Perspectives for Homeless Education Program Development, Maintenance, and Sustainability

1. Perspectives for Homeless Education Program Development, Maintenance, and Sustainability

2. Perspectives – Observations and Experiences • District • School • Social Worker / Itinerate D.S. Johns, 2013

3. Goals • Learn from our experiences, processes, and practices Gleaning ideas and insights for your situation • See from different perspectives within the system and gaining insight into the incentives of behaviors and actions of others • Present a model to develop and sustain a comprehensive Homeless Education Program D.S. Johns, 2013

4. Introduction • Roles and Perspectives • The Education Environment • Our Story and Best Practices • Program Development • Program Maintenance and Growth • Program Sustainability • Cautions and Pitfalls • Successes and Promises D.S. Johns, 2013

5. Roles and Perspectives Roles and Perspectives D.S. Johns, 2013

6. Perspective • A mental view or prospect • The relationship or proportion of the parts of a whole, regarded from a particular standpoint or point in time • Specific point of view in understanding or judging things or events, esp. one that shows them in their true relations to one another “ We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” Abraham Lincoln “No two persons ever read the same book.” Edmund Wilson D.S. Johns, 2013

7. Finished files are the re- sult of years of scientif ic study combined with the experience of many years. D.S. Johns, 2013

8. Finished files are the re- sult of years of scientif ic study combined with the experience of many years. D.S. Johns, 2013

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10. Role Perspectives Everyone Has Perspectives • Professional • Personal • Political • Spiritual • Community Perspectives influence and impact operations D.S. Johns, 2013

11. Roles and Perspectives • How one sees it • How it impacts them and others that impact them • What are their incentives to see it that way • What are the benefits and hazards for them D.S. Johns, 2013

12. The Education Environment The Backdrop The Education Environment The Backdrop D.S. Johns, 2013

13. Changing Dynamics of Education Impacts on Students in Homeless Situations • Graduation Rates - CCRPI • Common Core Standards • Vouchers • Charter Schools • High Stakes Standardized Testing • Teacher and Administration evaluations and accountability • Business model of running schools D.S. Johns, 2013

14. Unintended Consequences • Devaluation of student support services • Survival of the fittest • Academic performance and accountability at all costs • Hierarchy of need • Rates and data overshadowing individuals • Bottom line education • Standards and testing reduces flexibility • Operating to the standards and measures • Accountability and evaluation – one size fits all • School factories D.S. Johns, 2013

15. School System Perspectives D.S. Johns, 2013

16. District Perspectives Primary Client/Customer - System “Schools need to get on the same page” Considerations • Available resources – financial / human • System wide application • Costs – Human and Financial Impact • Fitting into missions and strategic plans • Liability – legal • Politics (internal and external) • Communication – how and when • Public perception impact with stakeholders D.S. Johns, 2013

17. District Benefits & Hazards • Benefits • Additional Resources and Funding • Compliance requirements • Selective PR • Hazards • Liability – legal • System wide applications – “All for one” • Costs – financial • Changing guidelines and interpretations – “keeping it vanilla” • Keeping in step with other LEA’s D.S. Johns, 2013

18. School Administration Perspectives Primary Client/Customer – School “Leave us alone district office” Considerations • How benefit the school • How impact student performance • Available resources to administer program • Minimizing disruptions • School environment • Stake holder perception • Access control • Who is in the school • Who we are responsible for – in loco parentis D.S. Johns, 2013

19. School Admin Benefits & Hazards • Benefits • More support for struggling students • Help with attendance and transportation • Hazards • Control – access and flexibility • Accountability for protected students • Costs - Human resource • Public perception “homeless = problems” • Different treatment of a group and the message it sends “parents using the system” D.S. Johns, 2013

20. School Social Worker Perspectives Primary Client/Customer – Student and their family “We will support and get them here, you teach them” Considerations • Progressive Interventions • Special Teams • Equal access • Interventions (systemic – family – individual) • Best interest of student and family • Ethics guide actions – code of ethics • Supporting all students • Linking to supports and services • Maintaining and improving • Self determination D.S. Johns, 2013

21. SSW Benefits & Hazards • Benefits • Equal access • School stability – attendance and support • Qualification for services • Hazards • Gatekeepers • Limited resources of support in community already • Difficult to impact change of systems and cultures • Expectations that problems = community supports D.S. Johns, 2013

22. Our Story Our Story D.S. Johns, 2013

23. Gwinnett County Public Schools • Gwinnett County • Big county with several cluster communities • Nobody from here • Gwinnett County Public Schools • 168,000 students • 132 schools / 18 clusters • 55 Title I Schools • Diverse student population • Considered urban system • Broad Prize winner – 2010 • IE2 - flexibility D.S. Johns, 2013

24. System Profile of Students in Homeless Situations • Avg. 2000+ each year • Avg. 60-65% Doubled Up and 30-35% hotel / motel Metro Atlanta Area Economic Influences & Cycles • Katrina – 2005 • Housing Crisis • The Great Recession • Immigration Reform • Housing Sales Up- Companies D.S. Johns, 2013

25. System Structure School System • Top Down – Decentralized Model “The best and worst” • Local school • Governance • Programs • E&A and WD Community • Limited supports • No functional homeless shelter • Public health • Mental health – insurance • Support and Assistance – coops, coalitions, social services • Limited affordable housing / public housing • Limited public transportation D.S. Johns, 2013

26. Program Components & Model D.S. Johns, 2013

27. Basic Components of HEP Develop These First • Awareness • Rights (school of origin, transportation, meals, supports, ….) • Identification and Enrollment • School Selection and Disputes • Comparable Services • Access and inclusion • Transportation • Providing Support and Resources • Data Management and Accounting D.S. Johns, 2013

