An Orientation to
McKinney-Vento
Agenda
Introductions & Ground Rules
McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance
The Law
Who’s Homeless
Educational Rights of Homeless Children and Youth Role of the Homeless Liaison
Break
Homelessness in Massachusetts Best Practices
Related Topics Questions
Introductions
Please include:
Your name,
District or Agency,
Your job/position, and
Ground Rule
While we will look at some cases, and that can
be a good way of learning to work with the
law, we must maintain the children and
families’ confidentiality.
For questions regarding specific cases please
withhold identifying information or see us
McKinney-Vento Homeless Education
Assistance Act, 2002
1987 Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance
1990 Amended to remove barriers to education
1994 McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance 2002 No Child Left Behind
Why McKinney-Vento?
Homelessness is a journey -
not an overnight event – that has enormous impact on children and their education.
Homelessness effects
Whole family
School attendance
The ability to focus and learn
Educational gaps due to high mobility Behavior.
Why McKinney-Vento?
Homelessness is often accompanied with
Food insecurity
Lack of medical, dental, and mental health services Loss of connection to family, friends, community
Homelessness also impacts the teacher and the
other students in the classroom.
Students coming and going Could that happen to me?
The Law
Definition - Who is Homeless?
Educational Rights of Students Who are Homeless
School Selection & Enrollment Transportation
Nutrition
Equal Access & Comparable Services Title I
See ESE Homeless Education Advisories on webpage
Definition: Who is Homeless?
Anyone who lacks fixed regular and adequate
nighttime residence.
This includes:
Shelters and motels
On the street: cars, parks, …
Doubling up due to Economic hardship, loss of housing
or similar reason
Unaccompanied youth Awaiting foster care
Homeless? Case Study
Mary arrives at the Parent Information Center to
enroll her second grader. She explains that she has
just arrived in town and is living with her mother.
She cannot prove residency and is unwilling to
show you a lease.
Educational Rights of Students Who
are Homeless
School Selection & Enrollment
School of Origin
School last attended
School attended when student became homeless
Immediate Enrollment Locally
With or Without Documentation Unaccompanied Youth
Educational Rights of Students Who
are Homeless
Documentation
Student Records Residency Shelter
Transportation
Shared Responsibility Special Education
Nutrition
Free Lunch and Breakfast Liaison verification
Educational Rights of Students Who are
Homeless
Equal Access & Comparable Services
School Courses, Events, Activities Student Support Services
Preschool
Charter Schools, Vocational Schools, school choice
Title I
School-wide & Targeted Programs
Homeless? Case Study
What are Mary’s options?
What could the enrollment staff do?
The Role of the
Homeless Education Liaison
Identification
Building awareness is key
Professional development and training School committee
Transportation
The Role of the
Homeless Education Liaison
Facilitate Enrollment & Dispute Resolution Process
Ensure Equal Access & Comparable Services
The Role of the
Homeless Education Liaison
Data Collection
Tracking for internal purposes 1. Support services
2. Transportation reimbursement
Annual ESE data collection
1. Students that are enrolled with you
The Role of the
Homeless Education Liaison
ESE contact
Current list of homeless liaisons on the ESE website. Updated by the district’s Directory Amdinistrator Please verify your contact information
Monitoring and Compliance
Desk Review Visits
Homeless? Case Study
What might Mary’s children need?
Break
Take a few minutes for you and
Journey Through
Homelessness - Case Study
Tommy, a first grader, has made several trips to the school
nurse’s office in the past month with vague complaints of not feeling good. Mom recently mentioned that her work hours were cut and the family is struggling. Today Tommy fell asleep in the nurse’s office saying they can’t sleep at home anymore.
What is going on? Could he be homeless? What can the nurse do? What can you do?
Homelessness in Massachusetts
2014/15 School Year By the Numbers
Shelters 5,070
Motels 3,559
Doubled up 7,620
Unaccompanied 851 Unsheltered 173 Awaiting Foster Care 2,232
Homelessness in Massachusetts
Doubling up
• Living with friends or relatives due to economic
hardship, loss of housing and similar reason
Summer Campgrounds & Winter Rentals
Couch surfing
Families
Homelessness in Massachusetts
State Shelter system
• Family Shelters: congregate shelter, scatter site shelter • Motels
• Unaccompanied Youth in Adult Shelters • Moving out of Shelter & Signing a Lease • Enrollment Verification Letter
Department of Children and Families
• STARR, TCU, Temporary foster care (90 days) • Formerly homeless or Fostering Connections
Best Practices
Policy
Template at MASC.org ESE summary page
Sample District Policies
Enrollment
Do your enrollment forms cite McKinney-Vento or
families in transition?
Public Notice
Best Practices
Identification, the key is training.
Who: enrollment staff, guidance, principals, nurses DVDs
Awareness building: school committee, community
Student Support Services
Collaboration with Title 1, sped, ELL, … 21st Century, Afterschool/Out of School,…
Best Practices
Collaboration and Outreach
Medical, mental, and dental health Food Pantries & Clothing Banks
Local transportation
Local housing advocates
Local enrichment opportunities
Public Libraries
Municipal Parks and Recreation
Related Topics
Unaccompanied Homeless Youth and Young Adult
Commission
Passed by the state legislature ESE is a participating member
US ICH Open Doors focus on unaccompanied youth Youth Count! 2nd statewide count.
Post-Secondary Homeless Education Network
Single Point of Contact (SPOC) at public institutions Regional Forums
Related Topics
Trafficking
What’s on your mind?
What are you seeing?
What are you concerned about?
Is your contact information up to
date?
Your District’s Contact
Verify your contact information on the ESE website
Including name, email, phone and extension;
Update is done by the District’s Directory Administrator
– not by ESE;
Parents, providers and other state agencies reference
this list; and
Looking for more information?
National Center for Homeless Education
NCHE, serve.org
National Association for the Education of Homeless
Children and Youth naehcy.org/
National Runaway Safeline
1800runaway.org
Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
mahomeless.org
MHSA Young Adult Resource Guide
We are Glad to Help…
Office for the Education of
Homeless Children and Youth
Website http://www.doe.mass.edu/mv/
homelessed@doe.mass.edu
781-338-6315
Sarah Slautterback, State Coordinator
781-338-6330 sslautterback@doe.mass.edu
Elizabeth Harris, Student Support