their future depends on it! rethinking homelessness

Their Future Depends on it!

RethinkingHomelessness

Texas HomelessEducation Office

1-800-446-3142http://www.utdanacenter.org/theo

The University of Texas at AustinCharles A. Dana Center2901 N IH 35, Room 2.200Austin, Texas 78722

Welcome!Welcome!NAEHCY Conference and Membership NAEHCY Conference and Membership

InfoInfo

Resource Packet Resource Packet contentscontents

Website ResourcesWebsite Resources

Contact InformationContact Information

AwarenessAwareness

Identification and EnrollmentIdentification and Enrollment

Delivery of ServicesDelivery of Services

Collaboration and Collaboration and CoordinationCoordination

Outline for Today’s Workshop

1. Awareness1. AwarenessWhat do you know about What do you know about

homelessness?homelessness?

Contributing factors to Contributing factors to homelessnesshomelessness

Poverty GuidelinesPoverty Guidelines Poverty and ChildrenPoverty and Children Numbers of homelessNumbers of homeless Shelter LivingShelter Living Cycle of HomelessnessCycle of Homelessness ““Permanently Housed”Permanently Housed”

Awareness

Contributing Factors to Homelessness

The majority of poor families with children in Texas have one or more working family members.

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10

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30

40

50

60

70

80

CA NY TX FL PA U.S.


• Lack or loss of social support networks

• Lack or loss of economic support networks

• Family disintegration

• Underemployment

• Alcohol dependency

• Unemployment

• Natural disaster

• Mental illness

• Lack of job skills

• Serious illness

• Domestic violence

• Lack of education

• Drug dependency

Lack of affordable housingLack of affordable housing

Affordable Housing

Affordable housing =

30% or less of the household

income is dedicated to housing

(rent or mortgage and utilities;

insurance or taxes are not

included in this amount)

Affordable Housing

The key to understanding families living in homelessness is to think in terms of housing instability.

Housing instability exists when families do not have the resources to have consistent, reliable housing.

Families that have a high degree of housing instability will frequently bounce back and forth between having a temporarily stable housing situation and homelessness.

Affordable Housing

In 1970, there were 300,000 more affordable housingunits available than there

were low-incomehouseholds

that needed them.

Affordable Housing

Today, there are 4.7 million morelow-income households that needhousing than there are affordable

housing units.

Affordable Housing

More than 14 million householdsin the U.S. have “critical

housing needs” --they spend more than 50%

of their income on rent or livein conditions that threaten

their health and safety.

Affordable Housing

Full-time wages don’t match thecost of housing.

At $5.15/hr you would have to work more than 119 hours/wk (17 hrs/day, 7 days/wk) …

… to afford a two-bedroom apartment at the national average.

New minimum wage guidelines do little to impact this.

Affordable Housing

There is no state, county, or metropolitan area in the nation where someone working 40 hours a week at minimum wage can afford the Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom rental.

Fair Market Rent is the fair price in a regional housing market for a specific housing unit, established by the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Affordable Housing

Thousands of people commute to work to avoid the high cost of housing.

Costs of commuting are impossible to pay if you are a minimum wage worker and only add to the housing costs.

Affordable Housing

A slowing economy with a “housing bust” like we may are experiencing will only increase the demand for rental housing and increase housing costs for low-income families.

Affordable Housing

People who have recently left“welfare for work”,

but do not receive housing assistance,pay an average of 64%

of their income for housing.

(23% if they do receive housing assistance)

Number of Persons Experiencing Homelessness

Texas

estimate . . .52,000+

… on any given night.


• Lack or loss of social support networks

• Family disintegration

• Underemployment

• Alcohol dependency

• Unemployment

• Natural disaster

• Mental illness

• Lack of job skills

• Serious illness


• Lack of education

• Drug dependency

Lack/loss of economic support networksLack/loss of economic support networks

• Lack of affordable housingLack of affordable housing

Poverty Guidelines

What is the “poverty line”?

Is it an inadequate measure of real poverty in this country?

Tour Poverty USA

Poverty GuidelinesUS Department of Health and Human ServicesFederal Register, Vol. 73, No.15, January 23, 2008

Persons in Family 48 Contiguousor Household States and D.C. Alaska Hawaii

1 10,400 13,000 11,9602 14,000 17,500 16,1003 17,600 22,000 20,2404 21,200 26,500 24,3805 24,800 31,000 28,5206 28,400 35,500 32,6607 32,000 40,000 36,8008 35,600 44,500 40,940

Each addt’lPerson 3,600 4,500 4,140

Poverty Guidelines

To determine whether or not the federal “poverty line” is an adequate measure of real poverty in this country, consider how it is calculated:

Poverty Guidelines

The poverty line was established in the 1960s, based on the cost of feeding a family an adequate diet.

At that time, buying food was consideredto require about a third of a family’sincome –

so the dollar figure that the U.S.Department of Agriculture said wouldadequately feed a family was multipliedby three to arrive at the poverty line.

Poverty Guidelines

That method is still used today, even though food costs now typically make up only 21 % of a typical low-income family’s budget.

Housing, childcare, transportation, andmedical costs -- many of the things weexperience in daily life–

are not factored into the poverty guideline,even though these costs have DRAMATICALLY increased in thelast 40 years.

