Michigan State Overview
Homeless Children and Youth
Foster Care Summit
November, 2011
Washington, D.C.
Homeless Students Enrolled in Michigan Public Schools
Homeless Students in Michigan
35,000
31,133
30,000
22,673
25,000
20,000
14,875
15,000
10,000
7,500
5,000
0
# Enrolled
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
Homeless Students Enrolled in Michigan Public Schools
954 of 22,673
were identified children/youth
in Foster Care placements that qualified
as “Awaiting Foster Care Placement”
Michigan’s Guidance on
“Awaiting Foster Care Placement”
• In 2006 MDE Homeless Education Program
published guidance for public school districts
clarifying the M-V definition of “awaiting foster care
placement”
• Any child/youth in the first 6 months of any new
out-of-home placement is considered to be
awaiting foster care placement - and is eligible for
M-V homeless education services
• Once identified as M-V eligible, services continue
through the end of the current school year
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November 2011
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Foster Care and Education Collaboration
Foster Care Summit
November, 2011
Washington, D.C.
Michigan Collaboration Timeline
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
2006
• Michigan Department of Education (MDE) Guidance on “Awaiting Foster
Care Placement” for McKinney-Vento (MV) Homeless Education Programs
2008
• October 7 - Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act
of 2008 (P.L. 110-351, Fostering Connections Act)
• October 24 - Michigan Settlement: Dwayne B. v. Granholm
• November 3 – MDE Full-time Homeless Education Consultant position was
hired , fulfilling the role of State Coordinator for Homeless Education,
required by the McKinney-Vento law.
• November - DHS legislative liaison and policy writer met with new
Homeless Education Consultant to discuss pending legislation in MI for
foster care and education collaboration.
• December 17 - Michigan’s legislature passed its own version of the Fostering
Connections law – P.A. 0186
Michigan Collaboration Timeline
CROSS TRAINING
2009
• Michigan DHS developed position descriptions for Education Planners
• Michigan Department of Education developed regional consortium grant
system for MV Homeless Education programs
2010
• March – MDE Homeless Ed Coordinator met with DHS and Dept. of Treasury
to collaborate on efforts for College Goal Sunday
• June – 14 DHS Foster Care Education Planners were trained in MV Law,
guidance, MI policies /procedures, strategies, and best practices
• September - DHS Education Planners trained MV Homeless Education Grant
Coordinators in foster care education needs, Fostering Connections law,
guidance, MI DHS
2011
• July 14 - DHS and MDE coordinators and staff presented collaborative
webinar for the State Court Administrative Office
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November 2011
Role of McKinney Grant Coordinator
• Assist in coordinating educational services for homeless students
which includes ensuring that enrollment/transportation is arranged
in an timely manner
• Ensure that homeless students have appropriate school supplies and
clothing , access to tutoring if needed, school activities, etc.
• Provide Technical Assistance to all educational service providers in
Wayne County.
• Provide education and training on McKinney-Vento to district staff
and local district liaisons
• Educate and train newly appointed district liaisons on their role as a
McKinney-Vento District Liaison
• Provide community resources to homeless families
• Work closely with the DHS Education Planner to ensure that Foster
Youth receive services they are eligible for
• Central Data Collection for County to report to MDE
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November 2011
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Role of an Education Planner
Provide specific assistance:
• In developing long-term educational goals.
• In the transition between high school and postsecondary education.
• In the educational transition between residential
facilities and the return to the community.
• In the transition from the educational system to
the workforce.
• In enrollment and record transfer between
schools when a move is unavoidable.
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November 2011
Strategies to Maximize the M-V Act for
Youth Awaiting Foster Care Placement
• Design and implement procedures for schools and child
welfare agencies to share confidential information in order
to deliver timely, effective services to children in care
• Clarify education-related roles and responsibilities of both
agencies
• Treat youth in out-of-home care with dignity, understanding,
and discretion
• Assist students aging out of care in applying for college
financial aid and to institutions of interest
• Higher Education Act
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• College Cost Reduction and Access Act
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November 2011
Strategies to Maximize the M-V Act for
Youth Awaiting Foster Care Placement
• Develop and use shared definitions and
procedures via inter-agency agreements
• Consult the State Coordinator for Homeless
Education at the state education agency for
existing definition, policies, and procedures
• Cross-train state and local personnel on the
definition, policies and strategies to implement
these
Building Futures Through Education, National Assoc. for the Education of Homeless Children
and Youth and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2009
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November 2011
Strategies to Maximize the M-V Act for
Youth Awaiting Foster Care Placement
• Coordinate school transportation and share
responsibility for costs
• The Fostering Connections Act permits states to
access federal child welfare funding that may be
used to cover reasonable transportation to the
school of origin for a student in foster care
• State child welfare agencies must contribute
state dollars in order to access these federal
funds
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Building Futures Through Education, National Assoc. for the Education of Homeless Children
and Youth and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2009
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November 2011
SUCCESSES
• Greater awareness of homeless issues
• Greater awareness of foster care issues
• Greater awareness of the impact of educational
instability on children’s learning
• NEW PARTNERSHIPS!
• More services to vulnerable children/youth
• Shared role in serving students
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November 2011
Challenges
• Funding (always!)
• Education Planners are not in
every county
• Dynamics of CHANGE
• Staff turnover
• Common vocabulary – Alphabet Soup!
• Geographical differences – rural and urban
areas
• Maintaining and growing collaboration
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November 2011
For more information…
Pam Kies-Lowe
State Homeless Education Coordinator
Michigan Department of Education
Office of Field Services, Special Populations Unit
517-241-1162
kies-lowep@michigan.gov