McKinney-Vento Act  -  Homeless Education Awareness

Children and youth experiencing homelessness have the right to a free, appropriate public education. 

Magnitude of Homelessness –

Ø      Up to two million people will experience homelessness this year.

Ø      Approximately half of these people will be children and youth.

Ø      Families are the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population.

Source: National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. (1990).

Due to the fact that identification and reporting of the local homeless population is a new Arkansas Department of Education requirement, the following statistics have been submitted via the Arkansas Public School Computer Network (APSCN) for the various county school districts’:        Flippin -1;  Yellville-Summit – 2;  Bruno-Pyatt – 16

Common Causes of Homelessness

How vulnerable are you to becoming homeless?

Answer “yes” or “no” to the following:

·        Could you ever experience a flood, fire, tornado, or other natural disaster?

·        Do you work in an area of the economic job market where your job might become obsolete?

·        Could you ever suffer from a long-term illness or accident without proper health benefits or other compensations?

·        Do you live in a household with no more than one full-time wage earner?

·        Are you behind on any monthly bills?

·        Are housing costs in your area increasing faster than wages?

·        Does anyone in your family struggle with addictions such as drugs or alcohol?

There are many reasons that people become restless. Although answering “yes” to one or more of the above questions does not mean that someone will become homeless, these are the most common causes.  This questionnaire illustrates the fact that homeless individuals and families are not so different from any of us.

Definition of Homeless—an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including children and youth who are:

• Sharing housing due to loss of housing or economic hardship.
• Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate housing.
• Living in emergency or transitional housing.
• Abandoned in hospitals.
• Awaiting foster care.
• Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, and substandard housing, or bus or train stations.
• Children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, regular sleeping accommodations.
• Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in the circumstances described above.

These descriptions are found in the 2001 McKinney-Vento Act reauthorization. 

Doubled up is the term describing shared housing whether with other families or individuals due to the loss of housing as opposed to shared housing as a cultural preference or desire to save money.  Children and youth refer to individuals age 21 and younger.  Migratory children who are living in the situations described above may also qualify as homeless.

Signs of Homeless—these characteristics could be attributed to students with other issues as well as those students experiencing homeless.

v     Attendance at several schools

v     More than one family at the same address

v     Attention-seeking behavior

v     Hunger and hoarding of food

v     Poor hygiene and grooming

v     Sleeping in class

v     Inappropriate dress for the weather

v     Some common statements used by homeless students include:

·        “We’ve moved a lot.”

·        “We’re staying with relatives/friends while looking for a place.”

·        “We’re going through a bad time now.”

What would you remember to pack?

            Many homeless families have left situations in a hurry, i.e. fire, natural disasters, domestic violence, or evictions and have had to leave behind personal documents, some of which are required for student enrollment in school.  The McKinney-Vento Act prevents lack of documents as a barrier to enrollment in public schools.

McKinney-Vento Act

ü      Was originally enacted in 1987 and reauthorized in 2001 under the No Child Left Behind Act.

ü      Requires educational access, attendance, and success for children and youth experiencing homeless.

ü      Provides states with funding to support local grants and statewide initiatives.

The original law was crafted due to the large number of homeless children and youth who were not receiving an education.  The 2001 authorization required that a local homeless education liaison be designated and available in all school districts.  This individual has the responsibility of ensuring that homeless children and youth have access to the educational system and receive the support needed to attend school regularly and be successful in the process.

The State Coordinator for Homeless Education for Arkansas is:

            Susan Underwood

            Arkansas Department of Education

            (501) 682-4847

            sunderwood@arkedu.k12.ar.us

McKinney-Vento Act:  Enrollment

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

• Proof of residency—an affidavit can be signed stating that one is currently homeless, doubled-up, or staying at other temporary accommodations.
• Guardianship
• Birth certificates, schools records, or other documents—Request records from previous school enrollment.
• Medical records, including immunization records—School can enroll student and provide parent/guardian with information as to where the public health office is located to get the needed immunizations.
• Required dress code items, including uniforms.
• School placement in:

F     School of origin, if the parent wishes and it is feasible

School of origin-the school the student attended before becoming homeless or where the student was last enrolled.  This creates a stable environment during chaotic times.

F     School in area of current residency

• Educational rights posted in:
  • All public schools
  • The community
• Access for unaccompanied youth-student who, for whatever reason, does not live with a parent/guardian.
• A dispute resolution process

McKinney-Vento Act:  Attendance

• Transportation—requires state and local educational agencies (LEAs) to adopt policies and practices to ensure transportation is provided, at the request of the parent/guardian or in the case of an unaccompanied youth, the liaison to and from school of origin if 1) within the same LEA, the LEA shall provided or arrange transportation; and 2) the LEA that remains the school of origin and the LEA in which the student now resides agree on a method to apportion responsibilities and costs for providing transportation to the school of origin.  If no agreement can be reached, the LEAs must share the cost and responsibility equally.
• Attendance Officers—create awareness between liaisons and attendance officers to ensure that children are attending school.
• Truancy Laws—the state coordinator should be aware of their states’ truancy laws

McKinney-Vento Act:  Success

• Comparable services—homeless students should receive the same services as those available to housed students.  High school or GED completion will be promoted.
• Parental involvement—parents should be fully informed of the enrollment options and educational opportunities available to their children and be involved in decision making regarding enrollment options.  Schools/districts will provide written explanations of decisions when disputes occur.
• Liaison collaboration between social service agencies and school districts.
• Restriction of the segregation of homeless students—will be prohibited.

Addressing the Needs of Homeless Students

School District

• Set aside Title I funds
• Reserve slots in Head Start and Even Start
• Ensure enrollment

Schools

• Enroll students in free breakfast/lunch programs.
• Ensure access to appropriate instructional supports/resources, including those available through Title I set asides, gifted programs, and special education
• Conduct an educational assessment.
• Provide homeless awareness training.
• Alert teachers of a student’s living situation while respecting privacy.

Teachers

• Make the student feel welcome.
• Assign a peer buddy to help the student get acquainted with the school and classroom.
• Make contact with the parents.
• Give the child ownership of school space, i.e. cubicle, desk, locker.

Working with Children and Youth Experiencing Homeless

• Reduce school entry stress.
• Promote academic success through encouraging words/actions that recognize the gains made.
• Use tutoring and after-school programs to provide academic support.
• Increased access to services and activities.
• Encourage supportive relationships.
• Establish consistent boundaries.
• Have high expectations.
• Recognize stressful environments outside of school and provide accommodations for homework.  For example, the child may not have the means to be able to make a collage or do a science project outside the school.
  • Provide supplies.
  • Provide time and space in the school.
  • Modify homework.

Education is the key to breaking the cycle of homelessness.

To learn more about this and other issues go to http://www.serve.org/nche

Press Release:  January 2008

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act was originally enacted in 1987 with reauthorization included in the federal government’s No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.  The purpose of this legislation is to ensure that homeless children and youth have access to the education and other services they need to meet the same challenging state academic achievement standards to which all students are held.  All schools in the United States are required under the act to ensure that children and youth experiencing homelessness are immediately enrolled in public schools even though appropriate documentation or resources may not be immediately available.  Homelessness is defined as “lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence” for a variety of reasons.  Anyone can experience homelessness which can be either temporary or long term. 

If anyone is experiencing homelessness and has a student enrolled in Flippin Schools, please notify the appropriate principal, counselor, or homeless liaison, Petra E. Pershall.  Resources are available to help the student(s) adjust and achieve academic success.