Moving From Access to Success:
Exploring Strategies to Support the
Academic Success of Homeless
and Highly Mobile Students
Patricia A. Popp, Ph.D.
The College of William and Mary
pxpopp@wm.edu
Jani Koester, M.S.Ed.
Kim Pickles, Ed.D.
National Association for the Education of
Homeless Children and Youth
October 25, 2014
McKinney-Vento Act
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Reauthorizes the Stewart B. McKinney Act,
originally enacted in 1987
Provides states with funding to support
local grants and statewide initiatives
Requires educational access, attendance,
and success for homeless children and
youth
Outlines responsibilities for local liaisons
The Big Three
Access
 Attendance
 Success
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True or False?
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Approximately 25% of homeless children living
in shelters are under the age of 5
Approximately 45% of homeless preschoolers
have at least one major developmental delay
The fastest growing segment of the homeless
population is single adult women
Building relationships is the best practice a
school can develop when supporting students
who are experiencing homelessness
True or False?
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Before enrolling and starting a student who is
homeless, it is best to gather all the records you can
to ensure correct classroom placement, thus having
them start school once you have all the information.
Many public school districts have someone in charge
of school services for students experiencing
homelessness
All unaccompanied youth are considered homeless
When supporting the needs of a student experiencing
homelessness, schools must eliminate any educational
barrier that exists or arises
McKinney Vento is a state law that gives rights to
students experiencing homelessness in schools
The face of homelessness
“Homeless people often don’t fit the
stereotypes.
However, the segment of the homeless
population that is most rapidly increasing
does conform to many of society’s most
offensive and simplistic conceptions about
homelessness.
These homeless people do drink a lot, but it’s
mostly milk and juice. They do exhibit
strange behavior, but it is conduct most of us
know as the ‘terrible twos.’”
From Bridging the Gap: Early Care and Education for Massachusetts
Young Homeless Children
Why is McKinney –Vento important?
Research on School Mobility
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Students who switch schools suffer:
• Psychologically
• Socially
• Academically
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More likely to repeat grades, will have lower math/reading
scores
Mobility hurts non-mobile students as well
On average, 4-6 months to recover
academic progress each time a student
changes schools.
•
Expert panel report submitted in B.H. v. McDonald by Dr. Joy Rogers, Loyola University,
Department of Education, 1991.
7
How Schools Can Help Children Who
Are Experiencing Homelessness
Stabilize the Child’s Basic Needs
• Physical Needs
• Emotional Needs
• Social Needs
How Schools Can Help Children Who Are
Experiencing Homelessness
Stabilize the Child’s Basic Needs
• Physical Needs
• Emotional Needs
• Social Needs
Build Relationships
• School wide
• Classroom
• Recess
• Family
Provide check-in’s
• Two days
• Two weeks
• One month
That said, here are things to think about :
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No pre-natal care/low birth weight means a 9 fold increase
in chance of death in first year or developmental delays
75% under 5 have one developmental delay, 44% have 2
or more delays
Physical health is compromised
Environment is compromised
Stress and Trauma, may be acute or chronic and can
change brain chemistry: PTSD
Food Insecurity
Mental Health including attachment may be affected
Exposure to Violence
Educational delays or missing pieces
Juvenile Delinquency
Attendance and Tardiness
Fatigue
Anxiety about safety (their own and their family)
Maslow’s School Hierarchy of
Needs
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Where and how do schools,
classrooms, programs, tutoring, fit in?
What do our students need?
What do/can schools/programs do to
help meet these needs?
How do we help students feel:
Welcome, Wanted and Safe, in our
schools?
Small Group Activity
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Move into groups of 6-8
In each group take time to brainstorm on chart
paper ways to help new students feel Welcome,
Wanted and Safe in your schools and
classrooms.
Remember each students needs to feel
• Welcome, Wanted, and Safe
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What activities/procedures can help them
integrate and understand the routines,
expectations, and community
Be ready to share your ideas in the larger group
Processing the Mobility Shuffle
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How did this make you feel?
Did it effect your learning?
Did you leave anything behind? why or why not?
What did you become aware of?
Did you find yourself anticipating anything?
How did you cope?
What did you notice about the reforming of
groups?
What new thoughts do you have about mobile
students?