Poverty Guidelines

The poverty line does not take geographic differences

into consideration;

it’s a “one size fits all” number, whether a family is struggling in …

urban Manhattan,downtown Dallas, or

rural Mississippi.

Poverty Guidelines

What It Really Takes to Get By in Texas (CPPP)

finds that what a 2-parent, 2-childfamily needs to earn ranges from:

$29,982 a year in the Brownsville/Harlingen area,

to $45,770 a year in the Fort Worth/Arlington area.

Poverty Guidelines

Approximately 12.5 % of the U.S. population now lives in poverty -

that’s 1 in every 8 people.

If you consider only children, the number is higher than 1 in 6.

Poverty Guidelines

A minimum-wage worker would have to work more than 70 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, just to keep a family of four above the poverty line.

2.6 million Americans who workfull-time all year long still live belowthe poverty line.

Poverty Guidelines

The wealthiest 1% of American households…

… now own nearly 50 %of the financial wealthin the United States.

The younger a child is in Texas, the more likely he or she is to live

in poverty.Percentage of Texas Children Living in Poverty

Poverty and Children


Over the past 30 years, poverty has become a problem of childhood and children.

Children, especially young children,bear the brunt of poverty.

Children are disproportionately poor.

Children are more likely to be poorthan any other age group.

Children under age 6 areparticularly vulnerable topoverty.

Children living in families with a female head of household and no husband present (single moms) experience a poverty rate of 54.8 percent, more than five times the rate for children under 6 in married-couple families.


Great Needs TexasUS

AverageTexas

rankChild Poverty Rate, 2005 24.9 % 18.5 % 5th

% of Under-18 Population with No Health Insurance, 2005

19.2 % 11.2 % 1st

% of 25-or-over Population with at least a High School Diploma or GED, 2005

78.8 % 84.2 % 49th

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, March CPS and American Community Survey

Texas Poverty

Stereotypes of Homelessness

FACT:FACT:

40% - 70% of the40% - 70% of the

homeless are families.homeless are families.

- National Law Center- National Law Center

On Homelessness and PovertyOn Homelessness and Poverty

Stereotypes of Homelessness

Children are HomelessChildren are Homeless

Children make upChildren make up

About 45% of the About 45% of the

Homeless population.Homeless population.

- Urban Institute- Urban Institute

Number of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness

1989 - 272,773 1991 - 327,416 1993 - 744,266 1997 - 841,730 2000 - 930,232 2002 - 1,350,000 2005 - 1,450,000 2007 - 1,500,000

Nationwide estimates . .

Number of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Texas

estimate . . .190,000+

. . .not including the impact of the 50,000 + students enrolled as a result of Hurricane Katrina or the recent impact of hurricane Ike.

Children are Homeless

home / room / neighborhood /

family members / school / community /

possessions / security / safety /

self esteem / predictable routines

Children experiencingChildren experiencinghomelessness experiencehomelessness experience

the trauma of loss:the trauma of loss:

Impact of Homelessness on Young Children Compared with housed poor

children, homeless children experience more health problems and other challenges.

Homeless children experience more mental health problems and receive fewer services than their peers.

Many homeless children have either witnessed or experienced violence.

Only 15% of homeless preschool children are enrolled in preschool programs

Children living in homeless situations may perform two to three years below grade level in school.

For many children, every move costs them as much as 4-6 months of academic progress.

Casey Family Programs

The Challenge Before Us

Effects of Trauma on Homeless Children and Families

Enabling good decision- making by the parent/ caregiver/unaccompanied youth

Help students recover from traumatic events

Preserving the best interest of the child or youth

p. 11

p. 13

Challenges of living in shelter situations

• Lack or loss of privacy

• Lack or loss of parental control/authority

• Other challenges…

• Child care

• Transportation

• Mealtimes/decisions

• “Lock out” times

• Child play

Loss of control and independenceLoss of control and independence

Cycle of Homelessness

Source: Mary Ann Weinacht, Ed.D., Assoc. Professor & Mary Nan Aldridge, Ph.D., Professor, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas 79832

Start•Modest Resources•Underemployment•Fixed Income

Outcome•Homelessness

Now Endangered•Job•Family Life•Mental/Physical Health•Safety

Conditions•Lack of Affordable Housing•Lack of Jobs and Insufficient Incomes•Lack of Support Services

Result•Move Out/Lose Home/

Evicted

Complications/Personal Crisis•Family Break-up•Job Loss•Health Problem•Earthquake

•Domestic Violence•AIDS•Substance Abuse•Fire

When is a person no longer considered “homeless”?

When they become “Permanently Housed.”

Developing a working definition for district procedures

Recommended time-frames to consider

Challenges of ‘doubled up” families

A Quick Look at A Quick Look at HomelessnessHomelessness

In Their Own VoicesIn Their Own VoicesWinter 2004Winter 2004

California Department of EducationCalifornia Department of Education

NAEHCY LeTendre FundNAEHCY LeTendre Fundwww.naehcy.orgwww.naehcy.org

Scholarships and Financial Aid

p. 357 ““FAFSA Fix” FAFSA Fix” legislationlegislation

See Fact SheetSee Fact Sheet

Supporting Success: Supporting Success: Improving Higher Improving Higher

Education Outcomes for Education Outcomes for Students from Foster CareStudents from Foster Care

p. 363

NEW!

