Early Childhood Homelessness State Profiles: Data Use for Practice & Policy

1. Early Childhood Homelessness State Profiles: Data Use for Practice & Policy NAEHCY 31st Annual Conference Monday, November 4, 2019 Amy Yamashiro, U.S. Department of Education, OPEPD,PPSS Marsha Basloe, Child Care Services Association Mandy Sorge, National Governors Association Barbara Duffield, SchoolHouse Connection

2. Presentation Overview Amy Yamashiro, Research Analyst, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation & Policy Development, Program & Policy Studies Service • Panel Chair Marsha Basloe, President, Child Care Services Association • Developing and Using the Early Childhood Homelessness 50 State Profile Mandy Sorge, Senior Policy Analyst, Education Division, National Governors Association (NGA) Center • Using Data to Inform Policymakers Barbara Duffield, Executive Director, SchoolHouse Connection • Early Childhood Homelessness: Federal and State Policy Advocacy

3. Early Childhood Homelessness 50 State Profile

4. Developing and Using the Early Childhood Homelessness 50 State Profile

5. Background • Increasing Access to Early Learning Programs for Children Experiencing Homelessness • U.S.I.C.H. Early Childhood Workgroup • Data collected past, present and future • How data used

6. Why Does This Matter? National Data on Early Childhood Homelessness in the United States: The 50-State Profile The 2nd 50-state profile provides a snapshot of early childhood data available for children who are experiencing homelessness in each state and includes publicly available data for 2014-2015. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/ecd/epfp_50_state_profiles_6_15_17_508.pdf Newest data 2015-2016 https://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/disadv/homeless/early-childhood-homelessness-state-profiles.pdf

7. Infants and Toddlers are Disproportionately Impacted by Homelessness https://www.huduser.gov/portal/portal/system/files/pdf/FamilyOptionsStudy_final.pdf https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/5162/2015-ahar-part-2-estimates-of-homelessness/ http://www.childrenshealthwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/Compounding-Stress_2015.pdf

8. Who are homeless children?Children who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence • Sharing the housing of other persons due to the loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason • Living in hotels, motels, trailer parks, camping grounds due to lack of alternative accommodations • Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings • Abandoned in hospitals • Living in emergency or transitional shelters • Primary nighttime residence is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings

9. Methodology • Multiple data sources used • The National Center on Family Homelessness Data on Early Childhood • Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program (ED) • Head Start and Early Head Start (HHS) • United States Census Bureau American Community Survey • Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services data (CMS) • Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) • Children’s Defense Fund • United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

10. Why The First Five Years MatterThe Foundational Early Years • Birth to Five is a time of unparalleled growth! • During early childhood, the brain strengthens the connections that are being used, while pruning away those that are unengaged • The most critical developmental skills learned at this early age are social emotional skills

11. “Trying to Live, Trying to Learn” Denver Post, http://extras.denverpost.com/homelessstudents/

12. Head Start Homelessness Data National Trend 2008-2018

13. CCDF Requirements • Defines homeless to be consistent with the definition in section 725 of Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Act (i.e. definition used by Head Start and Dept. of Education) • Procedures to permit enrollment of children experiencing homelessness prior to completion of all required documentation (including grace periods for compliance with immunization and other health and safety requirements. • Training and technical assistance on identifying and serving homeless families. • Specific outreach to families experiencing homelessness. • Coordination with programs working with children experiencing homelessness. • Lead Agencies to collect and report whether a CCDF family is experiencing homelessness.

14. Family Homelessness and Youth Homelessness are Inextricably Linked Trajectories into Youth Homelessness from Families • 3 in 4 homeless young adults had their first experiences of homelessness as minors • 1 in 4 homeless young adults had prior experiences of family homelessness • About 1.1 million children have a young parent who experienced homelessness in the past year • Young parents have three times the risk of experiencing homelessness compared to non-parenting peers. • 43% of 18-25 year-old young women experiencing homelessness report having at least one child, compared to 22% of young women who had not experienced homelessness. Source: Missed Opportunities: Youth Homelessness in America. National Estimates. Voices of Youth Count, Chapin Hall. www.voicesofyouthcount.org

15. NC Survey Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies’ Knowledge and Practice Related to Families Experiencing Homelessness • Using data & the Survey Process • Conduct online survey • All Lead and Local CCR&R agencies across the state invited to participate • Look for baseline data

16. Overview of NGA

17. Governors and ECE Source: NGA Winter Meeting 2017

18. 2020 NGA STRATEGIC PLAN

19. NGA Center TA Opportunities

20. NGA Center TA Opportunities Contribute Ideas from National Models Accelerate Work Add Capacity

21. Data for Policymakers • State Profiles • Individualized data for each state • Rankings • By state or region • National Data Disaggregated by groups • Tribal level • Race/Ethnicity • Socio-Economic Status

22. Why This Matters • Policymakers make connections • Unique state context • 4-5 similar states to watch • National Media Attention • Making Connections across Sectors • Housing, Health, Social Services, Education • The Big Ask “I want to see more data on this in our state”

23. Montana Governor Visits Alabama PreK

24. Louisiana’s ECE Summit Louisiana’s ECE Summit

25. Data for Policymakers • State Profiles • Individualized data for each state • Rankings • By state or region • National Data Disaggregated by groups • Tribal level • Race/Ethnicity • Socio-Economic Status

26. Why This Matters • Policymakers make connections • Unique state context • 4-5 similar states to watch • National Media Attention • Making Connections across Sectors • Housing, Health, Social Services, Education • The Big Ask “I want to see more data on this in our state”

27. About Schoolhouse Connection SchoolHouse Connection is a national nonprofit working to overcome homelessness through education. We provide strategic advocacy and practical assistance in partnership with schools, early childhood programs, institutions of higher education, service providers, families, and youth. • Federal and state policy advocacy • Searchable Q&A • Webinars and implementation tools • Youth leadership and scholarships • Guest perspectives • E-newsletter • Social media/FB/Twitter @SchoolHouseConn https://www.schoolhouseconnection.org

28. Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.

