Introductions
Annie Beale
Stephanie Jenkins
Outline of presentation
• What will be covered
• What we hope you’ll take away
• Q&A time (we’ll do our best!)
And yes, there are prizes :)
True or False
The only homeless students are those who
sleep outside or in shelters.
FALSE
Although there are many students and siblings who live in
shelters, cars and outdoors, many families live doubled up
in crowded conditions.
M-V grasps that these families are in a precarious living situations and
face tough issues: lack of privacy to do homework, hunger, lack of
bedding and warm clothing, no utilities, fear of when they’ll be kicked
out of the place they’re sleeping, chaos, and the need to take care of
siblings and sometimes even parents.
What ages does McKinney-Vento cover?
The McKinney-Vento Act applies to
children and youth age 21 and under,
consistent with their eligibility for public
education services under state and
federal law (FAPE).
True or False
Once a student’s family becomes permanently
housed, the district will continue to provide
services to them.
TRUE
According to the law, once a family is registered as
homeless, services are maintained for them throughout
the entire school year, even if they’ve found long-term
housing.
Further, the McKinney-Vento law states that homeless
services should be provided on a case-by-case basis up
until one full year after the family has been housed.
True or False
Every school district is required to have a
McKinney-Vento liaison.
TRUE
The McKinney-Vento Act requires every Local
Educational Agency (LEA) to “designate an
appropriate staff person” to serve as liaison,
whether or not it receives a McKinney-Vento
subgrant.
True or False
Students displaced by a disaster
are not covered by the
McKinney-Vento Act.
FALSE
Students who lack a fixed, regular and adequate
nighttime residence due to a disaster
(earthquake, hurricane, tornado, flood,
chemical explosion, terrorist attack, etc.)
are considered homeless under the
McKinney-Vento Act.
The McKinney-Vento definition
As defined in the McKinney-Vento Act,
homeless children and youth are
individuals who lack a fixed, regular,
and adequate night-time residence.
This definition includes children & youth living in:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Emergency or transitional shelters.
Motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds.
Shared housing due to loss of housing or economic hardship.
o May include unaccompanied youth who are running away from home.
o Does not include families who share adequate housing on a long-term basis
due to preference or convenience.
Hospitals secondary to abandonment or awaiting foster care placement.
Cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, or similar
situations.
Public or private places not ordinarily used as sleeping accommodations.
NOTE: Migratory status, in itself, does not qualify children as homeless;
migratory children must be living in the circumstances described above to meet
the federal educational definition of homeless.
The McKinney-Vento program is designed to
address the problems that homeless children
and youth have faced in enrolling, attending,
and succeeding in school.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Humans have six
needs that must be
met to reach full
potential.
Students need to have
basic needs met
before they can
maximize their
learning potential.
What McKinney-Vento ensures
•
•
•
•
Transportation to and from school of origin
Right to immediate enrollment
Local liaison in all school districts
Expressly prohibits segregating a homeless
child or youth in a separate school, or in a
separate program within a school
Where does the funding come from?
•
•
•
U.S. Dept of Ed. awards M-V funds to states by formula based
on State’s proportion of Title I, Part A federal allocation
o Minimum state award is either $150,000; ¼ of 1 percent; or, the
amount the state received in FY2001.
States must distribute no less that 75% of its annual M-V
allocation to LEAs in subgrants
o Subgrants awarded competitively based on need & quality of the
application
LEAs without a subgrant are still expected to fund and provide
“comparable” services to homeless students in their district
Source: US Dept. of Education, revised non-regulatory guidance for McKinney Vento. July 2004.
Allowable use of funds by LEAs
1) Tutoring and other academic
enrichment programs
5) Defraying excess cost of transportation to
enable students to attend the school of origin
2) Expedited evaluations for various
educational services
6) Provision of early childhood education
programs for preschool aged homeless
children
3) Professional development activities
for educators and pupil services
personnel working with homeless
students
7) Services to retain unaccompanied youths in
public school programs
4) Health referral services
8) Before- and after-school, mentoring, and
summer programs with educational
activities
Source: State Coordinators’ Handbook: The McKinney-Vento Subgrant Process
9) Payment of fees and costs associated with 13) Activities to address needs that may arise
from domestic violence
tracking, obtaining, & transferring records
10) Education and training for parents of
homeless children and youth about rights
& resources
14) Adaptation of space and purchase of
supplies for non-school facilities to provide
services listed above
11) Development of coordination between
schools and agencies providing services
15) Provision of school supplies, including
those to be distributed at shelters or other
appropriate locations
12) Provision of pupil services (including
violence prevention counseling) and
referrals for such services
16) Other extraordinary or emergency
assistance needed to enable homeless
students to attend school
Rights of Homeless Students
•
Homeless children and youth should have equal access to the same free and
appropriate public education as housed children.
Students may not be separated from the mainstream school environment
because of their homeless status.
● Homeless children and youth should receive services comparable to their
housed peers, including:
○ Transportation services.