There are no easy solutions to the problems of educating homeless children and youth.

There are no legal remedies that will solve all the problems of educating homeless children and youth.

There is not a lot of money available for educating homeless children and youth.

Schools were not designed to serve homeless students!

These children and youth live in situations that they do not control and we do not control …

We cannot change their situations …

so …

We have to adjust our schools to meet the situations in which

these children and youth are living.

What can schools do to help homeless children and youth

obtain every educational opportunity that is possible?

Homeless Education:Homeless Education:An Introduction to the IssuesAn Introduction to the Issues

p. 1

p. 5

Additional Resources

Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence, HomelessnessHomelessness

and Children’s Educationand Children’s Education

p. 21

p. 27

The Hidden Costs of The Hidden Costs of thethe Housing Crisis Housing Crisis

The Impact of the Mortgage The Impact of the Mortgage Crisis on Children and Crisis on Children and

Their EducationTheir Education

NEW!

NEW!

2. Identification 2. Identification and Enrollmentand Enrollment

How does your school eliminate barriers?How does your school eliminate barriers?

Barriers to Enrollment/Success Barriers to Enrollment/Success Basic Provisions of the M-V ActBasic Provisions of the M-V Act Homeless Liaison DutiesHomeless Liaison Duties Definition of HomelessnessDefinition of Homelessness Unaccompanied YouthUnaccompanied Youth Residency Questionnaires Residency Questionnaires

(SRQs)(SRQs) Data Reporting MechanismsData Reporting Mechanisms Determining EligibilityDetermining Eligibility School SelectionSchool Selection

Identification and Enrollment

Do children experiencinghomelessness belong in school?

Yes, it’s the law!

More importantly--we have a moral responsibility to ensure that no one is excluded from public education because they are experiencing homelessness or poverty.

Barriers to Enrollment

Lack of transportation to or from temporary residence

Lack of immunization and medical records

Lack of school records

State guardianship/residencyrequirements not uniformlyinterpreted by school

Lack of birth certificate

Youth ages 12 and up faceadditional barriers to schoolenrollment, for example:

Attendance policies

Secondary school credit accrual

Barriers to Enrollment

Barriers to School Success Frequent mobility Lack of staff awareness and

sensitivity Inability to complete school

assignments Lack of psychological

services Poor health and

inadequate medical care

Physical needs -- food, clothing, health care

Barriers and Solutions

… solutions were developed!

Students experiencing homelessness faced barriers to enrollment, attendance, and success in school …

The Legal Framework

Federal statutes provide the foundation for the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness.

State statutes, passed in response to the federal laws, provide an additional framework in Texas for the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness.

The Federal Law

A quick overview of the basic provisions in the

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance

Improvements Act of 2001…

Aka…McKinney-Vento Act…

p. 41

Title X Part C No Child Left Behind Act - 2001

“Our children need adults who focus on results.”Former Secretary of Education Rod Paige

The Federal Law

. . . also known as

The basic provisions of the McKinney-Vento Act provide the

framework for the duties assigned to the Local Educational Agency

Homeless Liaison.

Remember . . .

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001

p.41

p. 31

Establish a Homeless Liaison

A homeless liaison is a point person for homeless and highly mobile families at your school or district.

A homeless liaison is knowledgeable about all the laws and local rules that are relevant to homeless and highly mobile families… and the local shelter policies and procedures.

p. 31

School administrators (superintendents and principals), as the agents of school districts, must insure that the McKinney-Vento Act

provisions are implemented.


p. 35

Service providers (shelter intake staff, children’s activity coordinators,

counselors, community agencies) are also a critical component to the

success of the McKinney-Vento Act and the dissemination of information to

those who benefit from its provisions.


p. 39

Definitions of HomelessChildren and Youth

Lack fixed, regular, andadequate nighttimeresidence

Share housing (due toloss or hardship)

Live in hotels, motels,campgrounds, emergencyor transitional shelters; were abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care

p. 53


Primary nighttime residence not designed for ordinary use as a regular sleeping accommodation

Live in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, or bus or train stations

pp. 53


Unaccompanied youth (youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian)

Migratory children who qualify as homeless because of their living situation

p. 55

The McKinney-VentoAct requires publicnotice of educational rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness disseminated inevery school districtat every campus --and wherever servicesare accessed.

Required Posting/Notification

Number of Persons ExperiencingHomelessness - Challenges to Identification

Different definitions of homelessness, depending on the program or funding source

Hidden population

Methodologies

Getting beyond “stereotypes”

The McKinney-Vento Act requires public LEAs to identify children and youth in homeless situations.

How identification takes place is not prescribed; it should be auditable (i.e., SRQ).

There is no notification requirement in the law -- all eligible students must be reported.

Help for the liaison

Identifying Homeless Students

p. 61

p. 99

p. 65

Student Residency Questionnaire

Benefits for complying with the law

Cautions

Retention

Implementation suggestions

NEW!

