National Alliance to End National Alliance to End Homelessness Homelessness

ConferenceConferenceJuly 19, 2006July 19, 2006

Joy MosesChildren & Youth Staff

AttorneyNational Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty

1411 K Street, NW, Suite 1400, Washington DC 20005

Phone: 202-638-2535E-Mail: jmoses@nlchp.org

Web: www.nlchp.org

Education Services forHomeless Children and Youth

Education Services forHomeless ChildrenAnd Youth

OutlineOutline• Challenges Associated with Child

Homelessness

• Federal Programs That Address Challenges

• McKinney-Vento, School Meals, Special Education, Title I

•Strategies Designed to Help

• Helpful Resources

General Challenges Associated With Child Homelessness

General Challenges Associated With Child Homelessness

• Poor Health– More like to suffer from illnesses such as asthma, ear

infections, fevers, and stomach problems

• Poor Nutrition/Hunger– Suffer from hunger more than twice as often as non-

homeless children

• Fatigue– Often loose sleep due to crowded living conditions and

stress

• Stress/Trauma– Loss of the familiar (housing, friends, etc.) and constant worries

about whether they will have a place to stay– Higher likelihood of witnessing violence, including domestic

violence

School-Related ChallengesSchool-Related Challenges

• Frequent school transfers as a result Frequent school transfers as a result of frequent residential movesof frequent residential moves

• Enrollment requirements (residency, Enrollment requirements (residency, school records, immunizations, legal school records, immunizations, legal guardianship)guardianship)

• Lack of access to programsLack of access to programs• Lack of transportationLack of transportation• Lack of school supplies, clothing, etc.Lack of school supplies, clothing, etc.

More Problems Related to Frequent School Transfers

More Problems Related to Frequent School Transfers

Students suffer academically, psychologically, and socially from school mobility:

• It takes children 4-6 months to academically recover from It takes children 4-6 months to academically recover from each school transfer.each school transfer.

• Students who switch schools frequently score lower on Students who switch schools frequently score lower on standardized tests (study found mobile students scored 20 standardized tests (study found mobile students scored 20 points lower than non-mobile students). points lower than non-mobile students). 

• Stress associated with making new friends and adjusting to Stress associated with making new friends and adjusting to new environments:new environments:

– less likely to participate in extracurricular activitiesless likely to participate in extracurricular activities– more likely to act out or get into troublemore likely to act out or get into trouble

Federal Programs That Address Challenges of Child Homelessness

Federal Programs That Address Challenges of Child Homelessness

• McKinney-Vento• Child Nutrition/Free School Meals• Special Education (Individuals with

Disabilities Education Act)• Title I

McKinney-Vento—Who QualifiesMcKinney-Vento—Who Qualifies

Children who Children who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence—nighttime residence—

– Sharing the housing of others due to a loss of Sharing the housing of others due to a loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reasonhousing, economic hardship, or similar reason

– Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to a lack of alternative accommodationsgrounds due to a lack of alternative accommodations

– Living in emergency or transitional sheltersLiving in emergency or transitional shelters– Awaiting foster care placementAwaiting foster care placement– Living in a public or private place not designed for Living in a public or private place not designed for

sleepingsleeping– Living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, bus or Living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, bus or

train stations, etctrain stations, etc

McKinney-Vento—Highlights McKinney-Vento—Highlights

• Dedicated Education Personnel

• Promotes School Stability• Simplifies Enrollment • Appropriate Support Services• Dispute Resolution

McKinney-Vento—Dedicated PersonnelMcKinney-Vento—Dedicated Personnel

• State Coordinator of Homeless Education—each state has a coordinator of state-level activities that include ensuring school district compliance, collecting data on educational barriers, and providing trainings and technical assistance.

• Local Homeless Liaison—each school district must appoint a liaison to ensure identification, enrollment, access to services, and resolution of disputes.

McKinney-Vento and School StabilityMcKinney-Vento and School Stability

• Allows students to maintain “schools of origin”—Allows students to maintain “schools of origin”—schools attended when permanently housed schools attended when permanently housed oror in in which last enrolled.which last enrolled.

• Students can remain in a school of origin the entire Students can remain in a school of origin the entire time they are homeless, and until the end of any time they are homeless, and until the end of any academic year in which they move into permanent academic year in which they move into permanent housing.housing.

• Best interest—keep students who are homeless in Best interest—keep students who are homeless in their school of origin, to the extent feasible, unless their school of origin, to the extent feasible, unless against the parents’ or guardians’ wishes.against the parents’ or guardians’ wishes.

• LEAs must provide homeless students with LEAs must provide homeless students with transportation to and from their schools of transportation to and from their schools of origin.origin.

McKinney-Vento and New School Enrollments

McKinney-Vento and New School Enrollments

• Homeless children and youth have the right to Homeless children and youth have the right to enroll in school enroll in school immediatelyimmediately, even if they do not , even if they do not have required documents (e.g., school records, have required documents (e.g., school records, medical records, proof of residency, or other medical records, proof of residency, or other documents).documents).