○ Education services, e.g. Title I, special education, limited English
proficiency, etc.
○ Vocational and technical education programs.
○ Gifted and talented programs.
○ Free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch programs.
•
District and/or Building Liaisons
•
•
•
•
•
Ensure homeless youth are identified
o Place posters in schools, local businesses (laundromats, stores, motels)
o Residency questionnaires
o Training/awareness of school staff
Ensure homeless youth are enrolled immediately and have an equal
opportunity to attend school.
Collaborate with educational services/agencies.
o Preschools, Community Programs, Federal Programs, Health Services
Resolve disputes
o Admit student immediately where enrollment is being sought.
Inform parents, guardians, and/or youth of transportation and other services
that are available to them.
National, State, & Local Area
Quick Facts
• 2011-12: Over 1,168,354 identified homeless students were enrolled in public
schools in the U.S.
• Living situation breakdown:
15% in shelters, 75% doubled up, 6% hotels/motels, 4% unsheltered
• ~1 in 4 students has a family that struggles to pay for basic needs e.g. rent,
food, and utilities.
• It takes an average of 4-6 months to recover academically after changing
schools.
• Families with children represent nearly half of the 20,000 homeless people
in Washington State.
• Many low-income children in the state enter kindergarten lacking basic
language and behavioral skills; more than a third never graduate from high
school.
National data
The 1,168,354 homeless students enrolled in the 2011-2012 school year is the
highest number on record, and a 10 percent increase over the previous school.
Source: Education for Homeless Children and Youths Program SY 2011-12 CSPR Data Collection Summary
Washington State
46% increase from
2007-08 to 2011-12.
Source: OSPI Office of Homeless Education website.
~1 in every 38 students in
our state is homeless.
State Assessment data for M-V Students
Tukwila SD
• Total District Enrollment (May 2012): 2,903
• Number of students on Free & Reduced Lunch: 2,242
(77.2% of total district enrollment)
• Number of identified M-V students: 240
o K-5: 128
6-8: 47
9-12: 63
• 16% in shelters, 71% doubled up,
9% hotels/motels, 4% unsheltered
Northshore SD
• Total District Enrollment (May 2012): 19,961
• Number of students on Free & Reduced Lunch: 3,504
(17.6% of total district enrollment)
• Number of identified M-V students: 151
o
K-5: 80
6-8: 31
9-12: 38
• 27% in shelters, 54% doubled up,
2% hotels/motels, 17% unsheltered
King County effort to “Count Me In”
776 youth and young adults were
counted as homeless or unstably housed
on January 24, 2013.
• 447 were staying in shelter or
transitional housing programs.
• 329 were identified through inperson surveys administered at
agencies and places that homeless
youth frequent.
o From the surveys, 114 were unsheltered
& 215 were unstably housed.
Possible “red flags” at enrollment
•
•
•
Lack of continuity in
Education
o Attending many different
schools
o Lack of records needed to
enroll
o Inability to pay fees
Poor health/nutrition
o Lack of immunization records
Transportation and
attendance problems
o Erratic attendance and
tardiness
o Numerous absences
•
Reaction/Statements by Parents,
Guardians, or Child
o Inability to contact parents
o Exhibition of anger or embarrassment
when asked about current address
o Mention of staying with grandparents,
other relatives, friends, or in a motel, or
comments, such as:





“I don’t remember the name of the last
school.”
“We’re staying with relatives until we get
settled.”
“We’re going through a bad time.”
“Our address is new; I can’t remember it”
“We’ve been moving around a lot.”
Possible “red flag” behaviors of current students
•
•
•
•
•
•
Chronic hunger and tiredness
Erratic attendance/tardiness
Personal hygiene/tattered clothing
Consistent lack of preparation for school
Extremes in behavior
Resistant to parting with personal possessions
Specific At-Risk Populations
• Low SES
• Recent economic hardships
• LGBT students
• Minority students
• Students from families with substance abuse and/or domestic
•
•
•
•
violence
Single parent, female headed families
Youth in Foster Care
Reconstituted families
Students with weak or zero support networks
Effects of homelessness
•
•
•
•
•
Truancy
Testing & test scores
Learning loss
Lack of participation in school activities
Increased behavior issues
Transportation
...is the NUMBER ONE barrier that homeless
children and youth faced in attempting to
enroll in and attend school regularly.
Source: US Dept. of Education, revised non-regulatory guidance for McKinney Vento. July 2004.
Legal/Ethical Considerations
Does the ASCA Ethical Code (e.g. maintaining
confidentiality) trump the legal aspects of
McKinney-Vento?
NO!
M-V is federally funded and part of NCLB. Therefore,
we must identify and report students in need of
services to our building/district liaison.
Multicultural considerations
• Family Structure & Cultural Norm
o
Doubling Up
• Systemic inequities
o
Specific at-risk populations
• Cultural competency
Special Education: IEPs & IDEA
•
•
•
Child find requirements
o Highly mobile homeless children often fail to remain in one
school long enough to be appropriately diagnosed with a
disability.