Students Affected by Hurricane “Ike”

The Texas Education Agency maintains information on the TEA website with FAQs and up-to-date directives to guide districts regarding the proper enrollment, coding, and funding issues pertaining to hurricane Ike.

Please visit the following link for this information:

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/hurricane

Reporting Mechanisms

Federal reports and statewide McKinney-Vento data collection

Statewide data collection through TEA NCLB / eGrant system – Homeless Students Enrolled Report

NOTE: PK category

p. 71

NEW!

Get the facts

Analyze the facts: fixed, regular, adequate

Get additional input

Determining Eligibility for M-V

p. 81

Every effort to confirm a living situation must be sensitive and respectful-serving the academic interest of the student.

Confirming Eligibility for M-V

p. 89

Don’t delay enrollment!

Be positive and supportive.

Acknowledge the district’s rights.

Find proof independent of student.

Maintain confidentiality.

p. 81

p. 95

Schools must contact child’s or youth’s school last attended for academic and other records

Immediate referral to LEA liaison if immunization or medical records are unavailable from prior school(s)

Records must be kept, maintained, and available for future school enrollment

School Enrollment

Enroll homeless child or youth immediately even if no records are currently available p. 113

p. 117

p. 121

Use appropriate affidavits or forms.

Don’t delay enrollment.

FERPA definition of “parent” and consent requirements.

School Enrollmentp. 125

Use quick assessments, if needed.

Legal guardianship is not required.

p. 133

p. 137

Serve the ‘best interests’ of thestudent by:

- Continuing child or youth inschool of origin to the extent feasible or

- Enrolling child or youth in a public school in the attendance area where the child or youth resides (even temporarily)

School Selection

p. 141

p.167-168

School of Origin

- The school the child was attending when they became homeless;

OR

- The school in which they were last enrolled.

School of Origin

School Selection

Requires schools to keepchildren in the school of origin,except where contrary to thewishes of the parent or guardian

Child or youth’s right to attend their school of origin extends to entire duration of homelessness

Requires removal of barriers that contribute to exclusion or enrollment delay

Educational Stabilityand Continuity

p. 141

School Enrollment / Selection

Enrollment procedures

Withdrawal procedures

Documentation

Student Attendance Accounting Handbook

p. 145

NEW!

As of Summer, 2005 [HB 25]:

Schools have 10 days totransfer records.

The State Law

The State Law

The Texas Education Code has

two important provisions that

directly affect homeless students:

§ 25.085. Compulsory School Attendance.

Requires that all children attend school from the age of 6 until

they turn 18.

Texas Education Code (TEC) School Selection Provisions

Texas state provisions guarantee students the rights

and access to public education stipulated in the McKinney-Vento

law.

However, Texas law also stipulates that children

experiencing homelessness may choose the school district they

wish to attend.

p. 159

Texas Education Code §25.001(b)(5)

(b) The board of trustees of a school district or its

designee shall admit into the public schools of the district free of tuition a person who is over five and younger than 22 years of age on the first day of September of the school year in which admission is sought if:

(5) the person is homeless, as defined by 42 U.S.C. Section 11302, regardless of the residence of the person, of either parent of the person, or of the person's guardian or other person having lawful control of the person....

p. 159

Texas Education Code §25.001(d)

(d) For a person under the age of 18 years to establish a residence for the purpose of attending the public schools separate and apart from the person's parent, guardian, or other person having lawful control of the person under a court order, it must be established that the person's presence in the school district is not for the primary purpose of participation in extra-curricular activities.

p. 160

Students Living Separate and Apart from Parents and Legal Guardians can attend school as long as:

Texas State Education Code (TEC) Enrollment Provisions

the student’s presence in thedistrict is not primarily forparticipation in extracurricularactivities;

the student has not beenexpelled or removed to analternative educationprogram within the previous year;


the child or youth is not on probation or in need of supervision because of delinquent conduct; or

the child or youth has not been convicted of a criminal offense and is not on probation or other conditional release.

Students Living Separate and Apart from Parents and Legal Guardians can attend school as long as:

“The exceptions cannot be used to prevent a student eligible for admission under a different provision of [Section] 25.001(b) from being enrolled, including homeless students.”

However:From a letter dated 8-02-05 from

TEA’s Chief Legal Counsel:


Office of the Attorney GeneralAddress Confidentiality Program

Rules took effect May, 2008

Eligible persons are victims of


• Sexual Assault

• Stalking

p. 187

NEW!


Enrollment procedures:

1.Person meets with Victim Services Counselor

2.Substitute legal address is established for the participant

3.Address is displayed on a participation card issued by OAG


State and local agencies must accept the substitute address in lieu of

the person’s actual address.

The substitute address has no relation to the participant’s actual location

within the state.

Additional information:www.oag.state.tx.us/victims/acp.shtml

Texas School Selection GuidanceTexas School Selection Guidance

TEA Correspondence: Letter from TEA Correspondence: Letter from Chief Legal CounselChief Legal Counsel

p.165


NEW!

p. 169

3. Delivery of 3. Delivery of ServicesServices

Providing for Basic NeedsProviding for Basic Needs

TransportationTransportation

Dispute ResolutionDispute Resolution

Title I and HomelessnessTitle I and Homelessness

Child Nutrition ProgramsChild Nutrition Programs

IDEA (Special Ed.)IDEA (Special Ed.)

