricular
activities
91
What Schools Can Do
Provide hygiene items
Provide homework support and alternatives
92
Student Support
Have a staff mentor for every student
93
Student Support
Watch for isolated, loner students
Get them involved in music, sports, academics Che
ss Club
94
Other Ideas??
Other Questions??
95
(No Transcript)