What can we do to support mobile students and
families?
HE WHO IS TESTED GETS
TAUGHT
GPRA Goals
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Increase percentage of hcy included
in state math and reading
assessments
Increase percentage of hcy included
and meeting or exceeding proficiency
levels
Participation
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2001-02 – first year achievement
data was collected for subgrants
Year
2001-02 2003-04 2004-05
Number
Tested
30,000
63,000
85,000
% Tested
50%
45%
55%
Approximate numbers; NCHE 2006 unpublished report
Percent Proficient
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Reading
Mathematics
NCLB to Race to the Top: Shift from
HIGHLY QUALIFIED TO
HIGHLY EFFECTIVE
Most Memorable Teacher …
Write a word or phrase to describe
your most memorable teacher:
Which of these qualities is
closest to your response?
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Used cooperative learning
Gave great tests
Maintained control of the classroom
Had a major in mathematics
Cared about me
Made learning fun
Pushed me to succeed
Qualities of Effective Teachers
EFFECTIVE TEACHERS
Background
Prerequisites
The Person
Job Responsibilities and Practices
Classroom
Management &
Implementing
Instruction
Instruction
Organizing for
Instruction
Monitoring
Student
Progress &
Potential
Used with the Permission of Linda Hutchinson, Doctoral Student, The College of William and Mary
What Teachers Do
Makes a Difference
Successful Educational Strategies of
Elementary Teachers of Homeless Students
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Case study conducted 2013-2014
2 suburban elementary schools
Teacher interviews
Observations (Differentiated
Classroom Observation Scale)
Artifacts
Instructional and Classroom
Management Practices
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Most used with homeless students compared to
regularly housed students
• Questioning by teachers
• Student Responding
• Technology Use – Teacher
• Teacher interaction with individual student
• Anchoring activity during lesson
• Small group discussion
• Lecture
• Learning Centers
Instructional Practices to
Promote Academic Success
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Planning
Learning Groups
Homework
Instructional Practices to
Promote Academic Success
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Planning
• Planning based on assessments
• Planning using background knowledge
and differentiation
• Planning backwards
Instructional Practices to
Promote Academic Success
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Learning Groups
• Allows for ability grouping
• Increases confidence levels for students
in each learning group
• Promotes collaborative learning
differentiation
Instructional Practices to
Promote Academic Success
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Homework
• Provide supplies for home
• Complete assignments at school
• Time extensions
• Simplify/modify for success
Non-Instructional Practices to
Promote Academic Success
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Relationships
Supports
Needs
Non-Instructional Practices to
Promote Academic Success
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Relationships
• Builds from the very beginning
• Build trust
• Welcomed and loved
• Build home communication
Non-Instructional Practices to
Promote Academic Success
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Supports
• Providing extra assistance
• Monitoring/checking in more
• Assist with social behaviors
• Connections/support system
Non-Instructional Practices to
Promote Academic Success
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Needs
• Awareness
• Physical
• Emotional
Implications for Practice
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Teachers must be aware of various challenges
that homeless children may deal with when
applied to the educational setting.
Teachers must be aware of instruction and
modifications to promote success.
Teachers must be aware of social supports
available.
Teachers need to utilize strategies for success in
the classroom to promote a positive learning
experience.
A Planning Tool
Needs/
Before
Enrollment
Timing
Academic
Affective
Technical
At
Arrival
During After
What is your Day Like? Activity
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An opportunity to think about choices students make
everyday
What do the many different lives our students lives have
in common?
How are they different?
Even within the differences they are handled and
supported differently.
(divorce vs homelessness)
What do we expect and assume about them?
How do we allow for participation without expectation
(pictures, snacks, money, time, anxiety)
HOW DO WE FIT IN?
What does this have to do with us?
“THE QUALITY OF AN
EDUCATION SYSTEM CANNOT
EXCEED THE QUALITY OF ITS
TEACHERS”
2007 McKinsey Report
Are highly effective teachers
equitably distributed in
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School districts
Schools
Classrooms/courses
Caution regarding QET studies tied to
academic growth
Our Voice is Needed
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Teacher (and principal) quality:
recruitment, training, retention
Teacher (and principal) evaluation:
tied to academic growth
Equity – courageous conversations
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Other thoughts?