ImmunizationsImmunizations

Foster and Substitute Foster and Substitute CareCare

Immigrant ServicesImmigrant Services

Head StartHead Start

Delivery of Services

Transportation Provisions

LEAs must adopt policies and practices to ensure transportation is provided, at request of parent of guardian (or liaison on behalf of unaccompanied youth), to and from the school of origin

Apportion costs

Transportation

p. 197

Transportation Provisions

Transportation

District Policies

TASB Policy Update 71 Language

USDE Guidance

Policy Guidance from NAEHCY

p. 199

p. 371

p. 201

Transportation for Homeless Children and Youth: Strategies for Rural Districts

Transportationp. 197

p. 199

NEW!

Enrollment Disputes

Admit child or youth immediatelypending resolution of dispute

School must provide parent/guardian or youth with written explanation of decision including statement of rights

Referral to liaison for dispute resolution

Liaison ensures unaccompanied youth is immediately enrolled

Resolution of Disputes

p. 209

Access to Special Programs and Services

Children experiencing homelessness should have

access to district Title I services!

p. 217

Coordination with Title I

Title I requires that districts provide services for children and youth who live in homeless situations

Children and youth experiencing homelessness are automatically eligible to receive Title I services by virtue of their homelessness

p.217

Coordination with Title I

“All homeless students, including those students who meet the definition as a result of evacuating their homes due to the hurricane, must be served with Title I, Part A, funds regardless of the campus they attend.”

From Cory Green, Senior Director,NCLB Division at TEA:

Title I RequirementsReservation of Title I Funds –

a local education agency needsto reserve funds to provide

comparable services for eligible homeless children who do not attend participating

schools, including providing educationally related support services to children

in shelters and otherlocations where

children may live.- Sec. 1113

p. 217

Strategies for calculatingset-asides and providing

services withTitle I, Part A Funds

Access to Special Programs and Services

Title I Guidancep.227

Free and Reduced Price Lunch

Child Nutrition Programs GuidanceChild Nutrition Programs Guidance

Categorical eligibility for homeless, runaway and migrant children and youth

Documentation of free meal eligibility for homeless children

Homeless children residing with another household

Duration of eligibilityp. 231

IDEA 2004 Reauthorization

IDEA now includes a definition of homeless that mirrors the McKinney-Vento definition

IDEA’s child find provisions require that children with disabilities experiencing homelessness be identified, located and evaluated

p. 239

IDEA 2004 Reauthorization

IDEA requires early intervention services to be made available to all infants and toddlers—the new law specifically mentions homeless children.

States are required to meaningfully involve homeless families and wards of the state in their special education programs for infants and toddlers.

Special Education Provisions

Temporary placementTemporary placement

Use of existing ARD and IEP records

Transfer of records from previous campus

Assignment of a surrogate parent


A public agency may select as a surrogate a person who is an employee of a nonpublic agency that only provides non-educational care

for the child.

Shelter workers as surrogate parents


1) the shelter is not a public agency;

2) the shelter only provides non-educational care for the child;

3) the shelter worker has no interests that conflict with the interests of the child; and

4) the shelter worker has knowledge and skills that ensure adequate representation of the child.



At ARD:Federal law does not require the attendance of an additional shelter worker who is not surrogate parent—the surrogate parent or school can invite another shelter worker to attend.


NEW!


Questions and Answers on Questions and Answers on Special Education and Special Education and HomelessnessHomelessness

Navigating the Intersections ofNavigating the Intersections ofIDEA and McKinney-VentoIDEA and McKinney-Vento

p.249

p. 283

NEW!

Immunizations

Texas Attorney General’s Decision

April 15, 2004

30-day provisional enrollment

Liaison must help student obtain records or necessary course of immunizations

Options to withdrawal

p. 291

Immunizations

Texas Family Code,Sec. 32.003(a)(2)(A) and (B)

A child may consent to medical, dental, psychological, and surgical treatment for the child by a licensed physician or dentist if the child is 16 years of age or older and resides separate and apart from the child's parents, managing conservator, or guardian, with or without the consent of the parents, managing conservator, or guardian and regardless of the duration of the residence; and [the child is] managing the child's own financial affairs, regardless of the source of the income….

p. 295

Foster and Substitute Care

Substitute Care =

Care of children outside

immediate family

Formal processes - not homeless(foster home, group home, residential treatment centers, kinship care, adoption, legal guardianship)

Informal processes - homeless(relative care, non-relative care, shelter care, transitional living, unaccompanied youth who meet M-V guidelines)

p. 297

Head Start

Compared to the non-homeless children served by Head Start, children experiencing homelessness were reported to:

Have greater developmental delays,

To be more likely to have learning disabilities and developmental delays, and

To exhibit a higher frequency of socio-emotional problems.

Homelessness and Head Start

In their reports to the U.S. Department of Education in 2006, 60% of States reported that students in homeless situations had difficulties accessing Head Start programs.

Documented barriers to Head Start participation include lack of documentation, lack of transportation, insufficient program funding, and lack of awareness of homelessness.

