educating children and youth experiencing homelessness october 20, 2011 cesa 10
TRANSCRIPT
Educating Children and Youth Experiencing
Homelessness
October 20, 2011CESA 10
AgendaDefinition of Homeless
Legal Responsibilities
District Policies & Procedures
Legislative Transportation Requirements
How Title I Funds May Be Used
Resources
Definition of HomelessHomeless children and youth are defined as individuals
who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence.
The term includes children and youth who are:
sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reasons
living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds
living in emergency or transitional shelters
abandoned in hospitals
awaiting foster care placement
Definition of Homelessness
Homeless children and youth are defined as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time
residence. The term includes children and youth who are:
living in a primary night time residence not used as a regular sleeping accommodation
living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings and/or
migratory children living in any of the circumstances described above
Legal Responsibilities (Title X-Part C Homeless Education/McKinney-Vento
Act)
Districts MUST Serve Homeless Students:
1. Identify a homeless liaison who will:Publicize the name and contact information to
district and community staffDisplay an educational rights poster in each buildingEnsure that the district has a procedure for
enrolling, referring, and educating homeless students
Complete PI-Q03-8 (Local Use Homeless Student Identification) for each identified student
Legal Responsibilities (Title X-Part C Homeless Education/McKinney-Vento
Act)
Districts MUST Serve Homeless Students:
2. Provide inservice training for all district staff involved with enrollment to:Develop an understanding of the definition of
homeless Inform families of their rightsMaintain confidentialityKnow the procedure for referral
Legal Responsibilities (Title X-Part C Homeless Education/McKinney-Vento
Act)
Districts MUST Serve Homeless Students:
3. Inform homeless families and youth about their educational rights, including the right to:Continue to go to the school they were
attending prior to becoming homeless, if that is feasible and their preference
Receive transportation to go to the school they were attending prior to becoming homeless, if requested
Enroll in and attend school without having a permanent address or available medical or educational records
Districts MUST Serve Homeless Students:
3.(Continued) Enroll preschool children in district preschool
programs Receive the same access to programs and services
as other children Receive free lunch, books, supplies, course fees, if
needed
Legal Responsibilities (Title X-Part C Homeless Education/McKinney-Vento
Act)
Districts MUST Serve Homeless Students:
4. Provide homeless families and youth with a list of community agencies related to:
ClothingFoodTransportationHousing SupportEmploymentCounselingHealth Services
Legal Responsibilities (Title X-Part C Homeless Education/McKinney-Vento
Act)
Districts MUST Serve Homeless Students:
5.Review district polices and procedure to ensure the removal of academic barriers:
DPI guidance on pupil records Complaint procedures Policies and procedures to ensure the removal of
academic barriers including
District Policies & Procedures
1. WASB Policy Service recommends the review of existing policies and procedures to ensure that barriers for homeless are removed:
Educational opportunities School admissions Procedures for placement of transfer
students Assignment of students to schools Title I/SPED/GT programs Transportation Nutrition Student records Student fees, fines and charges
Legislative Transportation Requirements
Preschool Children (Ages 3-5)
Do not have a school of origin
If the district has a preschool program and provides transportation for students, it must also provide transportation for homeless preschool children.
Unless the district provides transportation between school districts, it is NOT required to provide transportation to a preschool child who, due to homelessness, ends up living in another district.
Legislative Transportation Requirements
Must provide transportation to the school of origin, when requested. The school of origin is either the school the child attended when permanently housed or the school last enrolled in.
If the school of origin is in another district, the two districts must agree “upon a method to apportion the responsibility and costs for providing the child with transportation to and from the school of origin.” If the districts are unable to agree, the responsibility and costs for transportation shall be shared equally.
Legislative Transportation Requirements
Approaches districts can take in providing transportation:
Rerouting buses past motels, transitional living homes, etc.
Contractual agreements negotiated between the district and a parent/guardian/youth who may agree to use their vehicle and be reimbursed for costs. (October, 2009 Transportation for Students Who Are Homeless-DPI Document)
Transportation & Title ISchool districts cannot use Title I funds to provide
transportation for students who are homeless to their school of origin since Title I funds cannot pay for services that are a legal obligation under other legislation (McKinney-Vento). However, once students who were homeless become permanently housed, districts may use Title I funds to pay for their transportation for the remainder of the school year.
Title I Funds
Reservations
DPI recommends reserving a “sufficient amount of Title I funds to provide comparable services to homeless students…”
Title I FundsWhen all other resources are exhausted, Title I
funds can help remove educational barriers such as:
Minimum fees for physical, mental, dental, and other health services necessary for enrollment and attendance
Emergency food
High school graduation fees, college exams, application costs
Interpretation and translations of materials for ELL students
Participation in before and after-school programs
Title I FundsWhen all other resources are exhausted, Title I
funds can help remove educational barriers such as:
Participation in tutorial programs
Printed materials needed for literacy development
Supplementary instructional materials
Assistance with medical needs (eye glasses, doctor/dental appointments, and other emergency needs)
Application for Federal Student Aide (FAFSA)
Youth designated as being an “independent student” are exempt from providing parental
information on their FAFSA:
Youth who are unaccompanied and homeless or at risk of being homeless
Youth who are/were in foster care, orphans, or wards of the court at age 13 or older
Youth who fall into the category of “unusual circumstances”
Application for Federal Student Aide (FAFSA)
Need a Homeless Verification Form
Letter of Support from Homeless Liaison
(Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA) Policies, June 2010-DPI)
Resources: DPI Homepage/Forms/Frequently Asked Questions
(faq)/Transportation/Resources & The National Association for the Education of Homeless
Children and Youth (naehcy)
http://dpi.wi.gov/homeless/index.html
http://dpi.wi.gov/homeless/forms.html
http://dpi.wi.gov/homeless/faq.html
http://dpi.wi.gov/homeless/transp_legislative.html
http://dpi.wi.gov/homeless/resources.html
http://www.naehcy.org/