All IDEA laws and evaluation timelines still apply to
homeless students
o LEAs use M-V subgrant funds for expedited evaluations.
School of enrollment should make a timely request of school
records from previous school attended
Interview with Tukwila SD M-V Liaison
Kathleen Gantz, Parent Involvement Coordinator & M-V Liaison
•
•
•
•
Common FAQ’s
o MV Qualifications, Housing information,
What do to between 211 and getting housing?
Misconceptions
o Residency forms are a GUIDE to qualification.
o Doubled up--Is the family choosing to split
costs or truly doubled up?
Liaisons can make sure that students are enrolled
immediately, have school supplies, transportations,
and are having their basic needs being met.
Liaisons can not be the “housing fairy” or find
immediate solutions for every family.
o HUD definitions of homeless will make things
harder for families.
•
•
•
SC’s should know…
o The best interest of the child.
o Use “M-V” instead of “homeless” to avoid
stigmatizing the student’s situation.
o Classification is required annually.
o A student may not be able to attend just because
they are M-V either: 1. School of Origin 2.
Neighborhood School 3. School you were at when
becoming M-V (may not be School of Origin.
SC’s serve as the go-between. Educate school staff
about M-V. Teachers may need to know what is going on
the help better understand what the student is going
through. Be empathetic to the family who in many cases
are just trying to survive.
KNOW YOUR M-V LIAISON! Especially in bigger
districts where you might not have as much contact.
Interview with Northshore SD M-V Liaison
Dr. Christopher Bigelow, Director of Student Services & McKinney-Vento Liaison
•
•
•
Common FAQs
o What is M-V?
o What does the law do?
o How do kids qualify?
Misconceptions
o Students who don’t show outward signs of
distress (hygiene, sleep deprived etc.) are
not experiencing homelessness.
How homeless students are tracked in NSD
o Marked in eSIS, double checked with
district list.
o Elementaries may be tracking on their own
(not in eSIS).
o Not required at building level but
encouraged. Must report data to track at
district.
•
•
Transportation
o NSD does not use taxis for
transportation.
o Drivers who are solely for M-V, using
“old fleet” of driver’s ed cars.
o Transportation is biggest cost, most
complicated issue.
School Counselors should know…
o To simply listen. Be aware of what you
overhear.
o Students are not being identified. MS/HS
kids are NOT going to come forward to
access services.
Strategies for classroom teachers
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Be familiar with the signs of homelessness and refer students that you
identify to your school or district liaison.
Stabilize the child’s needs (food, school supplies, clothing, other community
resources.
Provide consistency and structure
Pair a peer buddy with the student to help him/her become oriented with
the classroom and school.
Provide students with personal space for belongings (e.g., cubbie or locker).
Avoid taking away possessions. (Children in unstable situations often find
“security” in their possessions.)
Communicate with parents
Make appropriate referrals (MV Liaison, counselor, nurse, social worker,
etc.)
OSPI: “Amanda goes to School”
• Published March 2011
• Comprehensive Guide for Educators for responding to
the rights and needs of homeless students in WA State.
o
o
o
o
o
Background,
Guidance in building Foundation, Framework, and
Community
Guidance in Identification
Resources: The “5 in 5”
Law Appendices
Resources in the school & community
• Building and/or district M-V liaison
• School-Family-Community Partnership
facilitator (school level and/or district level)
• Community based organizations
o YMCA/YWCA, Faith-based, Big Brothers/Big
Sisters, United Way, Salvation Army
• 2-1-1 hotline & directory
Online Resources
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
OSPI Homeless Education - http://www.k12.wa.us/HomelessEd/default.aspx/
National Center for Homeless Education - http://center.serve.org/nche/legis/mv.php
National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) http://www.naehcy.org/
Building Changes - http://www.buildingchanges.org/
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - http://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/USProgram/Washington-State/Homelessness-and-Family-Stability
APA’s Guide, “Helping People Without Homes” https://www.apa.org/pubs/info/reports/end-homelessness.pdf
National Association of School Psychologists http://www.nasponline.org/educators/HCHSIIHomeless.pdf
HB 2373 & SB 6074
Enacting provisions to improve educational outcomes
for homeless students.
•
•
•
•
Updates to RCW 28A.300.540 & 28A.175.010
Changes in reporting to OSPI
Strongly encourages yearly staff-wide training
Strongly encourages distribution of brochures with
information on M-V to ALL parents
WA State M-V contact information
Ms. Melinda Dyer
OSPI - Education of Homeless Children & Youth
360.725.6050, melinda.dyer@k12.wa.us
Listing of WA State District Liaisons
http://www.k12.wa.us/HomelessEd/ContactList.aspx
Further questions?
Annie: bealea@spu.edu
Stephanie: jenkinss1@spu.edu