Numerous provisions in the Head Numerous provisions in the Head Start reauthorization reference the Start reauthorization reference the McKinney-Vento Homeless McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance ActAssistance Act

Main themes:Main themes: StabilityStability AccessAccess Support for successSupport for success Child-centered, best interestChild-centered, best interest

decision-makingdecision-making

Head Start Reauthorization

Head Start Reauthorization Homeless children must be identified

and prioritized for enrollment in Head Start programs

Families may enroll in Head Start while required documentation is obtained

Head Start programs must coordinate with McKinney-Vento personnel

Homeless children meet the low-income criteria for enrollment in Head Start programs

Increases outreach/services for families

M-V consistent definition of homelessness

p. 233

Homeless children are categorically eligible for Head Start [42 U.S.C. 9840(a)(1)(B)]

All Head Start children are eligible for child nutrition programs

Children in foster care are eligible even if family income exceeds guidelines (current regulations)

Head Start Eligibility forHomeless Children

Head Start programs can continue to serve 10% of their enrollment with children over the poverty line.

Head Start programs may serve an additional 35% with children from families with incomes up to 130% of poverty.

Head Start Services toHomeless Children

However, in order to exercise this option, Head Start programs must demonstrate that they are doing outreach to, prioritizing, and meeting the needs of children who are homeless and children from families with incomes below poverty. [42 U.S.C. 9840(a)(1)(B)]

This provision is in effect immediately [ACF-IM-HS-08-03]

Head Start Services toHomeless Children

Head Start Enrollment - Homeless Children

Requires Secretary to issue regulationsto require Head Start Agencies to:

Ensure that homeless children are identified and prioritized for enrollment; Allow homeless families to apply to, enroll in and attend Head Start programs while required documents are obtained in a reasonable time frame; Coordinate individual Head Start centers and programs with efforts to implement Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

Definition of “homeless” matches M-V definition (i.e. includes “awaiting foster care placement”)

Programs expected to maintain 97% of funded enrollment

Must maintain wait list and conduct outreach

If under 97% funded enrollment, Secretary must collaboratively develop plans and timetables for reducing under-enrollment, taking into consideration changing demographics, mobility of populations, and the identification of new underserved low-income populations

Head Start Enrollment

If, after receiving technical assistance and developing and implementing a plan for reducing under-enrollment, a Head Start agency still operates with less than 97 percent enrollment, the Secretary may recapture or withhold funds.

However, Secretary can waive or reduce funding reductions if causes of enrollment shortfalls include serving significant numbers of highly mobile children; the shortfall is not significant; or the shortfall can reasonably be expected to be temporary.

Head Start Enrollment

Issues for Regulations andImplementation:

Identification Prioritization “Reasonable time frame” Licensing requirements (i.e., child care immunization requirements)

Placement stability Transportation Coordination Confidentiality/information-sharing

Head Start: Regulations

Criteria for Applicantsfor New Head Start Programs

Requires as a criteria for applicants for new Head Start programs a plan to meet the needs of homeless children and children in foster care, including transportation needs

Considerations in Allocating Funds to Expand Existing Head Start Programs

The extent to which applicants have undertaken community-wide strategic planning and needs assessments involving the LEA homeless liaison, and organizations providing services to children in foster care, homeless children, child abuse prevention services, protective services

The extent to which applicants coordinate with LEA homeless liaisons

Head Start Collaboration Requires Head Start agencies to

coordinate and collaborate with the agencies responsible for administering section 106 of the

Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a), parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 620 et seq. and 670 et seq.), and programs under Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

Requires each Head Start program to establish channels of communication between Head Start staff and McKinney-Vento liaisons to facilitate coordination of programs

Requires Head Start programs to develop and implement a family outreach and support program in coordination with outreach efforts under the McKinney-Vento Act

Requires Head Start State Collaboration Directors to develop a strategic plan that will enhance collaboration and coordination with and services provided for homeless children, children in foster care, and children referred to Head Start programs by child welfare agencies, including agencies and State officials responsible for such services

Head Start Collaboration

Head Start: Infants and Toddlers

Requires Early Head Start programs to coordinate services with programsin the community for homeless infantsand toddlers

Provides funds for technical assistance to Early Head Start programs to create special training and technical assistance initiatives targeted to serving high risk populations, such as children in the child welfare system and homeless children, and provide professional development designed to increase program participation for underserved populations of eligible children

Other Special Populations

Migrant students

Immigrant students

Immigrant students and Title III

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Housing Agency and Housing Agency and

SchoolSchool

District CollaborationsDistrict Collaborations

Educating Homeless Educating Homeless

Children and Children and Youth: A Youth: A

Guide to Their RightsGuide to Their Rights

School-to-Prison PipelineSchool-to-Prison Pipeline

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NEW!

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Checklist for Local Checklist for Local

Educational Agency Educational Agency

ServicesServices

TASB Policy Update LanguageTASB Policy Update Language

TEA McKinney-Vento TEA McKinney-Vento

GuidanceGuidance

USDE McKinney-Vento USDE McKinney-Vento

GuidanceGuidance

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Thank you!Thank you!Session EvaluationsSession Evaluations

Video:Video:

Celebrate Living!Celebrate Living!