– ““Enroll” means attending classes/participating in Enroll” means attending classes/participating in activities.activities.

• Enrolling schools must obtain school records from Enrolling schools must obtain school records from the previous school; and students must be enrolled the previous school; and students must be enrolled in school while records are obtained.in school while records are obtained.

• Districts (liaisons) must assist the family in Districts (liaisons) must assist the family in obtaining immunizations, immunization records, or obtaining immunizations, immunization records, or medical records. In the meantime, the student medical records. In the meantime, the student must be enrolled and attending classes.must be enrolled and attending classes.

McKinney-Vento—Appropriate Support Services

McKinney-Vento—Appropriate Support Services

• Equal Access to Mainstream Services– Homeless students must have equal access Homeless students must have equal access

to school services, including nutrition to school services, including nutrition programs, special education, Title I, ELL, programs, special education, Title I, ELL, gifted and talented, etc.gifted and talented, etc.

• Specialized Homeless Program Services

– School district homeless programs often offer School district homeless programs often offer special services such as tutoring, mentoring, special services such as tutoring, mentoring, or free backpacks and school supplies. or free backpacks and school supplies.

McKinney-Vento—Dispute ResolutionMcKinney-Vento—Dispute Resolution

• Every state must establish dispute resolution Every state must establish dispute resolution procedures.procedures.

• When a dispute over enrollment arises, the When a dispute over enrollment arises, the student must be immediately admitted to the student must be immediately admitted to the school of choice while the dispute is being school of choice while the dispute is being resolved.resolved.

• The parent, guardian, or youth must be The parent, guardian, or youth must be provided with a written explanation of the provided with a written explanation of the school’s decision, including the right to appeal.school’s decision, including the right to appeal.

• Liaisons must carry out the process as Liaisons must carry out the process as expeditiously as possible.expeditiously as possible.

Child Nutrition Program—Free School Meals

Child Nutrition Program—Free School Meals

• Homeless students are automatically eligible for free school lunches—they are excused from the application process.

• USDA has limited the documentation requirement to the student’s name, effective date to receive meals, and the signature of a homeless liaison or service provider.

Special EducationSpecial Education

• The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) enables students with disabilities to receive special education services (e.g. speech therapy, psychological counseling) that cater to their individual needs.

• This legislation is vital to homeless students who are at higher risk for developmental delays, speech problems, and learning disabilities.

• IDEA includes provisions that account for children who are highly mobile, decreasing the likelihood that school transfers will result in delays in the provision of necessary services.

Title I of No Child Left BehindTitle I of No Child Left Behind

• Largest federal program designed to promote academic achievement amongst low income students.

• Homeless students are automatically eligible for the program—must receive services even if they are not attending schools that receive Title I dollars.

• Title I can provide academic supports such as reading assistance, tutoring, etc.

An Important Alternative—Permanent Housing

An Important Alternative—Permanent Housing

McKinney-Vento and other education programs can help address child homelessness concerns—permanent housing is the best way to eliminate challenges and reduce need for support services. Good goals include:– Preventing the loss of housing– Employing Housing First Strategies When

Appropriate

Strategies to Help Students With Education Needs

Strategies to Help Students With Education Needs

• Develop relationships with school district homeless liaisons—share ideas about student needs and appropriate programming; refer families to liaisons for education assistance.

• Develop relationships with education advocates—e.g. local legal service providers, special education parent information centers.

• Provide rights information in shelters and other places frequented by homeless families—e.g. posters, fact sheets, booklets provided by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Center for Homeless Education, National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty.

Strategies to Help Students With Education Needs

Strategies to Help Students With Education Needs

• Reevaluate shelter and other homeless program policies that hinder school stability or the ability to remain in school of origin.

• Provide quiet places for students to study.• Work with school districts and community

groups to provide tutoring and academic supports in shelters and other appropriate locations.

• Encourage families to maintain school stability when they exit programs—provide rights information.

Helpful ResourcesHelpful Resources

• National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (NLCHP)202-638-2535http://www.nlchp.org

• National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY)202-364-7392http://www.naehcy.org

• National Center for Homeless Education1-800-308-2145http://www.serve.org/nche

• National Network for Youth202-783-7949http://www.nn4youth.org

Helpful Resources, ctd.Helpful Resources, ctd.

NAEHCY 18th Annual Conference

Little Rock, Arkansas

November 11-14, 2006

www.naehcy.org

In Their Own Words . . .In Their Own Words . . .

“…“…Through it all, school is probably the only Through it all, school is probably the only thing that has kept me going. I know that thing that has kept me going. I know that every day that I walk in those doors, I can every day that I walk in those doors, I can stop thinking about my problems for the stop thinking about my problems for the next six hours and concentrate on what is next six hours and concentrate on what is most important to me. Without the support most important to me. Without the support of my school system, I would not be as of my school system, I would not be as well off as I am today. School keeps me well off as I am today. School keeps me motivated to move on, and encourages me motivated to move on, and encourages me to find a better life for myself.” to find a better life for myself.”

Carrie Arnold, LeTendre Scholar, 2002Carrie Arnold, LeTendre Scholar, 2002