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S UPPORTING THE
E DUCATION OF
U NACCOMPANIED
H OMELESS S TUDENTS
[email protected]
R ESOURCES AND H ELP
NCHE
FROM
The National Center for Homeless Education
(NCHE) operates the U.S. Department of
Education’s technical assistance and information
center in the area of homeless education
 Website: www.serve.org/nche
 Helpline: 800-308-2145 or
[email protected]
 Listserv – to join, contact [email protected]
 Online tutorials and trainings:
http://www.serve.org/nche/training.php
 Professional Learning Community
http://center.serve.org/nche/web/plc.php
TODAY ’ S P LAN

Who are unaccompanied homeless
youth?

What are their educational rights?

How can school districts best serve
unaccompanied homeless students?

Process scenarios

Group Q&A and discussion
UHY S ERVED IN OH S CHOOLS
11,029
SY2009-10
1,794
10%
13,291
SY2008-09
1,108
8%
18,120
SY2007-08
578
5%
SY2007-08
11,029
SY2008-09
13,291
SY2009-10
18,120
Unaccompanied Youth
578
1,108
1,794
% of Total Served
5%
8%
10%
Total Served
S TEP 1: W HO IS H OMELESS ?

Children or youth who lack a fixed,
regular, and adequate nighttime
residence, including:

Sharing the housing of others due to loss of
housing, economic hardship, or similar reason
(“doubling up”)

Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping
grounds due to the lack of adequate
alternative accommodations

Living in emergency or transitional shelters

Abandoned in hospitals
S TEP 1: W HO IS H OMELESS ?
( CONT )

Awaiting foster care placement

Living in a public or private place not
designed for humans to live
Living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings,
substandard housing, bus or train stations, or
a similar setting
Migratory children living in the above
circumstances
Unaccompanied homeless youth living in the
above circumstances



S TEP 2: W HO IS
UNACCOMPANIED ?

According to the McKinney-Vento Act, an
unaccompanied homeless student is a
child or youth “not in the physical custody
of a parent or guardian”

Refers to physical custody, not legal
custody
W HO ARE U NACCOMPANIED
H OMELESS S TUDENTS ?

2-step eligibility process
1) Does the student’s living arrangement
meet the McKinney-Vento Act’s
definition of homeless?
2) Is the student unaccompanied?
A GE L IMIT ?
No lower age limit
 Upper age limit (as with all McKinneyVento eligible students) is the state’s
upper age limit for public education –
21 years old in OH

“B UT, THE STUDENT CHOSE
TO LEAVE …”

A youth can be eligible regardless of
whether he/she was asked to leave or
“chose” to leave

Sometimes there is “more than meets the
eye” for a youth’s home life situation
W OULD Y OU ?
If your home life was violent or
extremely chaotic, how likely are
you to disclose this to someone
you don’t know?
T HE S CHOOL’ S C HARGE

Schools first and foremost are educational
agencies

The school’s primary responsibility is to
enroll and educate homeless youth, in
accordance with the McKinney-Vento Act

School personnel do not need to
understand and/or agree with all aspects
of a student’s home life to educate
him/her
U NDOCUMENTED STUDENTS

Plyler v. Doe: Undocumented
students are eligible for McKinneyVento services to the same extent as
documented students
 Includes undocumented
unaccompanied homeless youth
PATHS TO B EING
“O N Y OUR O WN ”
 Longstanding patterns of family conflict:
blended family issues, pregnancy, sexual
activity or orientation, school problems,
alcohol/drug use
 Abuse and/or neglect within the home
 Parental incarceration, substance abuse,
illness, hospitalization, or death
PATHS TO B EING
“O N Y OUR O WN ” ( CONT )
 Foster care issues
 running away from a placement
 aging out
 significant correlation with experiencing
homelessness as an adult
 Some students become homeless with
their families, but end up on their own
due to lack of space in temporary
accommodations or shelter policies that
prohibit adolescent boys
S CENARIO : J EREMY
Jeremy, a senior in high school, shows up at
your school by himself wanting to enroll. He
says he left home he can’t stand living with
his stepdad. He is currently staying with his
grandmother but isn’t sure how long he can
stay there.

