ESSA and Homelessness: Education Changes for Students in Need

1. All About ESSA:How the Every Student Succeeds Act Changed Education for StudentsExperiencing Homelessness Barbara Duffield, SchoolHouse Connection Patricia Julianelle, SchoolHouse Connection Christina Dukes, National Center for Homeless Education

2. Meet Your Presenters • Barbara Duffield, Executive DirectorSchoolHouse Connection • Patricia Julianelle, Director of Program Advancement and Legal AffairsSchoolHouse Connection • Christina Dukes, Federal LiaisonNational Center for Homeless Education

3. About Schoolhouse Connection • SchoolHouse Connection works to overcome homelessness through education. We provide strategic advocacy and technical assistance in partnership with schools, early childhood programs, institutions of higher education, service providers, families, and youth. • Website: http://www.schoolhouseconnection.org • Federal and state policy advocacy • Q&A from our inbox • Webinars and implementation tools • Youth leadership and scholarships

4. About NCHE • NCHE is the U.S. Department of Education’s technical assistance center for the federal Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Program. • Website: http://nche.ed.gov • Helpline: 800-308-2145 or homeless@serve.org • Products: http://nche.ed.gov/products.php • Webinars: http://nche.ed.gov/web/group.php • Listserv: http://nche.ed.gov/listserv.php • Social media: https://nche.ed.gov/social-media.php

5. What’s your role?

6. Session Outline • Homeless with homework: A scenario • The context: Education and homelessness • The basics: ESSA and the EHCY program • Homeless education under ESSA • Q&A and discussion • Next steps

7. Homeless with Homework:A Scenario Sharene and her children

8. Sharene and Her Children It’s January. Sharene left her apartment where she lived with her three kids – Jacob, Miles, and Kennedy – due to domestic abuse. They are now staying in a shelter a few miles away. Jacob and Miles (4-yo twins) were going to a Head Start program operated by the school district near their old apartment, while Kennedy (15-yo) was attending high school nearby. • Sharene wants to keep her sons in the same Head Start program because they were happy there, but she’s worried about her abusive ex showing up. She’s also not sure she could get them back and forth to the program. • Sharene is worried about Kennedy, too. Would she be safe if she stays in her same school? What about if she transfers to a new school? Will her credits transfer? • Sharene has a lot of questions and isn’t sure where to go for answers.

9. The Context:Education and Homelessness

10. Homelessness Creates Barriers • Students experiencing homelessness may • Be unable to meet school enrollment requirements. • Move around and change schools a lot. • Be hungry, tired, and stressed. • Not have school supplies or a quiet place to study. • Not have access to reliable transportation • Not have a parent or guardian to help them (unaccompanied youth).

11. Homelessness Affects Education • Students experiencing homelessness are more likely to • Be chronically absent from school • Get lower grades • Have special education needs • Score poorly on assessment tests • Drop out of school

12. Education Can Prevent Homelessness • Children in quality preschool programs are more likely to graduate from high school and own homes. • 99% of the jobs created since the Great Recession have gone to workers with at least some postsecondary education. • High school graduation is to linked to other important indicators of health and well-being.

13. Education Can Prevent Homelessness Source: Chapin Hall, http://voicesofyouthcount.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/ChapinHall_VoYC_1-Pager_Final_111517.pdf

14. The Basics:ESSA and the EHCY Program

15. Every school district must designate a McKinney-Vento liaison, even if it doesn’t receive McKinney-Vento funding.

16. ESSA Basics • The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) wassigned into law in December 2015. • ESSA reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the education subtitle of the McKinney-Vento Act. • ESSA amendments provide new opportunities for schools to help students experiencing homelessness succeed in school. • For more information, visit http://nche.ed.gov/legis/essa.php andhttps://www.schoolhouseconnection.org/learn/k-12/

17. The State Coordinator • Every state must appoint a State Coordinator for Homeless Education who can sufficiently carry out their duties as established in statute [42 U.S.C. § 11432(f)]. • State Coordinators must oversee the implementation of the McKinney-Vento Act in districts throughout their state, including • Ensuring that eligible students receive all protections and services under the law • Monitoring all school districts • Collecting and posting homeless education data to the state education department website • Collaborating with a broad array of educators, service providers, and community organizations

18. The Local Liaison • Every school district must appoint a local homeless education liaison who can carry out their duties as established in statute [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(6)(A)]. • Local liaisons must ensure that • Homeless children and youth are identified by school personnel through outreach and coordination with other entities and agencies; • Homeless children and youth are enrolled and have full and equal opportunity to succeed in school; • Homeless families, children and youth receive educational services for which they are eligible, including Head Start, early intervention (IDEA Part C), and preschool programs administered by the district;

