PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

McKinney-Vento 101

Region 7

“We think sometimes poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty.” ~Mother Teresa

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM��

The Scale of Homelessness

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• 1, 202,652 homeless children were enrolled in public schools during the 2021-2022 school year (National Center for Homeless Education).

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• Children make up half of the homeless population nationwide

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• 46,714 homeless children identified by ECYEH program in 2022-2023

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• 3,600 homeless children identified in Region 7 (2022-2023)

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM��

McKinney –Vento Homeless Act

• 2015 ESSA reauthorizes the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act originally enacted in 1987. New legislation signed by Barack Obama December 10, 2015
• Requires educational access, attendance, and success for children and youth experiencing homelessness.
• Provides states with funding to support statewide initiatives.
• PA ECYEH program covers 501 school districts, 29 intermediate units, 127 public charter schools, and 53 career-technical schools.
• Does not include private schools

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM��

Who is homeless?

• An individual who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence

Includes children and youth who are:

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• Sharing housing (doubled-up)
• Living in motels and hotels
• Living in emergency shelters or transitional housing
• Unaccompanied Youth-Abandoned, Runaways
• Living in cars, parks, public places, abandoned buildings, trailers, RVs, camping grounds

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM��

How vulnerable are you to becoming homeless?

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• Fire
• Flood
• Job Loss
• Eviction
• Domestic Violence
• Accident
• Illness

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Unaccompanied Youth

• Any child who is not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian
• Includes runaways, children thrown out of their home, been abandoned by parents or separated from parents for any other reason
• Must fit the McKinney-Vento definition of homeless
• No age range specified (Upper range determined by state)
• Temporary surrogate parents must be assigned to unaccompanied youth to make special education decisions if the youth does not have an authorized person

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Unaccompanied Youth

“The primary responsibility of the schools is to enroll and educate homeless children and youth in accordance with the McKinney-Vento Act, which neither authorizes, nor requires schools to make judgments about the validity of why a student is not living with a parent or guardian. Determinations of eligibility should be made on the student’s nighttime living arrangement, not the circumstances that caused the student to leave home.”

~National Center for Homeless Education

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Enrollment

Requires public schools to immediately enroll students experiencing homelessness even when lacking:

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• Proof of residency ****FERPA
• 1302 not required
• Guardianship
• Birth certificates, school records, or other documents
• Medical records, including immunization records
• Required dress code items, including uniforms

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�PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Enrollment Cont’d.

• School placement in:

-School of origin, if the parent and/or child wishes and it is feasible

-School in area of current residency

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• School of origin is defined as the school the child attended when

permanently housed or where they were last enrolled

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• If the child is unaccompanied, his/her wishes should be taken into consideration

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• No time limit on homelessness

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Transportation

• School districts are required to adopt policies and practices to ensure that transportation is provided to school of origin

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• Child’s right to attend their school of origin extends for the duration of their homelessness and for the remainder of the academic year, if they

become permanently housed

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• Title I monies can be used to transport a homeless student or former homeless student

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Addressing Needs of Students Experiencing Homelessness

LEAs must:

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• Set aside Title I funds
• Ensure immediate enrollment
• Enroll students in free breakfast and lunch programs
• Ensure access to instructional support/resources, special education and gifted programs
• Provide homeless awareness training
• Alert teachers of a student’s living situation (respecting privacy)
• Know laws pertaining to homeless children and remove barriers

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Addressing Needs of Students Experiencing Homelessness

LEAs must:

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• Post educational rights in schools and community
• Provide access for unaccompanied youth (must enroll without proof of guardianship)
• Have a dispute resolution procedure
• Publish homeless information on website and in handbooks
• Provide community resources to homeless families
• Provide academic remediation and support interventions

(Absences due to homelessness must be excused)

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Best Interest Determination (Factors to Consider)

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• Mileage to original school (no limit)
• Age of child
• Special needs
• Time of school year
• Other siblings
• Domestic violence (Danger at school?)
• Pregnant teen and child care
• Parent/Guardian/Child choice

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Best Interest Determination (Factors to Consider)

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• How long are they likely to remain in current situation?
• Likelihood of establishing housing again in school of origin? (Permanency goal)
• How is the student performing academically? Will changing schools put the student further behind? (Credits for graduation)
• Social and emotional needs
• Extracurricular activities

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Both LEA liaisons should consult with necessary staff (counselors, teachers, Special Ed Department, coaches, administrators, parents/caregivers, etc.) and each other to make an informed decision.

