Data Mind and Passionate Heart

1. Data Mind and Passionate Heart • Vicky Dill • Dana Scott • Mary Herrington • Kim Snell • Estella Garza • WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE THAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE?

2. Data Mind and Passion Heart: How to Maintain Passion when Only Data Seems to Count Dana Scott Colorado Department of Education Homeless Education Program 720-560-1287 Scott_d@cde.state.co.us

3. This I Believe… -The right to safe housing and access to quality education are fundamental human rights -Education is perhaps the most effective asset at breaking the cycle of poverty -No child deserves to go hungry or not have a place to call home -We have the resources to solve homelessness -It is cheaper to solve homelessness than perpetuate it

4. The Battle of Bureaucracy Visualizing Inspiration, Minimizing Complacency -”Jump and the Net Will Appear” -What am I doing to put myself out of business? -What do I want to see changed for students experiencing homelessness in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years? -Student pictures from the Denver Conference -Forward focused meditation/prayer

5. The Battle of Bureaucracy Build Your Champions -Find like-minded people (internal and external to the org) -My homeless “team” in CO- Andy at CDHE, Misti at CDHE, Katie in SWAP -My McKinney Team- Frank in AZ, Leanne in CA, Joe in NM, Mary in VA, Barbara at NAEHCY, Christina (everyone!) at NCHE -Dish with the Commish -Fiscal staff (stories, “Kids are homeless now!”) -Start with small steps (CDE Hygiene Item Drive) -“Gentle pressure relentlessly applied”

6. The Battle of Bureaucracy Long-term Plan for Sustainability/ Recharging the Life Force -Life force running out… -Every two days in the office = time reconnecting with liaisons and students -John, Mary, Geneva

7. The Battle of Bureaucracy Tyranny of the Urgent -Critical and Important -Critical and Not Important -Not Critical and Important -Not Critical and Not Important

8. The Data Dilemma: A curse and a blessing Wading through the muck -What do I have to collect? -What do I want to accomplish? -What is the most effective and user friendly way to way to collect? -How can I tell the data story in a unique way -30% vs. 1 in 3 -16,000 students vs. 19th largest district out of 178

9. The Data Dilemma: A curse and a blessing Quantitative AND Qualitative -Soft data at best -Looking at trends -Numbers and stories -Videos, PSAs, New Stories

10. Qualitative and Quantitative -Strategic plans in grant applications (bigger than data) -Performance measures linked to national standards and indicators -End of Year Reports -Self Assessments -Three student success stories of academic achievement -Three student success stories of linking to social services -Charts, graphs, visuals (picture vs. number people) -Data during monitoring -10% of students in poverty experiencing homelessness -Cross referencing poverty data and identified totals -Title IA set-asides -06-07 $800k set-aside, $350k actually spent -08-09 $1.2 million set-aside, $850k actually spent

11. Data Mind and Passion Heart: How to Maintain Passion when Only Data Seems to Count Mary Herrington-Babb, Coordinator Richmond Regional Homeless Education Program Richmond Public Schools 2020 Westwood Ave. Richmond, VA 23230 804.780.6288(t) 804.819.4424(f) mherring@richmond.k12.va.us

12. Mission Statement This I believe… Mission Statement: To focus on the mission of MV by serving children and their families, holistically, starting from our youngest babies, through developing programs that provide intervention and prevention strategies to target the needs of homeless families. • Clinical Perspective – Parenting Programs • Transformation from “Bleeding Heart” to “Aspiring Glue Brain”

13. In the Beginning… • Passion “jump-started “ by data • Marriage between “heart” and “mind” • Study - State of Homeless Children in America, The Institute for Children and Poverty, 1999 • Data – Richmond, VA – highest # of school transfers in 1 year – 40% of homeless students transferred schools more than 3x in one year • 1 child-1 school-1year

14. Where Do I Start? How do I fulfill the federal requirements and ensure effective practice? • 2003-05 NCHE Pilot Study • Standards and Indicators • Framed program objective, i.e. to reduce high mobility and increase school stability. • Use data to demonstrate to school Administration that RRHEP was a plus for the district to reduce student mobility, not just a legal necessity.

15. Use of DATA to Make a Difference Data is a powerful tool for illustrating the NEED for program development, and changes to staff, partners, financial supporters, and evaluators. • Aligning MV goals to School District Initiatives • Truancy - Partnership with City-Wide Truancy Program • RPS 2009-2010 Supt’s Initiative – Reduce Retention Rate – Increase Graduation Rate by: • Identifying gaps in student achievement/need for remediation • Reframe academic struggles within the context of homelessness • Title I Coordination – Doubled funding to hire 3 tutors in the schools, p/t social worker for RRHEP, and increase tutoring/homework assistance in shelters.

16. How Do I Reduce the Stress of Minutiae? • Keep focused on your goal, your mission, and your vision! • Simplify the steps • Design data collection to align with State and Federal reports

17. How Do I Use Data to Recharge and Inspire? • Data - Nourishes “Mind” and drives funding GOAL/MISSION: To increase services for homeless children and families. • Find “Passion in Your Job” • Training recharges passion • Video - Personal stories renews passion to serve homeless children • “WOW” effects of data/training presentations • What Nourishes the “Heart”? • Program Development • Parenting Groups

18. Ask the question… What nourishes me?