19. The Local Liaison • Homeless families, children, and youth receive referrals to health, dental, mental health, housing, substance abuse, and other appropriate services; • Parents and guardians are informed of the educational and related opportunities available to their children and are provided with meaningful opportunities to participate; • Public notice of homeless students’ rights is posted in locations frequented by parents, guardians and unaccompanied youth, including schools, shelters, libraries and soup kitchens, in an understandable manner; • Enrollment disputes are mediated; • Parents, guardians and unaccompanied youth are informed of and assisted in accessing transportation services, including transportation to the school of origin;

20. The Local Liaison • School personnel providing McKinney-Vento services receive professional development and other support; and • Unaccompanied youth are: • enrolled in school; • have opportunities to meet the same challenging academic standards as other children and youth, including through receiving full or partial credit; and • are informed of their status as independent students for the FAFSA and receive verification of that status. • Visit https://nche.ed.gov/states/state_resources.php for State Coordinator and local liaison contact information; visit https://www.schoolhouseconnection.org/learn/k-12/ for a local liaison capacity checklist and tools.

21. Do you know your local liaison?

22. Questions?

23. Homeless Education under ESSA

24. Most McKinney-Vento students live in shelters. Unaccompanied youth can enroll in school immediately, even if unable to provide proof of guardianship. McKinney-Vento students must enroll in the local school if they move to a new school district.

25. McKinney-Vento Definition of Homeless • Children or youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including children and youth: • Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason • Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations • Living in emergency or transitional shelters, or are abandoned in hospitals

26. McKinney-Vento Definition of Homeless • Living in a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings • Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings • Migratory children living in the above circumstances [42 U.S.C. § 11434a(2)] • The term unaccompanied youthincludes a homeless child or youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian [42 U.S.C. § 11434a(6)].

27. National School Data, 2015-2016 • U.S. public schools enrolled 1,304,803 homeless childrenand youth (including in public preschool) during the 2015-2016 school year, including • 111,708 unaccompanied youth (8.6 %) • 201,124 homeless students with limited English proficiency (15.4%) • 234,506 homeless students with disabilities under IDEA (18%) • Download Federal Data Summary School Years 2013-14 to 2015-16: Education for Homeless Children and Youth at https://nche.ed.gov/pr/data_comp.php for more information.

28. National School Data, 2015-2016

29. Determinations of Eligibility • Eligibility determinations should be made on a case-by-case basis, considering the circumstances of each student. • Pay close attention to the legislative wording, as it may provide needed clarity. • The local liaison has the authority and responsibility to ensure that eligible students are identified. • Download Determining Eligibility for McKinney-Vento Rights and Services at https://nche.ed.gov/pr/briefs.php for more information.

30. ESSA’s Requirement to Remove Barriers • States and school districts must develop, review, and revise policies to remove barriers to the identification, enrollment and retention of McKinney-Vento students, including barriers due to outstanding fees or fines, or absences [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(1)(I)]. • According to EHCY Guidance (question A-4), the requirement to remove barriers is a broad, ongoing requirement that should include regular input from homeless parents, youth, and advocates so that new barriers do not prevent students from full participation in school.

31. Immediate Enrollment • Children and youth experiencing homelessness have the right to immediate school enrollment • even if lacking paperwork normally required for enrollment; or • even if having missed application or enrollment deadlines during any period of homelessness [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(3)(C)(i)]. • Enrollment is defined as “attending classes and participating fully in school activities” [42 U.S.C. § 11434a(1)].

32. School Stability • Children and youth experiencing homelessness have the right to attend • The school of origin[42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(3)(I)(i)] • The school that a child or youth attended when permanently housed, or • The school in which the child or youth was last enrolled • Includes public preschools • Includes receiving schools • The local attendance area school [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(3)(A)(ii)] • Any public school that nonhomeless students who live in the attendance area in which the child or youth is actually living are eligible to attend

33. Preschool • The term school of origin means the school that achild or youth attended when permanently housed or the school in which the child or youth was last enrolled, including a preschool [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(I)(i)]. • Visit www.schoolhouseconnection.org/early-childhood/ and https://nche.ed.gov/ibt/sc_preschool.php for more information on early care and education for young homeless children.