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Title I Funding

Allowable Expenses

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• Academic services/supports(after school programs, tutoring, credit recovery)
• Clothing items/uniforms/shoes, meeting school requirements
• Conferences/in-service training
• Counseling services
• Educational material/books
• Fees (AP testing, college applications/entrance exams, GED, SAT/ACT, or other fees necessary to participate in the general education program)
• Food items
• Gift cards
• Graduation caps/gowns

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Title I Funding

Allowable Expenses

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• Health needs (medical appointments, glasses, hearing aids, immunizations, medication)
• Hygiene items
• Identification documents (birth certificates)
• Outreach services to students living in shelters, motels and other temporary residences)
• Parental and family engagement activities
• Salary/benefits (homeless liaison, reading specialist)
• School activities/events (after school clubs, field trips, prom tickets,

school pictures, sports)

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Title I Funding

Allowable Expenses

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• School supplies/backpacks
• Transportation
• Tutoring
• Wi-Fi/hotspots for students
• Yearbooks

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Title I Funding

Prohibited

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• Cannot supplant other state or local funds
• Rent
• Utilities
• Clothing for parents

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Dispute Resolution

LEA 🡪 Regional Coordinator 🡪 State Coordinator

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Formal Dispute 🡪 Legal 🡪 Court

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**If a dispute arises over school selection or enrollment, the child or youth involved must immediately be admitted to the school in which they are seeking enrollment, pending resolution of the dispute. A written explanation must be given if enrollment is denied. The parent/guardian or unaccompanied must also be informed of his/her right to appeal the school’s decision.

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Homeless Children Characteristics

• Attendance at several schools
• More than one family at the same address
• Attention-seeking behavior
• Hunger and hoarding of food
• Sleeping in class
• Inappropriate dress for weather

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Difficulties for homeless students

• Ashamed of where they live
• Teased by other students about homelessness, hygiene and inabilities
• Misunderstood by parents (LGBTQ)
• Difficulty adjusting to new school
• No place to do homework
• Developmental delays augment feelings of failure

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Challenges for teachers

• Student attended many different schools with different teaching methods
• No school records
• Need to assess educational needs without prior records
• Student may move soon
• Other students react negatively
• Student might have difficulty trusting
• Inability to contact parents
• Parents often emotionally unavailable
• Homework completion can be difficult

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Checklist After Identification

• Inform parent/student of McKinney-Vento rights (in writing)
• Provide community resources (assist if needed)
• Set up transportation
• Make sure student is receiving free lunch/breakfast
• Fill out intake form
• Discuss academic needs (remediation, credit recovery, etc.)
• Check Act 1 eligibility
• Refer to necessary school services (trauma informed, SAP, counseling, tutoring)
• Make plan to routinely check on student (discuss needs)
• Document correspondence
• Inform liaison and other appropriate staff members (teachers, principal, etc.) Discuss the living situation and any effect it will have on school work.
• Keep separate files for homeless/foster students

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“The whole point of identifying students is to make sure they get the support. It’s not just about a count or a number. It’s about what actually happens as a result of being identified.”

Barbara Duffield, Executive Director

Schoolhouse Connections

How Staff Can Help Students Who Are Homeless �

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

What the Staff Can Do

• Make contact with the parents and invite them to participate in school activities

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• Give the child ownership of school space (locker, etc.) and something they can call their own (chore or responsibility)

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• Don’t bring special attention to the fact they are homeless in front of other children

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• Learn more about conditions from where the family is coming

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

What the Staff Can Do Cont’d.

• Discuss privately with the student what accommodations exist for doing homework and make necessary arrangements

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• Inform liaison of situation (be aware of procedure)

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• Don’t penalize students who are being late as they may not have reliable transportation

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• Stabilize the child’s basic needs (food, shelter, clothing, medical care, basic hygiene)

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

What the Staff Can Do Cont’d.

• Work closely with staff and administration when behavioral and/or medical needs are observed
• Be sensitive to needs of homeless children, but maintain consistent, high expectations
• Be aware homeless students often live in noisy, crowded conditions (tuning out)
• Try not to take away possessions or Physical Education as a disciplinary measure
• Be aware some assignments/projects may be difficult for the student (Things involving family, house, internet access, etc.)
• Communicate with shelter/agency and know community resources

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Resources

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(PA ECYEH Program) http://homeless.center-school.org

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(Schoolhouse Connection) www.schoolhouseconnection.org

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(NAEHCY) www.naehcy.org

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(National Center for Homeless Education) https://nche.ed.gov/

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Contact Information

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Jeff Zimmerman Darci Berti Andy Kuhl

570-718-4613 570-718-4697 570-718-4646

jzimmerman@liu18.org dberti@liu18.org akuhl@liu18.org

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www.ecyeh7.com

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ecyeh7@liu18.org

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PENNSYLVANIA’S EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM���

Possible Signs of Homelessness in Virtual World

• Frequent changes in background of where the student is working; changing location frequently
• Many different people in the background, beyond the student’s immediate family
• Background in a motel/hotel, outdoors or public area
• Student/parent unreachable for periods of time
• Unwilling to turn on camera; inconsistent internet

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