Challenges / Solutions -- Homelessness

Nothing will work if YOU don’t work!

VignettesVignettes

What Would YOU Do If…?

What Would YOU Do If…? Vignette #1

Elsie Johnson and her five children left their home because of domestic violence in October of last year. She and the children moved into a shelter for thirty days, then they had to leave because their time was up. Elsie tried to get Section 8 housing, but a major natural disaster had occurred and there was nothing available, so she moved in with her mother, Zelda Jeffrey. Both Elsie and Zelda lived in Metropolis ISD; Zelda’s home was located within a block of the boundary of Zinger ISD.

Mrs. Jeffrey’s home was not large enough for Elsie and all five children, so Elsie’s sister, who lived in Zinger ISD, said she would take the two oldest children to live with her, and then enrolled the two oldest children in Zinger ISD. Elsie learned from the liaison that her children could attend Zinger, so although she was residing in Metropolis ISD, she believed it would be best if all of her children were in the same district, so she enrolled the other three in Zinger ISD as well.

It is now August of the next year and Elsie’s situation has not changed—she is still with her mother, where she and her three children live together in one bedroom of Zelda’s home. Elsie has a full-time job where she makes just a little less than $7.00 an hour—hardly enough to support herself and five children in a separate household. She is still on the waiting list for Section 8 housing.


Elsie and the three children have just shown up to register at the elementary school in Zinger ISD where they attended last year.

Questions

1. Must Zinger ISD enroll the children?

2. If yes to Question 1, what are the requirements for free lunch and transportation?


Johnny Angel’s parents are divorced. During the school year, Johnny, who is 15, lives in New Mexico with his father, who was granted custody of him by a judge. He spends the summers with his mom and her boyfriend.

After a great summer with his mom, Johnny decided that he was not going back to New Mexico to be with his father, whom Johnny claimed was very abusive toward him.

Johnny and his mom went to Metropolis ISD to register Johnny right before school started but they were told they’d need Johnny’s records from New Mexico before they could enroll him in MISD.

They were able to get the records, but someone from Johnny’s school in New Mexico alerted his father that Johnny was trying to enroll in Metropolis ISD. Mr. Angel called the school several times and told the school to not enroll Johnny, so the school told Johnny they could not enroll him and that he should just go back to New Mexico and make up with his father.


Questions

1. Did the school district follow federal and state laws?

2. What was correct or incorrect about how the district handled this situation?

3. Does the fact that Johnny claimed he was abused have any bearing on what the district should do?

4. How can the district move from compliance to commitment?


LaKeisha Pepper, 17, started working part-time at a fast-food restaurant six months ago through a work program at Zinger ISD. She and her manager, Dirk Lama, became romantically involved— it was love at first sight!

LaKeisha’s mom, a psychiatrist, believed that this was just a passing phase and didn’t get too concerned until LaKeisha began staying away from home for longer and longer periods of time. LaKeisha and Dr. Pepper started to get into strong arguments over LaKeisha’s relationship with Dirk. Finally LaKeisha got very disgusted with her mother’s intolerance and threats and moved in with Dirk, who resides in Metropolis ISD.

LaKeisha’s mom contacted the police, but because of LaKeisha’s age, and because there was no sign of physical sign of abuse or neglect, the police would not get involved.

LaKeisha decided it would be best if she started her final year of school in Metropolis ISD, so she attempted to enroll herself there, in the high school that is located in the attendance zone where Dirk lives—about 3.5 miles from his house. Metropolis ISD reluctantly enrolled LaKeisha even though her mother threatened a lawsuit if the district went ahead and enrolled her. Dr. Pepper also objected when she found that MISD considers LaKeisha homeless.


Questions

1. Did the district take the appropriate action regarding LaKeisha’s enrollment in MISD?

2. Is the district required to label LaKeisha “homeless?” Is she homeless?

3. What could the district do to move from compliance to commitment?


Snookie Smiley is 5 years old and moves around with her mother to various relatives’ homes, all of whom live in Metropolis ISD. Last year, because of her homeless status, she was able to attend Pre-K at Jenkins Elementary School, which was directly across the street from where her Aunt Kitty, with whom she was living, resided. Snookie was with Aunt Kitty for most of the year, and Aunt Kitty would walk her to and from school every day.

Right after school was out in May, Snookie’s mom started getting into drugs again so Aunt Kitty kicked her out of the house. Snookie could have stayed, but Snookie’s mom wouldn’t let her. The two moved in with a friend of Snookie’s mom, Linda, and her daughter, Brenda, in the Harry Potter Elementary School attendance zone, which is also in Metropolis ISD.

Snookie’s mother didn’t like Harry Potter Elementary very well, and wanted Snookie to attend Jenkins again this year. Jenkins Elementary is on the other side of town, about 12 miles from where she is staying now.


Questions

1. What are Jenkins and Harry Potter Elementary Schools required to do in order to remain in compliance with Federal and State statutes?

2. What could the schools do to move from compliance to commitment?


Mr. and Mrs. Chatsworth Longfellow both work at the local community college in Zinger and have a combined income of about $140,000. They bought an older home about three years ago for a very inexpensive price and fixed it up nicely so they and their two children would be comfortable.