Is Jeremy homeless?

Is Jeremy unaccompanied?

Other questions or concerns?
B ARRIERS TO E DUCATION

Lack of stable housing (affects access to
bathing and laundry facilities, place to
study, etc.)

Lack of a parent or guardian (support,
guidance, signing, etc.)

Lack of school records and other
paperwork (hinders access to services)

Emotional crisis / Mental health issues

Employment: Many are self-supporting
and have to balance school and work
B ARRIERS TO E DUCATION
( CONT )

Lack of transportation

Lack of school supplies, clothing

Fatigue, poor health, hunger

Credit accrual policies, attendance
policies

Concerns about being reported to
authorities
R IGHTS FOR A LL H OMELESS
S TUDENTS



Immediate enrollment, even if
lacking paperwork normally required
School selection: Local attendance
area school or school of origin,
according to the student’s best
interest
Transportation to/from the school of
origin
R IGHTS FOR A LL H OMELESS
S TUDENTS ( CONT )



Comparable services, including
transportation
Access to educational programs for
which they are eligible (Title IA,
IDEA, ELL, migrant education,
vocational/technical education,
gifted and talented, etc.)
Free school meals (USDA’s Child
Nutrition Act)
S PECIFIC M-V P ROVISIONS
FOR U NACCOMPANIED
H OMELESS S TUDENTS





Enrollment without proof of guardianship
Assistance from the local liaison in
selecting a school of attendance and
enrolling
Assistance from the local liaison in
receiving transportation to the school of
origin
Can initiate the dispute resolution process
for himself/herself
Assistance from the local liaison in
resolving any disputes that arise
S PECIFIC M-V P ROVISIONS ON
U NACCOMPANIED H OMELESS
S TUDENTS ( CONT )



Student receives written notice in disputes
MV subgrant application consideration: the
extent to which case management or related
services will be provided to unaccompanied
homeless students
Authorized use of subgrant funds: “The
provision of services and assistance to attract,
engage, and retain homeless children and
youths, and unaccompanied homeless youths,
in public school programs and services provided
to non-homeless children and youths”
S PECIFIC IDEA P ROVISIONS ON
U NACCOMPANIED H OMELESS
S TUDENTS

Surrogate Parents
 Appointed for special education purposes
 Should be appointed within 30 days
 Cannot be an employee of the SEA, LEA,
or any other agency involved in the
education or care of the child
 Must have no personal or professional
interests that conflict with the student’s
interest
 Must have necessary knowledge and skills
S PECIFIC IDEA P ROVISIONS ON
U NACCOMPANIED H OMELESS
S TUDENTS ( CONT )

Temporary Surrogate Parents





Appointed immediately
Can be involved in the education or care of
the youth
Must have no personal or professional
interests in conflict with the interest of the
student
Must have the necessary knowledge and
skills
Rights transfer to student upon reaching
age of majority
W HAT A BOUT D ISCIPLINARY
I SSUES ?

The McKinney-Vento Act does not provide
immunity from normal school disciplinary
guidelines unless the infractions are linked
directly to his/her homelessness – e.g.
tardiness, absences, credit accrual, etc.

Remember the McKinney-Vento Act’s
general mandate to remove barriers to
school enrollment and retention
S CENARIO : J EREMY
Remember Jeremy? He couldn’t get along
with his stepfather and is living temporarily
with his grandmother. Two days after your
school enrolled him, his mom calls insisting
that the school force Jeremy to come home
and threatens to sue the school if you don’t
disenroll Jeremy immediately.

How would you respond?

Other questions?
I DENTIFICATION S TRATEGIES

Provide awareness activities for school staff
(registrars, secretaries, counselors, social
workers, nurses, teachers, bus drivers,
administrators, truancy and attendance
officers, security officers, etc.) about the
specific needs of runaway and homeless youth

Develop relationships with dropout
prevention programs, truancy officials, and
other attendance officers. Many UHY are out
of school!
I DENTIFICATION S TRATEGIES
( CONT )

Community agencies and schools can work
together; enlist partners to be your “eyes
and ears” to help identify and reach
unaccompanied homeless students

