Homeless Liaison Training 2014

Homeless Liaison Training 2014
Paula Gaddis Tennessee Department of Education

Welcome Paula Gaddis Paula.Gaddis@tn.gov (615) 741-3262 Introductions name district you represent job as it relates to homeless education how long on that job

National Center forHomeless Education Beth Hardy Diana Bowman NCHE is the U.S. Department of Education’s homeless education technical assistance and information center

To Know Me Better

Agenda Eligibility Enrollment Dispute Resolution Title I set-aside Transportation Community Collaborations Needs Assessment Building Sense of Urgency Definition LEA Liaison and District Responsibilities Early Childhood Unaccompanied Youth Identification Liaison Toolkit

McKinney-VentoHomeless Assistance Act Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act; reauthorized by Title X, Part C of NCLB (1987) Main themes: Identification School stability School access Support for academic success Child-centered, best interest decision making Critical role of the local homeless education liaison

How Many? Federal Estimate – 10 percent of those on Free and Reduced Lunch (FRL) will be homeless. 576,435 = actual FRL for Tennessee (2012-13) 57,643 = federal estimate for homeless count (2012-13) 14,319 = TN homeless count in (2012-13) datacenter.kidscount.org TN 2013 Report Card and CSPR data reporting

Homeless Definition Lacks “fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence” [725(2)(A)] Doubled-up: sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason (economic hardship – not by choice) 75 percent Motels, hotels, campgrounds, trailer parks due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations) 6 percent Emergency or transitional shelters 16 percent

Homeless Definition Public or private place not designated for human living such as cars, parks, substandard housing, abandoned buildings, bus/train stations 3percent Awaiting foster care Abandon in hospitals Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above. [725(2)(A-B)(i-iv)]

Quick Facts Every day, homeless children are confronted with stressful, often traumatic events. 74 percent worry they will have no place to live. 58 percent worry they will have no place to sleep. 87 percent worry that something bad will happen to their family. Source: National Center on Family Homelessness (NCFH)

Quick Facts Among school-age homeless children: 47 percent have problems such as anxiety, depression, and withdrawal, compared to 18 percent of other school-age children 36 percent manifest delinquent or aggressive behavior, compared to 17 percent of other school-age children Source: National Center on Family Homelessness (NCFH)

Quick Facts Among young homeless children: One out of five (between three and six years of age) have emotional problems serious enough to require professional care. 16 percent of homeless preschoolers have behavior problems including severe aggression and hostility. Source: National Center on Family Homelessness (NCFH)

Quick Facts Have four times the average rate of delayed development. Have more academic problems than other children. Are under served by special education. 9percent are in special education classes, compared to 24 percent of housed children. Are suspended twice as often as other children. Source: National Center on Family Homelessness (NCFH)

Local HomelessEducation Liaisons Responsibilities - Ensure that children and youth in homeless situations are identified. Ensure that homeless students enroll immediately in and have full and equal opportunity to succeed in school. The terms “enroll” and “enrollment” include attending classes and participating fully in school activities.

Immediate Enrollment “Children and youth have the right to enroll in school immediately, even if they do not have required documents, such as school records, medical records, proof of residency, or other documents.” [722(g)(3)(C)(i)] “If a student does not have immunizations or medical records, the liaison must immediately assist in obtaining them, and the student must be enrolled in school in the interim.” [722(g)(3)(C)(iii)] “Enrolling schools must obtain school records from the previous school, and students must be enrolled in school while records are obtained.” [722(g)(3)(C)(ii)]

Local HomelessEducation Liaisons Inform parents, guardians, or youth of educational rights Link with educational services, including preschool and health services. Resolve disputes and assist with transportation. Supporting unaccompanied youth in school selection and dispute resolution

Local HomelessEducation Liaisons Ensuring the public posting of educational rights through the school district and community; NCHE Educational Rights Posters are available at www.serve.org/nche/products.php Collaborating with other district programs and community agencies

District Responsibilities Designate an appropriate liaison. Adopt policies and practices to ensure transportation is provided, at request of parent or guardian (or LEA homeless liaison on behalf of unaccompanied youth), to and from the school of origin.

District Responsibilities Remove barriers, including revising district policy Enroll homeless child or youth immediately even if no records are currently available. Keep, maintain, and make available student records for future school enrollment.