The Longfellows learned a few months ago that a new high-tech factory was coming to Zinger, forcing housing values to skyrocket, so they sold their home for about three times what they paid for it. They used some of the profit to pay off debts and the rest to buy a brand new 28-foot camp trailer and a “dualie” truck. They put the trailer on some land they bought and promptly declared themselves homeless because they are living in a travel trailer, which would entitle their two children, Amy, 11, and Henry, 15, to free lunch.

Questions

1. Should Zinger ISD consider the Longfellows homeless?

2. What is the district required to do in this situation?


Juliet Capulet, 14, went to live with her aunt, Luci Borden, during the summer. Juliet’s mom, Lizzie, is on drugs and pays more attention to her boyfriends and getting high than she does to Juliet.

Luci, a professional woman with a good job, is willing to raise Juliet. Luci asked Lizzie to sign a guardianship paper giving Luci guardianship of Juliet, and Lizzie signed it.

When Luci took Juliet to enroll in Metropolis ISD, the registrar told Luci that Lizzie would have to sign the district’s guardianship paper—the notarized statement that Luci had would not be sufficient.

Luci was able to find Lizzie and Lizzie signed the school’s form. When Luci took in that paper to the registrar, she was informed that she would have to obtain legal guardianship of Juliet before the school would enroll Juliet.

Questions

1. What is the district required to do in order to remain in compliance with Federal and State statutes?



Julio Gonzalez, 16, recently came to Metropolis from Honduras because both of his parents, who were Honduran citizens, were killed in an accident, and Julio had no one who would care for him in Honduras. He is staying with his aunt and uncle, Graci and Hector Calderon. None of the family members have legal residence in the U.S.

Julio was a good student in Honduras and very much wants to attend Metropolis ISD. Mr. and Mrs. Calderon are afraid to take him to the school to register, but a neighbor is encouraging Julio to go to the school and find out what his rights are.

Questions

1. Is Julio homeless?

2. What is the district required to do in order to remain in compliance with Federal and State statutes?



Kitty West and her three boys, ages 7,10, and 14, have been living in the Lucky 7 Motel for several weeks. The Lucky 7 is across the street from Hal’s garage, and Hal, the owner, has observed the boys outside the motel on several occasions when school is in session. The boys have come to his business a few times and asked for food. They look very thin and are not dressed for the cold front that has recently come through. Other business owners in the area have started to talk with Hal about the situation. Hal looked out last Friday night and saw the boys standing outside the hotel room during a very cold storm and invited them into his shop, but they wouldn’t come in.

Hal has noticed that lots of men go in and out of Kitty’s motel room.

Hal decided to contact the school and report the young boys as truant.

Questions

1. What should the school district do in this case?

2. Is there anyone the district can call in to assist with the situation?


Gemma and Tony Smith both started working the night shift during the week at a hospital—they start work at 4 p.m. and often don’t get home until 1 or 2 in the morning. She is an LVN supervisor and he is an ambulance driver. The hospital at which they work is located about 15 miles from where they live. They live in Metropolis ISD and both of their children, ages 7 and 9, are eligible to attend Harry Potter Elementary School.

Because of their schedule, they decided to place the children with a caregiver, Mrs. Doubtfire, who resides in the Jenkins Elementary School attendance zone in Metropolis ISD. They will drop off the children to Mrs. Doubtfire on Monday morning and they will pick up the children early on Saturday morning. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have indicated on the student residency questionnaire that the children are in a temporary living situation. When the homeless liaison went to check on the situation, she discovered that the Smiths are paying Mrs. Doubtfire to care for the children all week.

Questions1. Are the Smith children homeless?

2. What action must the district take in order to be in compliance with state and Federal laws?


Austin Powers, the new homeless liaison for Zinger ISD, has just encountered his first big challenge as liaison. He is helping enroll the three Tupelo children, ages 6, 10, and 15, into their schools. Mrs. Tupelo told Mr. Powers that both she and her husband got laid off from the factory where they worked, where each of them was making about $8.25 an hour. They were behind in their bills and had no money, so they had to move in with Mr. Tupelo’s brother, an assistant manager of a large chain store, who resides in Zinger ISD.

The community they left is about 35 miles away.

Mrs. Tupelo had heard of the McKinney-Vento Act from a friend who had been in a similar situation a few years ago. At that time, her friend’s children had qualified for the free lunch, and Mrs. Tupelo was hoping that her children could get free lunch until the family gets back on its feet.

Mr. Powers agreed that the Tupelo family was indeed homeless and eligible for all McKinney-Vento services, including participation in the free school meals program. However, two of the principals involved did not believe the family was homeless and told the nutrition program director not to allow the children to eat for free.


Questions

1. Are the children homeless?

2. What are some steps that Mr. Powers could take to resolve this situation?

3. How much autonomy does the law give the liaison?

4. For what programs and services are the students eligible?

5. How should feasibility be addressed in this situation?

their future depends on it! rethinking homelessness

Documents

austin slide

housing rent

information slide

rethinking homelessness

reliable housing

housed awareness slide

terms of housing instability

todays workshop slide