Tools for Impacting Homeless Students’ Lives

Tools for Impacting Homeless Students’ Lives Lorain County, OH September 2012 Christina Endres cendres@serve.org

Today’s Blueprint • Identification • Enrollment Considerations • Data: The “Now What?” Factor

Legal Basis Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act A copy of the law and USDE Guidance: http://center.serve.org/nche/m-v.php

Homelessness Defined Lacks a fixed, regular, & adequate nighttime residence • Doubled-up • Motels, hotels, trailer parks, campgrounds • Emergency or transitional shelters • Abandoned in hospitals • Awaiting foster care

Homelessness Defined • Public places not meant for habitation • Cars, parks, bus or train stations • Abandoned buildings, substandard housing • Migratory children in the above • Unaccompanied youth in the above

Identification Liaisons must: • Ensure students are identified • Through coordination • Post notice of rights • Where students receive services

Team Effort • Enrollment Staff • Student Services Staff • Teachers • Special Education Personnel • Truancy/Attendance Officers • Transportation Staff • Cafeteria Staff

Team Effort • Shelters • Soup Kitchens & Food Banks • Transitional Living Programs • Street Outreach Teams & Drop-in Centers • Community Action Agencies • Welfare & Housing Departments • Homeless Coalitions/Continuums of Care (CoCs) • Public Health Departments • Faith-based Organizations • Low-cost Motels

Common Signs: Academic • Attendance at many different schools • Lack of personal records needed to enroll • Inability to pay fees • Gaps in skill development • Mistaken diagnosis of abilities • Poor organizational skills • Poor ability to conceptualize

Common Signs: Health • Lack of immunizations and/or immunization records • Unmet medical and dental needs • Increased vulnerability to colds and flu • Sleeping in class

Common Signs: Attendance • Erratic attendance and tardiness • Numerous absences • Lack of participation in after-school activities • Absences on days when students bring treats

Common Signs: Space Issues • Lack of shower facilities, washers, etc. • Wearing same clothes for several days • Inconsistent grooming • Consistent lack of preparation for school • Incomplete or missing homework • Unable to complete special projects

Common Signs: Behavioral • Refuse invitations from classmates • Constantly lose supplies, homework • Worry about safety of possessions • Parents avoid school • Parentification • Anxiety late in the school day • Marked change in behavior • Difficulty trusting

Enrollment Questionnaires • Can be used to screen for eligibility • May be incorporated into eligibility questionnaires for multiple programs • Any that suggest homelessness can be directed to the liaison

Other Enrollment Tips • Keep a list of shelters and low cost motels near the registration desk that can be discreetly checked against enrollment forms • Host cooperative enrollment events with Head Start and other similar community agencies

Tips: Beyond Enrollment • Provide regular trainings on recognizing common signs • Involve school personnel and community agencies in the identification process • Make personal contacts with staff at motels, low-cost health facilities, police stations, and other public service facilities

Tips: Beyond Enrollment • Assist with attendance reviews • Engage youth in awareness activities • Review mailing labels and transportation logs • Use the district website

Tips: Youth • Administer surveys to youth • Accept referrals from other students • Provide outreach to areas where students might congregate • Incorporate homelessness into lessons • Hold a school convocation on homelessness

General Tips • Keep an eye out for social cues • Offer to talk to families privately • Avoid the “H” word • Get to the concern beyond the stigma • Tailor information to audience • Consider MOUs, release forms, newsletters

Identification Liaisons must ensure hcy: • Enroll in, & have a full, equal opportunity to succeed in schools • Receive educational services for which they are eligible & referrals for other services

Enrollment Defined The terms enroll and enrollment include: Attending classes and participating fully in school activities

Enrollment Considerations • Homelessness can last a day or many years. • Determinations for school placement are based on the best interest of the child. • Transportation services must be offered to homeless students.

Enrollment Considerations • Transportation for extra-curricular activities should be comparable to what’s offered to other students. • UHY are a legally recognized subpopulation with full rights under the law. • Districts and states are required to revise and remove barriers for homeless students.

Enrollment Considerations In addition to general enrollment, students have the right to: • Title I services • Free school meals • Vocational education • Special education • Early childhood education • Any other program offered by the district such as alternative education

Data, Data, Data • Required to participate in CSPR collection • Districts enter info into EMIS • States enter it into EdFacts or CSPR • Each year, NCHE releases data summary http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/data_comp_0909-1011.pdf

What do you want to know?

Got Data? Got Answers! • Suspension Rates & Reasons • Academic Performance • School Stability & Assessment Participation • Academic Services • General Trends: Enrollment • Graduation Rates Data is a tool to improving student outcomes

Community Impact Data gives credibility • Vigo County Data can help schools get resources • Mesa County Data can help programs get resources • Montgomery County

Considerations • Use comparison groups: subpopulations as required by law • Use comparative data like unemployment rates • Keep in mind group sizes and data quality

What do you want to know?

For More Information • NCHE Website • http://center.serve.org/nche/ • NCHE Helpline • 800-308-2145 or homeless@serve.org • State Coordinator • Tom Dannis, 614-466-4161

NCHE Briefs Identifying Students in Homeless Situations http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/briefs/identification.pdf Determining Eligibility http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/briefs/det_elig.pdf

NAEHCY Toolkits http://naehcy.org/tk/tk.html

Tools for Impacting Homeless Students’ Lives