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2017 Homeless Education Special Edition

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

<strong>2017</strong> Adopt a Family Holiday Celebration Recap<br />

By: Julie McCullough<br />

Photos, Abdul Sharif<br />

very little, and it is difficult for<br />

them to even imagine what their<br />

Christmas will look like. Some of<br />

these families will receive food and<br />

gifts through holiday programs<br />

across Louisville. However, some<br />

of these families are not able to<br />

receive assistance from these<br />

programs, and are one out of the<br />

hundreds of families who are left<br />

with nothing for the holiday<br />

season.<br />

It’s that time of year again! Most of us are listening to<br />

holiday music, putting up lights, and celebrating<br />

traditions with our families. For most of us, this time<br />

of year serves as a time to reflect on special memories<br />

that we will cherish for years to come. Tonight, as we<br />

sleep under the radiating glow of Christmas lights,<br />

there will be families who won’t have holiday lights to<br />

sleep under; instead, these families will sleep under the<br />

glow of street lights or doze off to the buzzing sound of<br />

fluorescents from a shelter. Some of these families have<br />

About two years ago, our office was<br />

working with a family in this<br />

situation. It was the beginning of<br />

October, and the parent was<br />

already searching for holiday<br />

support. To our disappointment,<br />

she found out that one of the major holiday assistance<br />

programs in Louisville no longer had any slots left in<br />

their holiday gift program. This parent was desperate;<br />

she did not know how she was going to purchase<br />

Halloween costumes or even get through the holiday<br />

season with meals and gifts for her children.<br />

Because of this encounter, the JCPS Adopt a Family<br />

Holiday Program was born. For the last three years the<br />

Student Equity & Community Engagement Office has<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