28. Advanced Components Work On These After You Get The Basics Down • Educational Support • Alternate Transportation • Outside of school hours, private, etc… • Agency and Business Partnership and Collaborations • Businesses • Courts • DFCS – Fostering Connections Act • Health Support and Services • Physical and behavioral • Others • Apprenticeships, vocational support, mentoring, family supports D.S. Johns, 2013

29. Program Development, Maintenance, and Sustainability Program Maintenance & Growth • Monitoring • Viable processes • Advancing & • Enhancing • services • Reviewing • outcomes and • feedback Program Development • Needs Assessment • Determining program resources and systems • Developing processes and tools • Data management • Action and implementation • Communication plan Program Sustainability • Able to live on • Adaptability • Evaluation and changes • Feedback and information Continuous Improvement - Feedback, Evaluation, Modification D.S. Johns, 2013

30. Program Development D.S. Johns, 2013

31. Program Development Components to address • Needs assessment • Determining resources and systems • Developing processes and tools • Data management • Actions and implementation • Communication plan D.S. Johns, 2013

32. 1. Needs Assessment • Clarify the purpose of the needs assessment • Where are we and how far do we need to go? • Where do we want to be ? – Our program goals • Identify the population and stakeholders • Determining how to collect data and getting input • School staff, specialists, parents, students, community members, and other stakeholders • Analyze Data and Information • How to use the information to develop the program D.S. Johns, 2013

33. 2. Determining Program Resources and Systems - Human Resources Internal External District Program Manager - Liaison Program District SSW – by clusters / HEP SSW Leadership Structure and Support Local Schools Registration clerks, counselors, administrators Leadership Structure and Support Federal and State DOE and NAEHCY - program specialist Agencies Social Supports DFCS Faith-based Grant Funded Businesses Partnerships - businesses and Industries in your area Small Businesses D.S. Johns, 2013

34. 2. Determining Program Resources and Systems - Financial Resources Internal External District Programs Local School Programs Set Asides - Title I ERSS - Academics Assistance Academic fees and resources Other expenses that create barriers Businesses Social service agencies Public health support MV Grant and others (Academic Assistance) Staff Transportation ERSS ISOO D.S. Johns, 2013

35. 2. Determining Program Resources and Systems – Systems & Environments Internal External How will program and its components impact others? How will your system use the program? Student Support Selective PR Dumping School System Allies and stakeholders Federal programs Transportation dept. Superintendent's Office How will others use the program Building Community Support Political Leverage Allies and stakeholders Community Supports D.S. Johns, 2013

36. Leadership Support of Program • Continuous Improvement vs. Control • Position - Where Leadership Occurs? • Top - Middle - Bottom • Front vs. Back • How much do they want to know? • Ignorance is bliss • Seeking first to understand • Incentives to understanding D.S. Johns, 2013

37. 3. Developing Processes and Tools Steps, Overlaps, Redundancy, and Backtracks • Starting with basic components first • Identifying systems structures and flow of processes • Developing processes • Steps • Forms • Building in overlaps and redundancy • Backtracking when changes are needed D.S. Johns, 2013

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39. Free Meals Process for Homeless Students 1. Registration / SASI Clerk shall immediately code homeless students appropriately in SASI when identified 2. Registration / SASI Clerk shall immediately email their cafeteria manger the name of the student(s), student ID number(s), and their homeless status. 3. Cafeteria Manager shall immediately email SNP FR to ensure that the students are receiving free meals. 4. The SASI clerk should run a periodic query to determine if any homeless students are not receiving free meals. D.S. Johns, 2013

40. Homeless Education Program Tools • Homeless Brochure and Rights • Posters • Student Residency Questionnaire (SRQ) • School of Origin Form • Transportation Request Form • Written Notice and Disputes D.S. Johns, 2013

41. 4. Data Management and Accounting • Student information system • Local Systems • State Systems • Reports and Audits • DOE • Grants • Program Audits • End of Year Reports D.S. Johns, 2013

42. Homeless Children and Youth Report D.S. Johns, 2013

43. 5. Action and Implementation • Action Plans • Specific description • Who responsible • Deadlines • Follow up and follow through • Support D.S. Johns, 2013

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45. 6. Communication Plan • Communicating needs and benefits to system leadership • Communication flow – two way • Registration advisory committees • Counselor meetings • Principal and AP meetings • Models of delivery • In person – feedback – large groups /by schools • Virtual - limited D.S. Johns, 2013

46. “The Message” Simple and Consistent D.S. Johns, 2013 Homeless Education Program Presentation

47. Homeless Definition - MV Students who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence— • Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason (doubled up) • Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds due to lack of adequate alternative accommodations • Living in emergency or transitional shelters • Other situations - ask Simple descriptions and requirements, but complex situations D.S. Johns, 2013

48. Premise and Language of MV • Premise of MV is School Stability and Access • Definitions • School of origin —school attended when permanently housed or in which last enrolled • Best interest —keep homeless students in their schools of origin, to the extent feasible, unless this is against the parents’ or guardians’ wishes D.S. Johns, 2013

49. Immediate - Timely - Best Interest • Immediately enroll • Request enrollment documents – “timely manner to provide” • Immediately code in SASI • Immediately set up free meals • Immediately begin school of origin transportation (if applicable) – based on parent request • Support decisions are made in the best interest of the student D.S. Johns, 2013

50. MV Requirements McKinney-Vento Requirements • Immediate enrollment and full and equal opportunity to succeed in school • Inform parents and guardians of their rights • Provide transportation to/from school of origin • Resolve disputes • Track homeless numbers D.S. Johns, 2013