Title: The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
1The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Part
IIDigging Deeper Law into Practice
- National Center for Homeless Education
- Jan Moore Christina Dukes
- Beth Hartness Diana Bowman
2Some things to keep in mind
- Feel free to ask questions in the chat pod at any
time - When we stop for questions or work on a scenario,
press 6 to unmute if you wish to speak, then
press 6 to re-mute afterwards - Please dont place the call on hold at any time
3Eligibility Doubled-up
- The McKinney-Vento Act qualifies doubled-up
students as homeless sharing the housing of
others due to loss of housing, economic hardship,
or similar reason - Does the living situation not meet any of the
three conditions of the definition meaning is it
not fixed, regular, or adequate? - Consider the way in which the doubling-up came to
be Was it planned and agreed upon for mutual
benefit or was it entered into due to hardship
and/or a crisis? - How long-term is the living arrangement?
4Eligibility Scenario
- In March, the Maynard family lost its housing due
to a fire. Mr. Maynards brother is letting the
family live in a trailer on his property until
the house is repaired. - Would you qualify the Maynard kids for services
under McKinney-Vento? Why or why not? Do you need
to ask any questions to help you make your
determination? - If the repairs on the house will not be completed
until the following December, will the children
be eligible for the whole time?
5Eligibility Awaiting Foster Care Placement
- Children in foster care face many of the same
challenges as children experiencing homelessness
(high residential and school mobility, academic
challenges, educational discontinuity) - Eligibility must be reviewed in the context of
state and local child welfare policies - View through the lens of lacking a fixed,
regular, and adequate nighttime residence
6Eligibility Scenario
- Several weeks ago, Lisa was removed from her
parents home by the department of social
services. She was placed in a group home until an
appropriate foster placement can be determined.
The group home is in a different school district
from where Lisa was attending school. The amount
of time finding a more long-term placement will
take is uncertain. - Would Lisa be eligible for services under
McKinney-Vento? Why or why not?
7School of Origin and Feasibility
- Feasibility factors listed in U.S. Department of
Education Guidance - the age of the child or youth
- the distance of a commute and the impact it may
have on the student's education - personal safety issues
- a student's need for special instruction (e.g.,
special education and related services) - the length of anticipated stay in a temporary
shelter or other temporary location - the time remaining in the school year
8How do you determine feasibility?
- Case-by-case determination
- What is in the childs best interest?
- There is no specific time or distance limit
placed on transporting a homeless child to
his/her school of origin consider the unique
situation of the student and how the
transportation arrangement will affect the
students education
9Feasibility Scenario
- Last May, the Miller family lost its housing and
moved in with relatives 15 miles away from where
their son Mark was attending school. Its the
beginning of the school year, and the family
would like for Mark to continue to attend in his
school of origin. - What are some of the issues to help the family
consider if this decision is feasible? - What additional information do you need?
10Unaccompanied Youth The Basics
- The McKinney-Vento defines unaccompanied youth as
a youth not in the physical custody of a parent
or guardian - An unaccompanied youths living arrangement must
meet the Acts definition of homeless for him/her
to qualify for McKinney-Vento services - There is no lower age limit for unaccompanied
youth the upper age limit (as with all
McKinney-Vento eligible students) is your states
upper age limit for public education usually 21,
sometimes older for special education - A youth can be eligible regardless of whether
he/she was asked to leave the home or chose to
leave remember that sometimes there is more
than meets the eye for youths home life
situations
11What are some good strategies for serving
unaccompanied youth?
- Train all district and school staff who work with
youth (enrollment staff, secretaries, guidance
counselors, principals, and teachers) on the
definition, rights, and needs of unaccompanied
youth - Develop caretaker forms, self-enrollment forms
for unaccompanied youth, and other forms to
replace typical proof of guardianship such forms
should be crafted carefully so they do not create
further barriers or delay enrollment visit
www.serve.org/nche/downloads/toolkit/app_d.pdf
for sample forms - Become familiar with state and local policies
related to unaccompanied youth (medical signature
authority, reporting, emancipation)
12What are some good strategies for serving
unaccompanied youth? (cont.)
- Provide unaccompanied youth the opportunity to
enroll in diversified learning opportunities,
such as vocational education, credit-for-work
programs, and flexible school hours yet dont
assume that they need alternative learning
programs - Provide a safe place and trained mentor at
school for unaccompanied youth to access as
needed - Permit exceptions to school policies on class
schedules, tardiness, absences and credits to
accommodate the needs of unaccompanied youth - Assist with credit accrual and recovery
13 Unaccompanied Youth Scenario
- Delores is a 16-year-old who has come to your
school to enroll. She said she left home because
she cant get along with her stepfather and is
staying with a girlfriend. Her mom wants her to
come home says she has a perfectly good home to
come to and does not want her to enroll in
another school. - Should the school enroll Delores?
- What else could the school do to support Delores
in her education? - To what other organizations could the school
refer Delores for additional support?
14The Title IA set-aside
- Title IA of the No Child Left Behind Act requires
districts to set aside Title IA funds to be used
to serve homeless students these funds can be
used - To support homeless students not attending a
Title IA school - To provide services to homeless students that are
not ordinarily provided to other Title I students
and that are not available from other sources,
according to the need of the homeless student
15The Title IA set-aside
- Federal law does not give any set method for
determining the set-aside some suggested methods
include - Project for next year based on this years
numbers and any anticipated new needs or change
in the homeless population - Multiply the of homeless students by the Title
IA per pupil allocation - Match your McKinney-Vento subgrant
- Reserve a of your Title IA funds based on your
districts poverty level
16The Title IA set-aside
- Neither Title I nor McKinney-Vento provides a
specific list of approved usages of Title I
set-aside funds, however the funds must be used
to support the academic achievement of the child - Title IA set-aside dollars can not be used to
transport a homeless student to the school of
origin due to supplanting restrictions
17Title IA scenario
- Jimmy and his mom are currently living in a
domestic violence shelter. He is continuing to
attend his school of origin, although the shelter
is outside of the school of origins residential
zone. His teachers have recommended that he
enroll in the schools after school tutoring
program, but his mom cant pick him up after the
program. Also, his teachers have noted that
Jimmy seems troubled. His teachers and his mom
agree that he might benefit from counseling. - How could the school district use Title IA funds
to help Jimmy?
18How can I get more information and help?
- Call your State Coordinator http//www.serve.org/
nche/states/state_resources.php - Get to know local liaisons from other school
districts - Join the NCHE listserv e-mail bhartnes_at_serve.org
- Download the Local Homeless Education Liaison
Toolkit and/or NCHE briefs and keep handy as a
reference - Contact NCHE 800-308-2145 or homeless_at_serve.org
- Attend the 2009 NAEHCY conference www.naehcy.org
- Create awareness, commitment and buy-in among
staff - Become aware of community agencies make them
aware of the homeless education program - Invite yourself to the table of community
agencies - You are not alone!