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Levels of Support
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Commitment to advocacy at all
levels
National and State Conversations
Supporting effective local
practices
Commitment to Advocacy
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Respecting content knowledge and
pedagogy
Challenging the old adages,
• “Those that can’t, teach.”
• “I’m just a teacher.”
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Challenging the status quo
National and State Conversations
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Revisiting our GPRA measures
• Attendance
• Discipline
• Dropout
• On-time Graduation
State and National Conversations
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Race to the Top States
ESEA Flexibility Waivers
• Priority and focus schools
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Rate of homelessness and student mobility?
Is identification of homeless reasonable given
the poverty level?
Have teachers been provided resources to better
reach our students?
The challenging conversation: Equity: comparing
our teachers working with students in poverty to
those in affluent communities
State and National Conversations
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Teacher evaluation
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What are the standards for evaluating teachers in
your state?
Which are highly related to qualities of effective
teachers for HHM students?
What metrics are used to document student growth?
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Value-added or student growth percentiles
Student achievement goal setting
Curriculum-based measures
What happens when teachers have large number of
students that are not captured by the broadly-used
assessment measures? What happens to those
students?
State and National Conversations
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Teacher recruitment and preservice
training
Lesley University – new 3 credit
foundations course, Child Homelessness:
A Multidisciplinary Discourse (evolved
from a 1-credit pilot)
Sharpe Scholars – William and Mary
Embed in courses on: diversity,
assessment, classroom management,
special education, collaboration,
children’s literature, trauma
Supporting Effective Local Practices
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From Milwaukee, WI
• Each principal is asked to identify a staff
person as the homeless contact in the
building. To avoid inconsistency, we
taped a media site presentation that is
now mandatory. Each principal must
show the video at a staff meeting in the
fall and then sends Administrative
Leadership a form that verifies the date
it was shown. (A separate video is
shown to secretaries with enrollment
details.)
Supporting Effective Local Practices
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From Madison, WI
We use our PBiS (Positive Behavior Support) staff to continue many "good
for all students" initiatives. Building communities, building safety and
welcoming activities and making sure that students are ready to learn.
Each of our schools has a PBS coach. … Once the PBS interventions are in
place, the focus can come down to the individuals who need something
more than what everyone gets. This is where many homeless children
enter. The need for someone to check in with them and check out each
day comes in handy. Even if it is to make sure they had a good day or
that they have everything they need to go home with.
Our classrooms receive support from our PBS coaches daily through
explicit teaching and shared school wide "cool tools." I come in when
there is a student who is not responding to the overall support and a need
for brainstorming beyond their own ideas is needed. I also work as a
district wide consultant on after school connections, early childhood
supports, professional development, community outreach, summer
school, shelter contacts, and helping our homeless student find a way to
share their voices (WWA project - meeting and writing a book to share in
the community).
Thanks to Jani Koester
Supporting Effective Local Practices
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From Roanoke, VA
I am planning to offer trainings and presentations at faculty
meetings this fall to get the info to the teachers. I keep track of
where all of our referrals come from and this past year, several of
them came directly from the teachers who received info directly
from the parent or student.
I also ensure each principal gets a list of all students who enrolled
or were enrolled in their school who were living in transition. This
has been a great source of communication.
For this upcoming school year, I am also working on the approval
of a newsletter to be sent to principals updating our number of
students and also any specific needs for our assisting our
students, (i.e., school supplies, hygiene items, clothing, shoes and
coats) and "thought provoking" information regarding some of the
challenges our students and families face to give it more of a
personal approach. The principal would be asked to email to the
faculty in their building, so this will be another way of getting info
to the teachers.
Thanks Malora Horn
Supporting Effective Local Practices
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From Minneapolis, MN
Building Bridges Project has been done here in
MPS for seven years with excellent results. This
is an intensive professional development
program for School Social Workers, who then
work directly with the teachers at their school
sites to support students. This past year we
also instituted Classroom for Success, a
software tool that provides dynamic access to
academic student data with features that allow
careful monitoring of students who are
homeless to inform and guide instruction at the
individual student level.