worked to match sponsors to the families of students in<br />

our district. These sponsors are typically JCPS staff or<br />

departments, and also community members or<br />

businesses. The goal,<br />

our primary focus, is<br />

for each and every<br />

child in the family to<br />

receive new clothing,<br />

toys, and a meal. This<br />

includes the youngest<br />

members of the<br />

families who are not<br />

even in school yet, and<br />

sometimes even the<br />

parents. This year,<br />

while the children<br />

receive gifts, the<br />

parents will receive<br />

groceries to help them<br />

get through the holiday<br />

season with hot meals.<br />

Every year the Adopt a<br />

Family program<br />

culminates in a holiday<br />

party. This year, Shelby<br />

Traditional Academy has been incredibly generous in<br />

not only providing a space for this event, but actively<br />

planning and supporting programing for the evening.<br />

The Jefferson County School Nutrition Association is<br />

also working tirelessly to donate and prepare meals for<br />

nearly 200 guests. During the program, we also had<br />

the amazing opportunity to watch McFerran’s Step<br />

Team and DuPont Manual’s Crimson Chords, an<br />

acapella group. We are so thankful that these groups<br />

were willing to perform for us, and we are also so glad<br />

that these families were able to enjoy entertainment<br />

from students within the JCPS community. In addition,<br />

the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority provided<br />

three tables worth of toiletries,<br />

undergarments, and school uniforms for<br />

students. We would like to say thank you to<br />

this sorority for their generosity and kindness.<br />

Finally, we would like to say thank you to the<br />

numerous JCPS staff members at the district<br />

and in the community who have contributed<br />

towards the gifts and resources that were<br />

donated to make this season a great holiday<br />

for our children and youth. Whether you are<br />

a sponsor or a volunteer we cannot thank you<br />

enough for your support of our families. This<br />

year, we currently have 130 children in our<br />

Adopt a Family Holiday Program. This season<br />

has been amazing, and we thank you, JCPS,<br />

for making the Adopt a Family Holiday Program a<br />

Success!<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

100 Day Challenge<br />

By Christy Ward<br />

In August of this year Louisville was home base for<br />

the 100 Day Challenge. They vowed to house 100<br />

youth and young adults ages 16-24 years old in 100<br />

days. Below are their results and what they learned!<br />

As written by Natalie Harris, Coalition for the<br />

<strong>Homeless</strong>:<br />

On August 1, over two dozen local community<br />

partners agreed to work together and think big about<br />

the needs of homeless youth and young adults (16-24<br />

yrs. old) here in Louisville. We vowed to house 100<br />

of these youth in 100 days. This bold goal represents<br />

a 500% increase from the status quo rate at which we<br />

were housing homeless youth and young adults. In<br />

order to achieve the goal in time, we adopted the<br />

concept of “fail fast, fail cheap.” This business<br />

development concept focuses on trying lots of new<br />

ideas versus wasting time on debating the pros and<br />

cons of various solutions. As a team, our focus was<br />

how many different options we could try and bring<br />

back to the group that might open new doors to<br />

housing youth and young adults.<br />

* Our learning wins resulted in local police finding<br />

out more about the options for homeless youth and<br />

helping several young women caught up in sex<br />

trafficking get help at the Kristy Love Foundation or<br />

find extended family to take them in.<br />

* Our learning wins allowed Centerstone to identify<br />

young homeless adults moving in and out of mental<br />

institutions and help them access vouchers so that<br />

they can get off the streets and into a safe<br />

environment.<br />

* And, our learning wins helped to identify youth<br />

returning to JCPS in the fall who were sleeping in<br />

their car, so that the team could help them find stable<br />

housing and supports.<br />

At the same time, we tried many ideas that took too<br />

long, cost too much or had too few resources, but<br />

each time, we learned something about how to focus<br />

our efforts in the future. And, in by the end of the 100<br />

days, we had housed 115 youth and young adults!<br />

I wish that were the end of this story. At the end of<br />

the 100 days, we still had a list of 112 known<br />

homeless youth and young adults who needed a safe<br />

place to live. And, while we have learned to house<br />

them more quickly, the emergency options to keep<br />

them safe and off the streets while they find housing<br />

continue to decrease.<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

To begin to address this gap, The Coalition for the<br />

<strong>Homeless</strong> and<br />

Home of the<br />

Innocents are<br />

bringing an<br />

exciting model<br />

of Host Homes<br />

to Louisville.<br />

This model<br />

program<br />

allows local<br />

citizens to be<br />

screened and<br />

trained to host local 18-24 year old young adults in<br />

their homes for a short period while they work on<br />

getting into permanent housing. The young adults are<br />

also screened and supported through case<br />

management. This allows youth to live in a safe,<br />

secure home with great role models versus an<br />

institution with hundreds of other homeless citizens<br />

or unsafely on the streets where 40% of them are<br />

trafficked. Funding to design and kick off this model<br />

has been provided by the Gheens Foundation, [give]<br />

502 and V.V.Cooke Foundation. Home of the<br />

Innocents and The Coalition for the <strong>Homeless</strong> will be<br />

seeking interested individuals and families to provide<br />

great host homes. If you are interested, please email<br />

Natalie Harris at nharris@louhomeless.org.<br />

There are two types of efforts that require very<br />

different skills and participants:<br />

Programs<br />

Bureaucracy/Protections<br />

Outcomes<br />

Process Improvement<br />

Projects<br />

Entrepreneur/Innovations<br />

Learnings<br />

Trying New Things<br />

What we all do daily is operate programs. We work<br />

to make these programs operate better and any time a<br />

client is not served efficiently and effectively or<br />

goals are not achieved, it is a failure. The 100-Day<br />

Project is not a program, it is a special project that<br />

has created a crisis we have come together to<br />

address. We all have the same goal of safely and<br />

securely housing 100 youth within 100 days, but we<br />

also are measuring our knowledge wins. What have<br />

we learned that will make things better for homeless<br />

youth in the future?<br />

• We have created a team that is now working<br />

with new partners to create housing options<br />

for youth including the library, LMPD, DCBS<br />

and more. We are stronger for working<br />

together.<br />

• We have remained collaborative and not<br />

competitive through the whole process.<br />

• We have provided HMIS access to new<br />

partners like JCPS and LMPD so they can<br />

more effectively track the whereabouts of<br />

homeless youth, find and help them quickly.<br />

• We have created a single point of contact for<br />

newly homeless young adults through the<br />

YMCA hotline so people know who to call.<br />

• We have created a timely and shared list of<br />

homeless young adults so we are all working<br />

on the same list.<br />

• We have learned the reunification process by<br />

working with Paula at DCBS.<br />

• We have learned the Job Corps process (new<br />

housing resource) and gotten at least one<br />

young adult accepted.<br />

• We have raised flexible funding to address<br />

barriers that prevent young adults from<br />

getting housed quickly (like the need for<br />

deposits, furniture and moving expenses) and<br />

used it.<br />

• We figured out ways to extend this funding<br />

including getting donated furniture and using<br />

the funds to deliver to lots of youth on the<br />

same day.<br />

• We have identified new resources for housing<br />

youth including CSBG and Neighborhood<br />

Place RRH vouchers (new housing resource)<br />

and Olmstead vouchers (new housing<br />

resource).<br />

• YMCA acquired their first RRH vouchers and<br />

are working to fill them quickly.<br />

• HOI and LMHA created a faster Move Up<br />

process that moves multiple young adults at<br />

one time.<br />

• We have learned to consult young adults in<br />

every stage of this process to avoid pitfalls<br />

and create solutions that better meet their<br />

needs.<br />

• We have learned about barriers that prevent<br />

young adults from qualifying as chronic or<br />

high need on the VI-SPDAT and are<br />

addressing for the future. 5


ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

• The Common Assessment Team altered their referral process to speed up referrals.<br />

