Title X Part C No Child Left Behind Act - 2001

1. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act Title X Part C No Child Left Behind Act - 2001 “Our children need adults who focus on results.” Secretary Rod Paige

2. Number of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness • 1989 - 272,773 • 1991 - 327,416 • 1993 - 744,266 • 1997 - 841,730 • 2000 – 930,232

3. Definitions of Homeless Children and Youth • Lack fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence • Share housing (due to loss or hardship) • Live in hotels, motels, trailer homes, campgrounds, emergency or transitional shelters, abandoned in hospitals, awaiting foster care

4. Definitions of Homeless Children and Youth • Primary nighttime residence not designed or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation • Live in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus, or train stations

5. Definitions of Homeless Children and Youth • Pre-school aged children. • Unaccompanied youth (youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian) • Migratory children who qualify as homeless because of their living situation

6. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act Other Definitions • Enroll and Enrollment include – right to attend classes and participate fully in school activities • School of Origin – school that child or youth attended when permanently housed or last enrolled • Comparable Services – services offered to other students in the school selected

7. Barriers to Enrollment • Lack of transportation to or from temporary residence • Lack of immunization and medical records • Lack of school records • State guardianship/residency requirements not uniformly interpreted by school • Lack of birth certificates

8. Youth ages 12 and up face additional barriers to school enrollment, for example: Attendance policies Secondary school credit accrual Legal guardianship requirements Barriers to Enrollment

9. Barriers to School Success • Frequent mobility • Lack of staff awareness and sensitivity • Inability to complete school assignments • Lack of psychological services • Poor health and inadequate medical care • Physical needs -- food, clothing, health care

10. Access to Special Programs and Services • Special Education • Head Start • Gifted and Talented • Even Start • Programs for English language learners Children experiencing homelessness have difficulty accessing the following programs and services

11. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act Comparable Services Homeless children and youth must receive comparable services to those received by all other children including • Transportation services • Educational services • Meals through school nutrition programs

12. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act Educational Stability & Continuity • Requires schools to keep children in the school of origin to the extent feasible, except where contrary to the wishes of the parent or guardian • Child or youth’s right to attend their school of origin extends to entire duration of homelessness • Requires removal of any barriers that contribute to exclusion or enrollment delay

13. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act Students’ Access to School • Requires schools to immediately enroll children and youth experiencing homelessness • Requires a Liaison in every school district • Requires public notice of educational rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness disseminated in every school district

14. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act • Parental Options and Involvement • Requires schools to fully inform parents and guardians of enrollment options and educational opportunities available • Requires schools to fully inform parents of right to have the district transport children to school of origin • Requires schools provide written explanations to parents regarding disputes over school selection and enrollment and referral to Liaisons for dispute resolution • Requires schools to provide parents and guardians with meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children

15. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act • Educational Rights of Unaccompanied Youth • Requires schools to fully inform youth of their enrollment options and available educational opportunities • Requires LEA Liaison to assist youth in school enrollment and selection decisions and transportation needs

16. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act • Integration of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness • Prohibits segregation of students • into separate schools or separate • classrooms within schools • SEAs and LEAs must adopt policies and practices to ensure that children are not stigmatized or segregated on the basis of their status as homeless

17. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act • Role of State Coordinator • Gather, validate, and report data on children and youth experiencing homelessness • Access to public preschools, elementary, and secondary schools • Special needs of students • Progress made by State and LEAs in addressing problems and difficulties • Success in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school

18. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act • Role of State Coordinator • Technical Assistance • Technical assistance to LEAs in coordination with LEA Liaisons to ensure LEA compliance • Inform school personnel, service providers, advocates of the duties of the LEA Liaisons

19. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act • LEA Requirements • Enroll homeless child or youth immediately even if no records are currently available • Schools must contact child’s or youth’s school last attended for academic and other records • Immediate referral to LEA Liaison if immunization or medical records are unavailable from prior school(s) • Records must be kept, maintained, and available for future school enrollment

20. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act • Enrollment Disputes • Admit child or youth immediately to school selected by parent/guardian or youth pending resolution of dispute • School must provide parent/guardian or youth with written explanation of decision including statement of rights • Referral to Liaison for dispute resolution • Liaison ensures unaccompanied youth is immediately enrolled

21. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act • Role of LEA LIAISON • Assist unaccompanied youthwith placement, enrollment, and knowing their rights • Disseminate public notices of educational rights • Inform and assist with accessing transportation • Mediate enrollment disputes • Coordinate and collaborate

22. Coordination with Title I • Title I requires that districts must provide services for children and youth who live in homeless situations • Children and youth experiencing homelessness are automatically eligible to receive Title I services by virtue of their homelessness

23. Title I Requirements • SEAs have to submit a Title I Part A plan coordinated with the McKinney-Vento Act - Sec. 1111 • LEAs have to submit a Title I Part A plan to SEAs that is coordinated with McKinney-Vento and describes services and set-asides – Sec. 1112

24. Title I Requirements • Reservation of Title I Funds - a local education agency needs to reserve funds to provide comparable services for eligible homeless children who do not attend participating schools, including providing educationally related support services to children in shelters and other locations where children may live. - Sec. 1113

25. Contact Information National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) Diana Bowman, Director Helpline: 1-800-308-2145 Email: homeless@serve.org http://www.serve.org/nche U.S. Department of Education Gary Rutkin, Federal Coordinator McKinney-Vento Program Email: gary.rutkin@ed.gov www.ed.gov/OFFICES/CEP

26. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act “We stand on the brink of comprehensive change in the culture of education .” Secretary Rod Paige