Ask other students to help spread the word

Post outreach materials where UHY
congregate including laundromats, parks,
campgrounds, skate parks, and
clubs/organizations
B UILD TRUSTING
RELATIONSHIPS

Be sensitive, honest, and trustworthy
 Inform students up-front about the
circumstances under which you may be
required to report them to child welfare
or law enforcement
 Keep in mind the challenges that
unaccompanied homeless students face
 Encourage youth to stay in school;
support them and advocate for them in
getting their education
E NROLLMENT S TRATEGIES
US ED Guidance:
“Develop caregiver affidavits, enrollment
forms for unaccompanied homeless youth,
and other forms to replace typical proof of
guardianship. Again, such forms should be
carefully crafted so they do not create further
barriers or delay enrollment”
July 2004 Policy Guidance, Question G-8
E NROLLMENT S TRATEGIES
( CONT )

Three common methods for enrolling
unaccompanied homeless students

The student enrolls himself/herself

A caregiver enrolls the student - sample
enrollment forms at
www.serve.org/nche/downloads/toolkit/app_
e.pdf

The local liaison enrolls the student
E NROLLMENT R EMINDERS

Can not require a caregiver to obtain legal
guardianship for enrollment

Can not discontinue a student’s
enrollment due to an inability to identify a
caregiver, guardian, or parent following
enrollment or to produce guardianship or
other paperwork
PARTICIPATION IN
E XTRA - CURRICULAR A CTIVITIES
Enrollment - “attending classes and
participating fully in school activities”;
includes extra-curricular activities offered
through the school
 States and districts must develop, review,
and revise policies to remove barriers to the
enrollment and retention of homeless youth

 Program fees and deadlines can be waived
(sample policy from DE can be found at
www.serve.org/nche/forum/extra_curr.php)
PARTICIPATION IN
E XTRA - CURRICULAR A CTIVITIES
( CONT )
McKinney-Vento subgrant funds can be
used to assist with program fees, if
needed
 States have implemented a variety of
policies regarding signing/decision-making
for UHY to participate in school activities

 Youth sign for themselves
 Local liaison signs for the youth
 Caregiver signs for the youth
E DUCATIONAL S UPPORT





Access to diversified learning opportunities
(vocational education, credit-for-work
programs, flexible school hours, etc.) yet
don’t assume youth will need or desire this
option
Before- or after-school support
Exceptions to policies on class schedules,
tardiness, absences and credits
Credit accrual and recovery (chunking credits,
partial credits, flexible school hours, etc.)
Provide access to a “safe place” and trained
mentor at school
A CCESS TO H IGHER E DUCATION C OLLEGE C OST R EDUCTION AND
A CCESS A CT (CCRA)



Independent student status on the FAFSA for
unaccompanied homeless youth and self-supporting
youth at risk of homelessness
Can apply for aid without parental signature or
consideration of parental income
Uses the MV definition of homeless. Includes:



student in dorm who otherwise would be
homeless
homeless student fleeing abusive parent even if
parent would provide housing and support
At risk of homelessness: “when a student’s housing
may cease to be fixed, regular, and adequate”
CCRA ( CONT.)

Must be determined by:








Local liaison
RHYA-funded shelter director or designee
HUD-funded shelter director or designee
College Financial Aid Administrator (FAA)
If student does not have, and cannot get
documentation, FAA must make a determination of
homeless/unaccompanied status
Verification is not required unless there is conflicting
information
FAA can verify the status with documented interview
Child welfare, court, or law enforcement reports are
not necessary
Download NCHE’s higher education poster at http://center.serve.org/nche/pr/he_poster.php
S CENARIO : J EREMY
Remember Jeremy? He left his mom’s home and is
living temporarily with his grandmother. His mom
wanted you to disenroll him to force him to come
home. He’s a senior in high school and really wants
to go to college, but isn’t sure he’ll have the money
to even apply, much less attend.

According to the College Cost Reduction and
Access Act, is Jeremy an independent student?

How could you help him?

Final questions?
F OR MORE INFORMATION
NCHE website:
www.serve.org/nche/ibt/sc_youth.php
NCHE Helpline:
800-308-2145 or [email protected]
State Coordinator:
Tom Dannis
614-466-4161