Special Populations— Homeless, English Language Learners, Immigrant, and Migrant students

1. Special Populations— Homeless, English Language Learners, Immigrant, and Migrant students 2009 Federal Programs Conference September 28, 2009

2. INTRODUCTIONS Craig Rector, Director Discretionary Grants Yaya Badji, Supervisor English Language Learners (ELL) Donna Cash, Supervisor Homeless & Even Start Grant Programs Shawn Cockrum, Director Missouri Migrant Education/English Language Learning (MELL)

3. MOSIS LEP Codes School Year 2009-2010 Formerly LEP? NO Not LEP Is Child Currently LEP? NO Code NLP YES YES Choose One Choose One Receiving Services Not ReceivingServices 1st Year Monitoring 2nd Year Monitoring More Than 3 Years Code NRC Code MY1 Code MY2 Code RCV

4. MOSIS Homeless Codes School Year 2009-2010 NO Not Homeless Is the Child Homeless? Code NH Y E S Choose One Shelters Unsheltered Doubled Up Hotel/Motel Code SH Code US Code DU Code HM

5. MOSIS Migrant Codes School Year 2009-2010 Has the Child been certified as Migrant? NO Not Migrant YES CodeNM Choose One Priority for Services Not Priority for Services Continuation Not Served Served Not Served Served Addtl. Year Reg. School Year Code PS CodePN Code NN Code NP Code CA Code CR

6. What does homelessness In Missouri look like? • Missouri has 256,000 children living in poverty.* • Ages of Homeless Children • Under 6 years….………12,801 • Grades K-8………………...3,606 • Grades 9-12…………..…14,071 • Total • Homeless Children…30,478 *As reported by The National Center on Family Homelessness 2009

7. McKinney-Vento Act The McKinney-Vento Act ensures homeless children certain rights. The Act is a conditional funding act.

8. Main points OF McKinney-Vento • What is in the child’s best interest • School stability • School access • Support for academic success

9. Definition For the purposes of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act, homelessness is described as… “Children and unaccompanied youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.”

10. What does Fixed, Regular, and Adequate mean? Fixed— A fixed residence is one that is stationary, permanent, and not subject to change. Regular — A regular residence is one which is used on a predictable or routine basis. Adequate — An adequate residence is one that is sufficient for meeting both the physical and psychological needs typically met in home environments.

11. EXAMPLES OF HOMELESSNESS • sharing the housing of others • living in motels, hotels, camping grounds • living in an emergency or transitional shelter • awaiting foster care placement • living in cars, parks, bus or train stations • migratory children also qualify as homeless when living under these same conditions

12. McKinney-Vento Act • Determining eligibility is a case-by-case determination made by examining the living arrangement of each individual student. • Some instances will be clear-cut; others will require further inquiry and then a judgment call.

13. McKinney-Vento Act • Requires schools to immediately enroll students • experiencing homelessness even when they lack: • Proof of residency • Guardianship • Birth certificates, school records, or other documents • Medical records, including immunization records • If unable to obtain prior immunization records within 30 days, begin the immunization series and demonstrate satisfactory progress has been accomplished within 90 days. • Required dress code items, including uniforms

14. McKinney-Vento Act • Under the McKinney-Vento Act, children in homeless situations have: • the right to attend school at their school of origin (if feasible and requested by the parent) or at the school in the attendance area where the family or youth is currently residing. • the right to receive transportation to the school of origin if requested by the parent.

15. SCHOOL OF ORIGIN or SCHOOL OF RESIDENCE • The school of origin is the school that the child • or youth attended when permanently housed or the school in which the child or youth was last enrolled. • The school of residence is the current physical dwelling where the homeless child or youth is sleeping.

16. CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN HOMELESS SITUATIONS… • Are entitled to services comparable to those offered to other students. These include, but are not limited to… • services for children and youths with disabilities • programs for students with limited English • proficiency • vocational and technical education programs • programs for gifted and talented students

17. In accordance with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, every school district must designate a board-approved homeless coordinator. Homeless Coordinator

18. Dispute Resolution • Every school district in Missouri must establish dispute resolution procedures. • When a dispute over enrollment arises, the student must be admitted immediately to the school of choice while the dispute is being resolved. • Liaisons must ensure unaccompanied youth are enrolled immediately while the dispute is being resolved.

19. For questions about McKinney-Vento Discretionary Grants PO Box 480 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0480 (573) 522-8763 donna.cash@dese.mo.gov Donna Cash, Supervisor

20. English Language Learning • Guidance to Comply with State Policies

21. State Requirements • All local educational agencies (LEAs) must have in place for serving English Language Learners (ELLs): • An ELL policy • An ELL identification tool • An ELL assessment • An ELL coordinator

22. Definitions English Language Learners (ELL) • Refers to speakers of other languages in the process of learning English. • ELL may be used to indicate Limited English Proficient (LEP) students receiving services.