Litigation - Lampkin VS D.C. McKinney-Vento has enforceable rights (Can sue under MV. District pays fees if they lose.) Refusal to enroll Failure to grant automatic enrollment while dispute is being resolved Failure to provide transportation Failure to recognize and accommodate unaccompanied youth Failure to accept appeals of enrollment decisions (“You’re not homeless, so you’re not entitled to appeal.”)

Student Rights Immediate enrollment, even if lacking paperwork Transportation to/from school of origin Public posting of rights School selection (school of origin/local school) Comparable services Prohibition of segregation Free school meals Title I support Appropriate special services (ESL, Special Education)

System Coding Homeless McKinney-Vento: A homeless student served by federal McKinney-Vento funds any time during the school year Y/N You only mark “yes” if you are receiving a homeless subgrant. Homeless: All students identified in district

System Coding 01= Shelters, transitional housing, awaiting foster care 02= Doubled up (living with another person or family) 03= Unsheltered (cars, parks, abandoned building, campgrounds, trailer) 04 = Hotels/motels Please notice that there is no 00 code.

Immunization Report Tennessee Code Annotated 49-6-5001(g) LEAs report homeless numbers by school of students who, at the time of enrollment, were without immunization records. The average time to be immunized or obtain immunization records. Example, 6 days.

Unaccompanied Youth “not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian” [725(6)]

Identification Strategies What do you do to identify homeless students? Steps you take Procedures you have Common Signs in your district

Identification Strategies Avoid using the word "homeless” with school personnel, families, or youth In transition Provide awareness activities for school staff (registrars, secretaries, counselors, nurses, teachers, tutors, bus drivers, security officers, drop out prevention specialists, administrators) http://www.naehcy.org/educational-resources/videos http://center.serve.org/nche/web/online_tr.php

Identification Strategies Coordinate with community service agencies, such as shelters, soup kitchens, public assistance and housing agencies, and public health departments. Post outreach materials and posters in all schools and where there is a frequent influx of low-income families and youth in high-risk situations, including motels, campgrounds, libraries, youth centers. http://center.serve.org/nche/online_order.php http://www.k12.wa.us/HomelessEd/Posters.aspx

Identification Strategies Use enrollment and withdrawal forms to inquire about living situations. Make special efforts to identify preschool children, including asking about the siblings of school-aged children. Develop relationships with truancy officials and/or other attendance officers.

If you selected “None of these apply”, you do not need to answer Question 2; if you selected any other option, please answer Question 2.

Explore Liaison Toolkit NCHE at SERVE http://ftp.serve.org/nche/ NCHE Products and Resources http://center.serve.org/nche/pr/liaison_toolkit.php Report Out

Case-by-case determination Some instances will be clear-cut; others will require further inquiry and then a judgment call Get as much information as possible (with sensitivity and discretion) Look at the MV definition (specific examples in the definition first, then overall definition) Determining Eligibility

Shared housing considerations: Where would you go if you couldn’t stay here? What led you to move to this situation? NCHE’s Determining Eligibility brief available at http://www.serve.org/nche/downloads/briefs/det_elig.pdf Consider: Can the student go to the SAME PLACE (fixed) EVERY NIGHT (regular) to sleep in a SAFE AND SUFFICIENT SPACE (adequate)? Determining Eligibility

Step 1: Get the facts Step 2: Analyze the facts Step 3: Get Additional Input Contact your State Coordinator; Contact the NCHE helpline at (800) 308-2145 or homeless@serve.org Determining Eligibility

Enrollment: School Selection School of Origin: School attended when permanently housed or in which last enrolled (School of origin means that they go with peers from MS to HS. School of origin is not just a building.) School of Residency: Any public school that students living in the same attendance area are eligible to attend If a student becomes homeless in between school years, he or she can continue attending the school of origin for the following school year.

Enrollment: School Selection According to the child’s best interest Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) must keep students in homeless situations in their school of origin, to the extent feasible, unless it is against the parent’s or guardian’s wishes. [722(g)(3)(B)(i)] Students can stay in their school of origin the entire time they are homeless, and until the end of any academic year in which they move into permanent housing. [722(g)(3)(A)(i)] [722(g)(3)(A)(i)(II)]

Feasibility USDOE Sample Criteria Continuity of instruction Age of the child or youth Safety of the child or youth Length of stay at the shelter Likely area where family will find permanent housing Student’s need for special instructional programs Impact of commute on education School placement of siblings Time remaining in the school year

Table Talk Ben Stephanie

Scenario 1: Ben Ben has been at West Elementary for about three months when his mother tells the school secretary that she needs her child’s records. She’s moving in with her cousin across town and is going to transfer Ben to the school her cousin’s children attend. Ben’s teacher calls you and asks what can be done. Ben is just starting to work well in the class, and his teacher would be sorry to see him leave.