34. Preschool Do McKinney-Vento Act requirements apply to homeless children attending preschool? To the extent that an LEA offers a public education to preschool children, including LEA-administered Head Start programs, an LEA must meet the McKinney-Vento Act requirements for homeless children in preschool, including ensuring that a homeless child remains in his or her public preschool of origin, unless a determination is made that it is not in the child’s best interest. EHCY Guidance, Question N-4

35. Receiving Schools When the child or youth completes the final grade level served by the school of origin, the term school of origin shall include the designated receiving school at the next grade level for all feeder schools [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(I)(ii)]. elementary school high school middle school

36. Best Interest • In determining best interest, the school district shall • Presume that keeping the child or youth in the school of origin is in the child’s or youth’s best interest, except when doing so is contrary to the request of the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth • Consider student-centered factors related to the child’s or youth’s best interest, including factors related to the impact of mobility on achievement, education, health, and safety, giving priority to the request of the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(B)]

37. Duration of School of Origin Rights • Homeless children and youth have the right to attend the school of origin for the duration of homelessness • In any case in which a family becomes homeless between academic years or during an academic year • For the remainder of the academic year, if the child or youth becomes permanently housed during an academic year [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(3)(A)(i)(II)]

38. School of origin transportation • Transportation must be provided to and from the school of origin at the request of the parent or guardian, or, in the case of an unaccompanied youth, at the request of the local liaison [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(1)(J)(iii)]. • Based on the amended definition of school of origin under ESSA, school of origin transportation rights extend to public preschools and receiving schools

39. School of origin transportation Must LEAs continue to provide transportation to and from the school of origin for formerly homeless students who have become permanently housed? Yes. LEAs must continue to provide transportation to and from the school of origin to formerly homeless students who have become permanently housed for the remainder of the academic year during which the child or youth becomes permanently housed. EHCY Guidance, Question J-5

40. School of origin transportation Does the McKinney-Vento Act require an LEA to provide transportation services to homeless children attending preschool? Yes. The McKinney-Vento Act requires LEAs to provide transportation services to the school of origin, which includes public preschools. Accordingly, transportation to the school of origin must be provided even if a homeless preschooler who is enrolled in a public preschool in one LEA moves to another LEA that does not provide widely available or universal preschool. EHCY Guidance, Question N-5

41. School of origin transportation Must LEAs provide transportation to and from extracurricular activities for homeless students? To the extent that lack of access to transportation is a barrier to extracurricular activities for a particular student, an LEA would be required to provide this student with transportation to or from extracurricular activities EHCY Guidance, Question J-11

42. When might transferring to the local school be in the best interest of a homeless student? • The parent/guardian prefers the local school. • Transportation to the local school is easier for the school district to provide. • A student might be safer or somehow better off going to the local school. Extra credit: What are some student-centered factors a school might use to determine best interest?

43. Questions?

44. If the district and parent disagree about whether a student should attend the local school or school of origin, the parent has the right to dispute the district’s decision.

45. Dispute Resolution • If, after conducting the best interest determination, the district determines that it is not in the child’s or youth’s best interest to attend the school of origin or the school requested by the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth, the district must provide the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth with a written explanation of the reasons for its determination, in a manner and form understandable to the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth, including information regarding the right to appeal[42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(B)].

46. Dispute Resolution • The child or youth shall be immediately enrolled in the school in which enrollment is sought, pending final resolution of the dispute, including all available appeals [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(3)(E)(i)]. • Students must receive all services for which they are eligible until final resolution of all disputes and appeals(EHCY Guidance, Question K-7).

47. Credit Accrual • States and school districts must implement procedures to identify and remove barriers to McKinney-Vento students receiving appropriate credit for full or partial coursework satisfactorily completed at a prior school (42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(1)(F)(ii); EHCY Guidance, Question O-2)

48. Higher Education • School counselors must assist students experiencinghomelessness with college preparation and readiness [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(1)(K)]. • Local liaisons must inform unaccompanied youth about their independent student status on the FAFSA and assist with verification of this status [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(6)(A)(x)(III)]. • Fee waivers are available for AP tests, the ACT, the SAT, and college applications. • Visit https://www.schoolhouseconnection.org/learn/higher-education/ and https://nche.ed.gov/ibt/higher_ed.php for more information.

49. Scholarships • Scholarship search engines: • Fastweb!: http://www.fastweb.com/ • College Board: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search • U.S. Department of Education: http://studentaid.ed.gov/types/grants-scholarships/finding-scholarships (includes scholarship search tips and guidelines) • Private scholarships • Check with the school counselor • SchoolHouse Connection: https://www.schoolhouseconnection.org/youth-leadership/scholarship-program/ • Give Us Your Poor/Horatio Alger Scholarship: https://scholars.horatioalger.org/

50. Other Supports • Students experiencing homelessness • Must receive comparable services, including transportation [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(4)]. • Are categorically eligible for free school meals. • Are categorically eligible for support under Title I, Part A, including supports provided through the Title I, Part A homeless set-aside. • Must be included in special education child find efforts and provided with special education services, when needed.