Thanks Zib Hinz
Supporting Effective Local Practices
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From NC
I have the homeless liaisons work directly with school social
workers (SSWs) each year to provide a mini training to staff. The
training is usually a 10 - 20 minute presentation during the
opening staff meeting. The SSWs discuss warning signs, provide
a classroom tip sheet to staff, discuss the process for referring a
student in the building and supports/services that are available.
The SSW shows a power point and use something I provided to
the liaison who is required to add local information. By providing
the materials to the liaison, I am able to reduce the work for the
liaison and the SSWs, reduce anxiety of anyone needing to
prepare a presentation, and I am able to ensure information is
accurate and consistent not just in the LEA but also across the
state. I talk with liaisons about developing a training that includes
1 hr sessions each month after school for teachers (and others)
that helps them learn about working with homeless students and
those at risk. At the end of this training, the teachers receive CEU
credit from their LEA (of course the liaison works with their
professional development office prior to doing this as well). This
is just another strategy to assist teachers to obtain at least 1
credit towards their licensure.
Thanks Lisa Phillips
“Making Choices” Activity
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Everyday our families have to make
choices about their lives. How to best
support their children.
Some are students on their own trying
to make ends meet.
Creativity and choices are a part of
choices families and students
experiencing homelessness make
everyday.
Connecting Points to
Reach Teachers
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Recruitment,
Preservice training,
Induction and in-service training,
Retention
Metaphors for Teaching
Teacher Voices
Teaching students who are
at-risk/highly-mobile is like …
… a Preventative for Alzheimer's
Teaching highly mobile students is a challenge
that could one day prevent Alzheimer’s. By
keeping the mind active and on the go. You have
to be constantly aware and focused. And I’ve
been told but I don’t know if it’s true or not that
the active mind has less of a chance of
developing Alzheimer’s than the mind that is not
continually active.
-- Janice
…fostering (planting) a piece of
seed. You must have a correct
values like nutrition, correct view
of knowledge like sunshine,
correct methods like the farmers’
work.
-- Mei (China)
… a Roller Coaster Ride
There are incredible highs and
incredible lows, but eventually you
reach your destination if you just
hang on. If you don’t mind being on
a roller coaster, it’s the thrill of a
lifetime.
-- Tanya
“… nothing, absolutely
nothing has happened in
education until it has
happened to a student”
Joe Carroll, 1994
taff must remember that
they cannot possibly meet all
the needs of a homeless child,
………but doing something can
make a huge difference.
 SELF CARE
Build it into your practice
Sharing and Questions
Action Plan –
Make something Happen
1 thing I want to remember from the training
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2 things I want to share with others
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3 things I want to implement in my classroom/school
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Date completed by: __________
Evaluations
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While you are writing: Some words
from students who have experienced
homelessness in Madison Schools
Who We Are: Voices in our
Community
Helpful Websites & Resources
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http://www.unitedwaydanecounty.org/2-1-1.html
• United Way 2-1-1 from any land line
• 24 hours, 365 days
http://www.naehcy.org/dl/faq.pdf
• 101 Frequently Asked Questions
http://www.nlchp.org
• National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
http://srvlive.serve.org/nche/downloads/briefs/reauthorization.pdf
• McKinney Vento Summary & Legal Briefs
http://www.naehcy.org/
• National Assn. for Education of Homeless Children and Youth
63
63
2 Media clips for you to review at your
leisure:
Hard
times generation: homeless kids - 60
Minutes - CBS News
Who
We Are: Voices in Our Community – UW
writing project with students experiencing
homelessness in Madison WI
https://www.education.wisc.edu/soe/newsevents/news/2014/05/08/greater-madisonwriting-project-featured-on-big-ten-network-sforward-motion
Contacts
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Patricia A. Popp, Ph.D.
The College of William and
Mary
Project HOPE-Virginia
pxpopp@wm.edu
757-221-7777
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www.wm.edu/hope
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Kim Pickles, EdD
kpickles106@gmail.com
Twitter @KOPickles
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Madison Metropolitan School
District
•
Jani Koester, M.S.Ed.
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608-204-2063 desk
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608-444-8996 work
cell
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jkoester@madison.k12.
wi.us
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Face Book
• Transition Education
Program MMSD or
MMSD TEP
Website
• https://stusvcweb.ma
dison.k12.wi.us/TEP