Ben Is Ben eligible for McKinney-Vento services? Can Ben stay at West Elementary School? What about transportation?

Scenario 2: Stephanie Stephanie, age 15, tried to enroll in one of your high schools. She said she ran away from home because she “could not get along with” her stepfather. A family in your district is letting Stephanie stay on a sleeper sofa in the living room, but they do not want to get involved in her education. You are the campus homeless liaison at the high school. Stephanie has provided information about her prior school and class schedule. She does not want to provide her mother’s contact information, vaguely saying, “It’s not important,” and “I’m on my own now.”

Stephanie Is Stephanie eligible for McKinney-Vento services? Can Stephanie enroll in the new high school? How can the school enroll her without a parent/guardian and without school records? Does the new school need to find Stephanie’s mother or report Stephanie to some authority?

Dispute Resolution Whenever a dispute arises, the parent, guardian, or youth must be provided with a written explanation of the school’s decision, including the right to appeal. The school must refer the parent, guardian, or youth to the local liaison to carry out the dispute resolution process as expeditiously as possible, in accordance with the state plan. While a dispute is being resolved, the student must be admitted immediately into the requested school and provided with services. Documentation should be kept for all local liaison interventions with parents, and not just formal disputes.

Time to Explore and Share http://www.naehcy.org/ Share one useful item you discovered.

Title I Set-Aside Funding Title I, Part A (Title I) of NCLB requires Title I funds to be set aside to serve homeless students in non-Title I No federally mandated amount/method of calculation Homeless students are automatically eligible for Title I services, even if they don’t attend a Title I school or meet the academic standards required of other students for eligibility. Homeless students are eligible to receive Title I support for the rest of any academic year in which they become permanently housed.

Title I Set-Aside Funding Set-aside funds can be used to provide: Services to homeless students attending Title IA or non-Title IA schools that are comparable to those provided to non-homeless students in Title I schools Services to homeless students that are not ordinarily provided to other Title I students and that are not available from other sources, according to the student’s need (e.g., comparable may not mean identical) Title I funds should be used to support the student in meeting the state’s academic standards.

Is it allowable? Is it already identified as a program component or need in the consolidated plan? Is it an educationally-related need or support service? Are there other district or community funding sources already set up to provide what is needed? What is the cost in proportion to the overall program budget or per-pupil expenditure? Is the expense critical to maintaining the student’s enrollment, attendance or success in school?

Is it allowable? Title I set-aside may not use funds for X Rent X Utilities X Clothing for parents X Supplanting other available funds X Programs or services that state laws or policies require districts to provide

Allowable Types of Services Clothing: daily dress/uniform/PE requirement Student fees necessary to participate in the general education program (lab, AP, IB, SAT/ACT) School supplies Enrollment necessities: birth certificates, immunizations Medical and dental services Eyeglasses and hearing aids

Allowable Types of Services Counseling and Outreach services Extended learning time (before/after school, Saturday classes, summer school to compensate for lack of quiet time for homework in shelters or other overcrowded living conditions) Tutoring services - especially in shelters or other locations where homeless students live Parental involvement GED testing for school-age students Food

Transportation—Key Provisions May use Title I funds or McKinney-Vento subgrant Must provide transportation to and from their school of origin, at a parent’s or guardian’s request (or at the liaison’s request for unaccompanied youth). If crossing LEA lines, they must determine how to divide the responsibility and share the cost or they must share the cost equally.

Transportation—Key Provisions LEAs must provide students in homeless situations with transportation services comparable to those provided to other students. LEAs must eliminate barriers to the school enrollment and retention of students experiencing homelessness (including transportation barriers).

Transportation Strategies Develop close ties among local liaisons, school staff, pupil transportation staff, and shelter workers. Use school buses (including special education, magnet school and other buses). Develop formal or informal agreements with school districts where homeless children cross district lines. Use public transit where feasible. Use approved carpools, van or taxi services. Reimburse parents and youth for gas. Pursue inter-agency solutions

Scenario 3: Chris Chris, a sixteen-year-old, has just come to your school to enroll. He said he left home because he can’t get along with his stepfather and is staying with a friend. His mother says he has a perfectly good home and the school should not enroll him. Should you enroll him?

