Transcript An Orientation to

An Orientation to
MCKINNEY-VENTO
HOMELESS EDUCATION
Agenda
 Introductions & Ground Rules
 McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance
 The Law
 Who’s Homeless
 Educational Rights of Homeless Children and youth
 Role of the Homeless Liaison
Break
 Homelessness In Massachusetts
 Best Practices
 Hot Topics
 Questions
Introductions
 Please include:
 Your name,
 District,
 Your job/position, and
 Your connection to homeless education
Ground Rules
 While we will look at some cases, and that can be a
good way of learning to work with the law, we must
maintain the children and families’ confidentiality.
 For questions regarding specific cases please
withhold identifying information or see us during the
break or after this session.
McKinney-Vento Homeless Education
Assistance Act, 2002
Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance
No Child Left Behind
So why do we even have this law?

Homelessness is a journeynot an overnight event-that has enormous impact on children
Why McKinney-Vento?
 Homelessness affects
Whole family,
 Attendance,
 The ability to focus and learn,
 Educational gaps due to high mobility and
 Behavior

 Homelessness is often accompanied with
Food insecurity
 Lack of medical, dental and mental health services
 Loss of connection to family, friends, community

The Law
 Definition, Who is Homeless?
 Educational Rights of Students who are Homeless
 School
Selection & Enrollment
 Transportation
 Nutrition
 Equal Access & Comparable Services
 Title I
 See ESE Homeless Education Advisories on
Webpage
 Role of the Homeless Liaison
Definition: Who is Homeless?
Anyone who lacks fixed regular and adequate nighttime
residence.

This Includes:
Shelters and motels
 On the street: cars, parks,….
 Doubling up due to Economic hardship, loss of housing or similar
reason
 Unaccompanied youth
 Awaiting foster care

Homeless? Case Study
 A parent arrives at the Parent Information center to
enroll her second grader. She explains that she has
just arrived in town and does not have way to prove
residency and is unwilling to show you a lease.
 Is she housed? Or homeless?
Educational Rights of Students
Who are Homeless
 School Selection & Enrollment
 School of Origin
School/District last attended
 School attended when student became homeless

 Immediate Enrollment Locally
With or without Documentation
 Unaccompanied Youth

Educational Rights of Students
Who are Homeless
 Students Records
 Transportation
 Shared Responsibility
 Special Education

Nutrition
Free Lunch and Breakfast
 Paperwork
 Food Insecurity

Educational Rights of Students
Who are Homeless
 Equal Access & Comparable services
 School Courses, Events, Activities
 Student Support Services
 Preschool
 Charter Schools, Vocational Schools, School Choice
 Title I
 School-wide & Targeted Programs
 Addressing the unique needs of homeless students
NAEHCY video

HOMELESS STUDENT INTERVIEW THEIR
LIAISONS
Your Role as the Homeless Education Liaison
 Facilitate Enrollment & Dispute Resolution Process
 Transportation
 Communicating with your counterparts
Your Role as the Homeless Education Liaison
 Identification
 Building Awareness is Key
 Professional Development and Training
 School committee
 Ensure Equal Access & Comparable Services
 Referral to Outside Services
Your Role as the Homeless Education Liaison
 Data Collection
 Tracking for internal purposes
1.
2.

Support Services
Transportation reimbursement
Annual ESE data collection
1.
2.
Students that are enrolled with you
Enter-do not delete
Your Role as the Homeless Education Liaison
 ESE contact
 You are our way and families’ way of reaching the district!
 Monitoring and Compliance
Break
 Take a few minutes for you and a few minutes to say
hello to a colleague!
Journey Through Homelessness Case Study
 A first grader has made several trips to the school
nurse’s office in the past month with vague complaints
of not feeling good. Mom recently mentioned that her
work hours were cut and the family is struggling.
Today the student falls asleep in the nurse’s office
saying they cant sleep at home anymore.
 What is going on? Could she be homeless?
 What can the nurse do? What can you do?
Homelessness in Massachusetts
 2012/13 School Year by the Numbers

Shelters
Doubled up
Unaccompanied
Unsheltered
Motels
Awaiting Foster Care

Total





3,656
6,744
935
109
2,582
1,786
15,812
Homelessness in Massachusetts
 State Shelter system
• Family Shelters
• Motels
• Unaccompanied Youth & Adult Shelters
• Moving out of Shelter & Signing a Lease
• Enrollment Verification Letter
 Doubling up
• Living with friends or relatives due to economic hardship, loss
of housing and similar reason
Homelessness in Massachusetts
 Summer Campgrounds & Winter Rentals
 Couch surfing & unaccompanied youth
 Department of Children and Families
• STARR
• TCU
• Temporary foster care and foster care
Best Practices
 Policy
 Template at MASC.org
 ESE summary page
 Sample District Policies
 Enrollment
 Do your enrollment forms cite McKinney-Vento or families in
transition
 Identification, the key is training
 Who: enrollment staff, guidance, principals, nurses
 DVDs
 Awareness building: school committee, community
Best Practices
 Student Support Services
 Community Based Services and Outreach
 Medical, Mental and Dental Health
 Food Pantries & Clothing Banks
 Local Transportation
 Local Housing Advocates
 Local Enrichment opportunities
Public Libraries
 Municipal Parks and Recreation
 YM/WCAs, Boys and Girls, Out of School Time Providers

Is your contact information up to date?
 Your District’s Contact
 Verify your contact information on the ESE website
 Update is done by the District’s Directory Administrator- not
by ESE;
 Parents, providers and other state agencies reference this list
Hot Topics
 Commission on Youth Homelessness
 Passed by the state legislature
 ESE is a participating member
 First report issued in May 2013
 US ICH Open Doors focus on unaccompanied youth
 MHSA Young Adult Resource Guide
 Statewide Resource
 Online at MHSA.net, click on Resources
Your Hot Topics?
 What are you seeing?
 What are you concerned about?
 What’s working for you?
Questions?
 Did we miss anything
 Looking for more information
 NAEHCY
 NCHE
 National Runaway Switchboard
 Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
We are Glad to Help…
ESE Office for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth

Sarah Slautterback, State Coordinator
781-338-6330 [email protected]

Elizabeth Harris, Program Coordinator
781-338-6310 [email protected]

Website http://www.doe.mass.edu/mv/