23. Definitions (continued) Immigrant children and youth means individuals who— (A) are aged 3 through 21, (B) were not born in any State; and (C) have not been attending one or more schools in any one or more States for more than 3 full academic years. Same as : Emergency Immigrants

24. Other acronyms used • ESOL English for Speakers of Other Languages. Programs that teach English language skills to speakers from non-English backgrounds. • ESL English as a Second Language. English Language Learners who are learning English as their second language. Programs that teach English as a Second Language.

25. ELL Policy Brief statements of the local process to identify ELLs. Reference brochure to improve content: • Ideal Components of an English Language Learning Policy ELL Policy is sometimes called ELL Plan

26. Identification Tools Identification tools : • Home Language Survey (check DESE Web) • Enrollment Form • Do you use a language other than English? • Is a language other than English used at home?

27. ELL Assessment Language abilities need to be assessed. • First, all four language modalities must be assessed: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. • Second, results should allow comparison with a student’s peers, which means at an age-appropriate grade level .

28. ELL Coordinator • Policy Implementation Person. • Must be board approved. • Policy may use a position title instead of a name. • When using a position title, make sure a name is confirmed during a board meeting . • Revise person or position’s job description to show assignment. • Update Core Data, screen 3, August cycle.

29. Parental Notification form When ELL s are present, LEAs must have copies of letters and forms sent in place. When ELLs are not present, it is best practice to have the form in place. May adopt: • Sample form provided by DESE • Sample cover letter provided by DESE May use school logo on these samples

30. ELL Program When one or more ELLs are present, an LEA must have an ELL program: • Services are detailed; • Implementation detailed; • Monitoring detailed; • Evaluation detailed ; • Research references & definitions of terms are helpful .

31. Enrolling Undocumented Students • An LEA is required to have documentation that a child has been immunized or is exempt from immunization because of religious beliefs or because of a medical contraindication determined by a physician. • An LEA may also ask for proof of residency within the district, transcripts, and information verifying the student’s age. Birth certificates, hospital records, or affidavits are examples of documents that can be used to verify age.

32. Enrolling Undocumented Students (continued) Student should not be denied enrollment if • the student or parent cannot or refuses to provide a birth certificate. • do not have social security number. • undocumented status. The role of the LEA is to educate all children.

33. Challenges for ELL families New family structures Ethnic cultures and other social struggles Several low wage jobs to make ends meet Unemployment Others…. Flexible schedules of school events will help parent involvement…

34. Resources to Make it Work MELL group with Shawn Brochures: English Language Learners: a guide for low incidence districts Developing an English Language Learning Program Ideal Components of an English Language Learning Policy Handbook Educating Linguistically Diverse Students

35. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS English Language Learning Compliance Yaya Badji, Supervisor Federal Discretionary Grants yaya.badji@dese.mo.gov Phone: 573-522-1567 or 573-526-3232 Toll free: 1-877-435-7537 Fax: 573-526-6698

36. “It's ironic that those who till the soil, cultivate and harvest the fruits, vegetables, and other foods that fill your tables with abundance have nothing left for themselves.” - Cesar Chavez TITLE I.C Migrant Education Program

37. WHO IS A MIGRANT CHILD ? A migrant child is defined as a child age 3-21 who has moved across a school district line with/or to join a migrant parent or guardian, or on their own, within the preceding 36 months, in order to obtain temporary or seasonal employment in qualifying agricultural or fishing work including agri-related businesses such as meat or vegetable processing. 

38. Identification • All local educational agencies (LEAs) must have in place a process for the identification of Migrant children • Ask the appropriate questions • Notify MELL

39. Migrant Students... • Have gaps in education • Are usually low income • Are often English language learners • Are highly mobile • Lack of access to health services • Often face housing problems

40. LEAs must… • have written procedures to ensure students are identified • provide advocacy to allow children and families gain access to health, nutrition and social services • Maintain educational and health records of migrant children and provide to the state database • provide staff development for teachers to improve the quality of education for migrant children • provide opportunities for participation of migrant parents in the educational activities of their children

41. MELL can help The Missouri Migrant Education and English Language Learning program is a comprehensive service provider establish to provide technical assistance and professional development to school districts as they strive to meet the needs of Migrants and English language learners.

42. For questions about the MELL Program Shawn Cockrum Director Missouri Migrant Education and English Language Learning (573) 893-8931 scockrum@mo-mell.org