• The Youth Advisory Council created a resource map that can be used by young adults to find resources.<br />

• We have recruited new community volunteers and donors to the cause.<br />

• We partnered with the Jamon Brown Foundation to help raise funds and get additional publicity for the<br />

cause.<br />

• We have created new partnerships with housing including FSH and public housing that can create more<br />

options for young adults in the future.<br />

• We adopted the TAY VI-SPDAT process into our common assessment and created a transition plan to<br />

start the transition to using it for all youth.<br />

• The Youth Advisory Council held an ice cream social at the library to connect more homeless youth to<br />

housing and services.<br />

• Youth advocates solicited items for homeless youth and created the first booth for homeless youth at<br />

Stand Down.<br />

• We made referrals to Freedom House and other recovery transitional housing programs (new housing<br />

resource).<br />

• We learned about YouthBuild housing/employment options and started making referrals (new housing<br />

resource).<br />

• We learned about Kristy Love Foundation (new housing resource) and helped make referrals for victims<br />

of sex trafficking.<br />

• We jumped in and helped with housing searches and inspections at other agencies.<br />

• Learned about and tested the Pink Door Properties shared housing option (new housing resource).<br />

• Held a cooperative community event with the local police to share resources (Coffee with a Cop).<br />

• We asked and received flexibility for eligible youth that can be served through HUD RRH programs.<br />

• We reached out and added new landlords willing to work with young adults.<br />

We rock, and here are future learning opportunities we hope to try:<br />

• Learn about the fictive kin program and how we can make better use of it.<br />

• Create better partnerships with local colleges to support homeless students.<br />

• Learn about opportunities to serve and house youth through New Directions and other low-income<br />

housing programs<br />

• Create a HOST Home Program<br />

• Improve shelter opportunities, services and accommodations<br />

• Find ways to save programs at risk for 18-24 year olds at YMCA Safe Place<br />

What’s next?<br />

●<br />

●<br />

●<br />

●<br />

Employment & <strong>Education</strong> group<br />

Sustainability group<br />

Coalition Supporting Young Adults (CSYA) Needs Assessment<br />

LouieConnect<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

Early Childhood and McKinney-Vento<br />

By Christy Ward<br />

Many people are aware of the<br />

McKinney-Vento Act as it<br />

pertains to K-12 students but few<br />

may be aware that the same law<br />

that protect K-12 also protects<br />

early childhood students. Early<br />

childhood is a time of<br />

tremendous growth and<br />

development for children in<br />

every way: physical, social,<br />

emotional, and intellectual. This<br />

growth and development can be<br />

significantly affected by<br />

homelessness. Considering the<br />

negative effects on development<br />

caused by homelessness, young<br />

homeless children can benefit<br />

immensely from receiving<br />

quality early care and education<br />

services; however, many barriers<br />

limit homeless children's access<br />

to these services.<br />

Over half of children living in<br />

shelters are five years old or<br />

younger. Many more young<br />

children live in other homeless<br />

situations considered unstable<br />

and inadequate such as in motels<br />

or cars; or, live temporarily with<br />

others due to loss of housing,<br />

economic hardship, or a similar<br />

reason.<br />

Consider the following statistics<br />

from the National Center on<br />

Family <strong>Homeless</strong>ness<br />

• Infants who are born into<br />

homelessness need special care<br />

right after birth at four times the<br />

rate of other children.<br />

• <strong>Homeless</strong> babies show<br />

significantly slower development<br />

than other children do.<br />

• <strong>Homeless</strong> children have<br />

very high rates of acute illness.<br />

• About 51% of children in<br />

shelters funded by the<br />

U.S. Department of<br />

Housing and Urban<br />

Development are under<br />

the age of six.<br />

The McKinney-Vento Act’s<br />

<strong>Education</strong> for <strong>Homeless</strong> Children<br />

and Youth (EHCY) Program was<br />

reauthorized in 2001 by Title X,<br />

Part C of the No Child Left<br />

Behind Act. It entitles homeless<br />

children and youth to a free,<br />

appropriate public education,<br />

including a preschool education.<br />

Eligible students must receive<br />

the following services:<br />

Immediate Enrollment in<br />

Preschool Programs- The<br />

McKinney-Vento Act requires<br />

early care and education<br />

programs administered public<br />

school districts to enroll children<br />

immediately, even if they lack<br />

documents typically required for<br />

enrollment, including birth<br />

certificates, health records and<br />

proof of residency. <strong>Homeless</strong><br />

families cannot be turned away<br />

due to lack of documentation.<br />

School of Origin rights- The<br />

McKinney-Vento Act provides<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

students who are homeless the right to continue in the school they attended at the time they became<br />

homeless.<br />

Transportation -<br />

Districts that<br />

provide<br />

preschool<br />

transportation<br />

for nonhomeless<br />

children also<br />

must provide<br />

comparable<br />

transportation<br />

services for<br />

preschool<br />

children that<br />

are<br />

experiencing<br />

homelessness.<br />

The following resources are available at<br />

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/occ/news/ policies-resources-for-expanding-ece-services-forhomelesschildren:<br />

