McKinneyVento: A Key to Success

1
McKinney-Vento A Key to Success

• McKinney-Vento Liaison Training
• 2003-2004

2
Agenda

• Opening Activities
• McKinney-Vento Act How it came to be
• Who is homeless?
• McKinney-Vento Act What it is
• McKinney-Vento Liaisons
• Strategies for implementation
• Wrap-Up

3
Give Credit Where Credit is Due!

• This training was developed with the help of
• National Center for Homeless Education
• National Law Center on Homelessness Poverty
• National Association for the Education of
  Homeless Children Youth
• National Coalition for the Homeless
• State Coordinators, with special thanks to
  Shelley Reed of Maine and the homeless
  coordinators of New England

4
Jada

• Jada Miller, 8, has just moved in with her
  grandfather, Ted Jacobs, because her mother was
  sentenced to five years in jail and she has no
  place else to go. Mr. Jacobs is elderly and in
  poor health and does not believe he can take care
  of her for very long. Jada sleeps on a cot in his
  room. Mr. Jacobs met with the school counselor
  at the local elementary school, to enroll Jada.
  During the meeting, he told the counselor that he
  thinks Jada might have a learning disability and
  that she should be evaluated. The counselor told
  Mr. Jacobs that he cant enroll Jada or request
  special education services, because hes not her
  legal guardian.

5
McKinney-Vento Act

• 1987 Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act
• Reauthorized in 1990
• In 1994 placed under IASA
• 2001 McKinney-Vento Act, NCLB

6
The Scale of Homelessness

• Up to 2 million people will experience
  homelessness this year
• A little over half of the people will be children
  and youth
• The fastest growing segment of the homeless
  population is families
• National Law Center on Homelessness Poverty,
  1999

7
Impact on Indiana

• 29,000

8
Who is Homeless?

• An individual who lacks fixed, regular, and
  adequate, nighttime residence.
• Includes
• Doubled-up
• Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camp
  grounds due to lack of other housing
• Living in emergency or transitional housing

9

• Children in hospitals or other institutions while
  waiting for foster care or other permanent
  housing
• Living in cars, public spaces, abandoned
  buildings, substandard housing
• Migratory children who meet the above criteria

10
Causes

• Major trends
• Rising housing costs
• Rising poverty rates

11
McKinney-Vento Act Enrollment

• Enroll immediately, even when lacking
  documentation such as
• Proof of residency
• Immunizations or medical records
• Proof of guardianship
• Birth certificates, school records, or other
  similar documents
• Uniform or dress code requirements

12
Indiana Law

• Immunizations Indiana Public Health Code
  requires
• That each school keep immunization records
• That children who do not have records be given a
  waiver or have a schedule in place to receive
  immunizations or have a written religious
  objection
• IC 20-8.1-7-9

13
Dispute Resolution

• No child or youth may be expelled from a public
  school without due process, including a hearing
• Schools have the right to investigate the legal
  residency of students
• The hearing officer must be informed if the
  student is homeless and of the rights of homeless
  students
• Indiana Compulsory Attendance Law, IC 20-8.1-3

14
Dispute Resolution contd

• All suspected homeless children and youth MUST be
  allowed to attend school until the dispute is
  settled through due process
• If a student is denied enrollment to a school,
  they must be given a written explanation for the
  denial. This should also include an explanation
  of the appeal process
• McKinney-Vento Act, Section 722(g)(3)(E)

15
McKinney-Vento Act School Choice

• School of Origin Where the child last attended
  when permanently housed
• Should attend here if in best interest, feasible
• School in current attendance area

16
McKinney-Vento Act Attendance Success

• Parental involvement
• Comparable services
• Transportation
• Segregation of homeless students is prohibited!

17
McKinney-Vento Liaisons

• Review revise policy
• Post educational rights
• Ensure
• Identification enrollment
• Full equal access to services
• Disclosure of rights to parents and unaccompanied
  youth, including the right to transportation
• Mediation of disputes

18
Warning Signs of Homelessness

• Lack of continuity in education
• Transportation attendance problems
• Poor health or nutrition
• Lack of privacy or personal space after school
• Social or behavioral concerns
• Reactions or statements by child or parent

19
Strategies for Implementation

• Free reduced price breakfast lunch programs
• Free textbooks
• Health insurance
• Title I programs
• Special Education
• Gifted Programs

• Transportation
• Before and after school programs
• Head Start
• Even Start

20
Title I and Homelessness

• Title I application must show collaboration with
  McKinney-Vento Act
• Title IA funds must include a set aside amount to
  serve homeless students
• Title I of the ESEA, Sec. 1113(c)(3)(A)

21
Title I and Homelessness

• The set aside funds may be used to
• Coordinate services through a designated person
  to make contact with homeless families, youth
  service providers
• Provide outreach services
• Provide assistance in non-Title I schools
• Provide early childhood education programs
• Refer students to health services and counseling
• Tutor, provide supplemental instruction or
  enriched services
• Other assistance as needed

22
Needs Assessment

• Where are the shelters in your community? Are
  there any?
• What organizations in the district can help
  homeless youth or families?
• What issues are unique to your community?

23
Resources

• Christina Endres
• endres_at_doe.state.in.us or [phone]
• Gaylon Nettles
• gnettles_at_doe.state.in.us or [phone]
• Jamie Miller, Cynthia Hurst, Sandi Stanfield
• [phone]