EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS�

SARAH SCHROTH

REGIONAL COORDINATOR

REGION #6

• Armstrong
• Blair
• Cambria
• Cameron
• Centre
• Clearfield
• Clinton
• Elk
• Indiana
• Jefferson
• Potter

Region 6 serves the following counties:

MCKINNEY-VENTO FEDERAL ACT:��A LAW TO PROTECT CHILDREN EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS THROUGH EDUCATIONAL STABILITY.��

HOMELESS

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

• 40% of all homeless in the United States, and the fastest growing population, are women, children, and families

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• Here and now, 1 in 30 American children is homeless, an all-time high.

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WHAT IS THE AVERAGE AGE OF A PERSON EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN THE US?

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• “You typically think, at least in the United States, that a homeless person is that 35 to 40-year-old guy… by the highway or under the bridge… begging for money, where in fact the average age of homelessness in the United States is…”

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EDUCATIONAL DEFINITION:

A CHILD IS Homeless if they are LACKING A “FIXED, REGULAR, ADEQUATE” NIGHTTIME RESIDENCE

FIXED?

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-ND

REGULAR?

ADEQUATE?

ELIGIBILITY – WHO IS HOMELESS?

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• Sharing housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason (“doubled up”)
• Living in motels, hotels, trailers, camping grounds, tents, barns, cars, abandoned buildings, etc. due to lack of adequate alternative accommodations

• Living in emergency or transitional shelters
• Children placed under a safety plan by Children and Youth Agencies
• Migratory children living in above circumstances
• Abandoned, throw-away, runaway children not living with a parent or legal guardian (UHY)

Unaccompanied Homeless Youth

• A student is considered an unaccompanied youth if they are:
• Not in the physical custody of a parent/guardian

AND

• Does not have a fixed, regular, or adequate nighttime residence
• UHY have additional rights and protections in place versus their accompanied peers

HOW SCHOOLS DETERMINE HOMELESSNESS:

Was there an event?

• Flood
• Fire
• Mold
• Domestic Violence
• Divorce/Separation
• Eviction
• Runaway
• Thrown Out
• Abandonment

Why Identify?

It’s all about SCHOOL STABILITY!

STUDENT AND PARENT RIGHTS…

Key Provisions- Schools

• Students can stay in their school of origin the entire time they are homeless or until the end of any academic year in which they move into permanent housing.

Key Provisions- Enrollment

• Children and youth in homeless situations can stay in their school or origin (presumed to be “best interest”) or enroll in the public school that the student is living.

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• The student or the family is able to make the choice of which school to attend.

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Key Provisions- Transportation

• Schools will (when deemed reasonable and in the childs “best interest”) provide students experiencing homelessness with transportation to and from their school or origin, at a parent/guardian or unaccompanied youth’s request.

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• This is a shared responsibility between the district of origin and the district of residence.

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Extracurricular Activities

• The terms “enroll” and “enrollment” include attending classes and participating fully in school activities, including extracurricular.

ECYEH OUTREACH, FUNDING AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS

ACTIVITIES: HOMELESS AWARENESS WEEK

PROJECTS

Scenario:

Our students come to school to learn, but what else do they carry with them?

Peers

Hygiene

Transportation

School

Supplies

Food

Clothing

Housing

Extra Curriculars

Siblings

Trauma

• Educate yourself and others about the educational definitions of “who is homeless” and share with your community
• Provide needed resources through donations or funding.
• Explore offering local scholarships
• Provide mentoring or career exploration opportunities to local students in conjunction with your local schools
• Support legislation to increase funding and services for students without stable housing
• Wear RED in November (“Red Shirt Day”)

STATE AND NATIONAL RESOURCES

• Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program (ECYEH)
• http://homeless.center-school.org

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• School House Connections
• www.schoolhouseconnections.org
• Pennsylvania Department of Education
• www.education.state.pa.us/homeless

• National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth -
• http://www.naehcy.org
• National Center on Homeless Education
• http://www.serve.org/nche
• National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty
• http://www.nlchp.org

Statewide resources for: food, shelter, health, education, county agencies, libraries, clothing closets, and more.

www.findingyourwayinpa.com

HAVE

QUESTIONS

OR

NEED

ASSISTANCE?