29. Since the late 1990s, federal homelessness policy has been focused on the most visible forms of homelessness.

30. March 13, 2002

31. “Ending Homelessness Act of 2019” - $13 billion largely prioritizing unsheltered/chronically homeless Targeting of HUD homeless funds in late 1990s The top priority of Obama’s 2010 federal plan 2004 2018 2010 2019 Late 1990s “Chronic Homelessness” initiative in 2004 “Unsheltered homeless individuals” is a top priority in 2018 federal plan

32. October 3, 2019

33. Is Homelessness Increasing or Decreasing?

34. “Family homelessness is declining, and it is declining despite very difficult housing markets.” National Alliance to End Homelessness, October 14, 2019

35. The View from Public Schools: Education Data Compared to HUD Data

36. A Matter of Vulnerability: Are Children in Motels or Staying with Others Less Vulnerable than Shelters/Unsheltered? Source: http://bit.ly/SHC-YRBS Student Homelessness: Lessons from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey

37. Infographic by Perry Firth

38. Child/Family Homelessness Youth and Young Adult Homelessness Adult Homelessness

39. And Yet...

40. Changing the Conversation

41. Sesame Street Workshop Initiative • Unprecedented media attention • Early Childhood Homelessness State Profiles used in local media outreach • Engaging providers and policymakers

42. Federal Policy on Early Childhood Homelessness Alignment of strong protections in statute and regulation: • Head Start • Child Care and Development Block Grant • McKinney-Vento Act (public preschool) But implementation is a tremendous challenge, in part due to invisibility and dominance of adult homelessness stereotypes.

43. www.schoolhouseconnection.org | @SchoolHouseConn The Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2019 H.R. 2001 (HCYA) Sponsored by: • U.S. Representatives Steve Stivers (R-OH) and Dave Loebsack (D-IA) in the House of Representatives Corrects long-standing flaws in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) homeless assistance for children, youth, and families. • Aligns federal definitions of homelessness by amending HUD’s definition so that children and youth identified by one of eight federal programs (including McKinney-Vento liaisons) would be eligible for HUD homeless assistance. • Requires HUD to honor local community priorities and needs. • Improves data on homelessness.

44. www.schoolhouseconnection.org | @SchoolHouseConn Engage Policymakers: • Support the Homeless Children and Youth Act • Identify and advocate for broader solutions across policy arenas – including early childhood education and homelessness. • Support programs and approaches that prioritize REAL prevention – i.e. young children and their families!

45. Education Leads Home: A National Campaign Building Stronger Futures for Homeless Students • Young children will participate in quality early childhood programs at the same rate as their housed peers by 2026. • A 90 percent high school graduation rate among homeless students by 2030 • A 60 percent post-secondary attainment rate by 2034 www.educationleadshome.org

46. Resources • https://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/disadv/homeless/early-childhood-homelessness-state-profiles.pdf • https://www.schoolhouseconnection.org/pathways-to-partnership-early-childhood-education/ • http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ecd/expanding-early-care-and-education-for-homeless-children • https://sesamestreetincommunities.org/topics/family-homelessness/ • https://www.childcareservices.org/

47. NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION RESEARCH (NCER) FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESEARCH ON HIGHLY MOBILE STUDENTS • Katina Stapleton: Katina.Stapleton@ed.gov • Numerous options for studying highly-mobile K-12 students through the Education Research Grants program (84.305A). • K-12 highly mobile research studies: Improving Education Systems and Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning topics. • Studies on increasing highly mobile students’ access to, persistence in, progress through, and completion of postsecondary education: Postsecondary and Adult Education Research topic. • Researchers can partner with LEAs or state SEAs to carry out studies on highly mobile students through:Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships in Education Research topic in the Partnerships and Collaborations Focused on Problems of Practice or Policy program (84.305H). • Researchers who are interested in studying highly mobile pre-K students are invited to apply through the Early Learning Programs and Policies topic. • Early Learning Programs & Policies • Caroline Ebanks: Caroline.Ebanks@ed.gov • The Early Learning Programs and Policies (Early Learning) topic supports research on the improvement of school-readiness skills (e.g., pre-reading, language, vocabulary, early science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and social and behavioral competencies) of prekindergarten children (i.e., 3- to 5-year-olds). • Through this topic, the Institute supports research to reduce the academic disadvantage that many children from low-income families face when they begin formal schooling.

48. Questions? Amy Yamashiro: amy.yamashiro@ed.gov Marsha Basloe: mbasloe@childcareservices.org Mandy Sorge: msorge@nga.org Barbara Duffield: barbara@schoolhouseconnection.org