Scenario 4: Rochelle & Matthew Tim arrived at your local elementary school yesterday to enroll his son in second grade. The registrar immediately recognized his address as that of a low-cost motel. Following your district procedure, she enrolled Tim’s son immediately, gave Tim a brochure on the McKinney-Vento Act, and asked if he had any preschool-age children at home. Tim said that he had a 4-year old daughter, Rochelle, and a 2-year old son, Matthew. He shared that he has recently been given his children by Child Protective Services, has none of their records, and feels overwhelmed.

Rochelle & Matthew What early childhood programs might be available for Rochelle? What early childhood programs might be available for Matthew?

Scenario 5: Sofia Sofia is 17 years old and on her own, supporting herself through various part-time jobs and rotating among different friends’ homes. She has attended your school for three years, and she’s now a senior. As Sofia looks toward college, she has several concerns. She’s worried about her readiness for the academic demands of college, particularly in math and science. She’s also asked you for help getting college application fees waived, completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), getting on SNAP (food stamps), and finding a permanent place to stay.

Sofia How can we help Sofia with college readiness, college applications and financial aid? How can we help Sofia with basic needs like food and shelter?

Community Collaborations Why is it important to develop community based partnerships? Parents need multiple sources of support to help their children succeed in school and in their communities. Research demonstrates that effective schools/education programs have high levels of parental and community involvement.

Developing Relationships Learn each other’s definition of homelessness Create a space for open discussion about shared values and gaps in service Identify community stakeholders to partner with on activities that advance common values and goals Attend each others’ meetings Develop MOUs for cooperation and information sharing

Community Collaborations and Developing Relationships What do you do?

With Whom? Community service providers and school personnel responsible for the provision of education and related services to homeless children and youth School Based Parent Teacher Organizations , Instructional support insight, M-V teacher tutors, Instructional/school supports, continued awareness and technical assistance Community Based Non Profits – varied missions Early Child hood Education Centers, United Way, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boy/Girl Scouts, Junior Achievement, Operation Hope, Junior Leagues, Kiwanis Clubs, Neighborhood Coalitions , Faith Institutions Businesses – venues and consumer needs, Corporate Foundations, Neighborhood Businesses, Future Business, Business Associations Government Agencies – citizen services Police Department, Health Clinics, Social Services and Libraries Universities – sporting events tickets for family bonding and attendance incentives.

Scenario: Marquez Last December, the Marquez family lost its housing due to a fire and moved in with friends. Over the summer, the father’s brother let the family move into a finished room over his garage. The brother lives in the district adjoining the district where the school of origin is located. The parents want their sons, Juan and Pedro, to continue in their school of origin. Are the boys eligible under MV? Should the boys continue in their school of origin? What additional information do you need?

Parental Choice and Involvement Ensure homeless parents are fully informed of the enrollment options and educational opportunities available to their children. Provide written explanation to parents should disputes arise over school selection or school enrollment and refer parents to liaisons to mediate such disputes. Provide homeless parents with meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children.

Needs Assessment Ensures that decisions are based on data Creates a cross-program view of the needs of homeless children and youth Helps identify gaps between needs and services Reinforces collective responsibility Creates a foundation for collaboration Provides a basis for the Title IA homeless set aside amount

Needs Assessment Start with what you already know. How many students, what grades Where they live How they are performing Other school district data –attendance, dropout rate Community data, shelter data, Census and poverty data for comparison Barrier tracking, calls to liaison

Needs Assessment http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/needs_assess_eval.doc NCHE’s Needs Assessment Worksheet Choose the questions most suitable for your district Be strategic -collect all the data you need, but only the data you need Identify strengths, gaps, areas to build your program

Needs Assessment Focus – Establish a limited set of goals, measurable objectives, strategies, activities Determine who will carry out the plan; clarify roles and responsibilities Decide how you will measure success

Random Thoughts Be sure to put homeless information in parent handbook and district web page, including contact flow chart Free hair cuts Poverty Simulation You may tell teachers which students in their classroom are students in transition. How do you combat the “We take care of our own” mentality?

Homeless Liaison Training 2014