•a letter from the Administration for Children and Families, the Office of Head Start, and the Office of<br />

Child Care;<br />

•a brief entitled Policies and Procedures to Increase Access to ECE Services for <strong>Homeless</strong> Children and<br />

Families;<br />

•a brief entitled Strategies for Increasing ECE Services for <strong>Homeless</strong> Children; and<br />

•an early childhood and family homelessness resource list.<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

3rd Annual <strong>Homeless</strong> <strong>Education</strong> Conference<br />

By: Julie McCullough<br />

Photos, Diversity, Equity, and Poverty Programs<br />

On November 20 th , <strong>2017</strong> the office of Student Equity & Community Engagement held our 3 rd Annual<br />

<strong>Homeless</strong> <strong>Education</strong> Conference. This year’s event was held at the KFC Yum Center. Over 140 school staff<br />

and community partners attended the event with participation from 115 Jefferson County Schools. The<br />

purpose of this event is to train school liaisons throughout the district on the identification, needs, support,<br />

and protection of students experiencing homelessness.<br />

One focus of the conference is always to ensure that school staff and community members understand the<br />

definition of homelessness and the rights of students experiencing homeless as defined in the federal<br />

McKinney-Vento Law. However, this year our department set out to help increase empathy and<br />

understanding with regards to the needs of students experiencing homelessness. We believe this helps<br />

develop a deeper understanding of the law and why it was created.<br />

With this goal in mind three national level speakers were recruited to take part in the conference. Mr. Terry<br />

Morris is an engineer from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). He spoke of<br />

growing up in Chicago where he experienced abuse and neglect from his parents and siblings. He was<br />

frequently kicked out of his home and into the cold where he scrounged through garbage cans for food. He<br />

experienced this abuse, neglect, and homelessness until the age of 14 when he was finally abandoned by his<br />

family on the side of the road in Mississippi. Mr. Morris spoke of the support and encouragement he<br />

received from the community and teachers who found him digging through their garbage cans in<br />

Mississippi. Their encouragement along with hard work helped him progress and succeed in multiple areas<br />

of life ultimately leading to his future success as an engineer in NASA.<br />

The second speaker of the day was Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Trauma <strong>Special</strong>ist and<br />

trainer, Jean West, from the St. Joseph Missouri school district. Ms. West spoke on the impact of trauma on<br />

brain development as well as the impact on social, emotional function. She discussed a few case scenarios<br />

of children who had experienced trauma and some of the tools she used to work with these children and<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

youth. She also explained the connection between<br />

trauma and homelessness, and tools that may be<br />

helpful in working with this population of students.<br />

Finally, Romonia Dixon spoke on her experience of<br />

homelessness as a child and youth. She described<br />

sleeping in a boarding house where her mother<br />

worked, and being woken up in the middle of the<br />

night to sleep on the streets when a paying customer<br />

would arrive. She also described a transient<br />

lifestyle, jumping on trolley cars to get to school in<br />

San Francisco and avoiding the police since her<br />

family could not afford to pay for the ride. Romonia<br />

The stories the speakers shared along with their<br />

explanations of trauma and loss provided the<br />

framework for Student Equity & Engagement Staff<br />

to discuss the importance of identification and the<br />

federal law. This also provided the basis for an<br />

extensive discussion of case scenarios through a<br />

panel discussion and small group collaboration. We<br />

hope that knowledge of the law along with a<br />

foundation of empathy will eliminate barriers for<br />

students experiencing homelessness across the<br />

United States. Our goal is to ensure students who<br />

are experiencing the trauma and loss of<br />

homelessness have a place to not only learn, but feel<br />

safe with the friends and<br />

teachers they love. This<br />

year’s conference provided<br />

the core for that goal as we<br />

progress through the<br />

<strong>2017</strong>-2018 academic year.<br />

then discussed long rides on the school bus in<br />

Arizona when the only shelter near her school was<br />

over the county line. The moment that changed the<br />

course of her life was when she attempted to sign up<br />

for boy’s and girls club, but new that her family<br />

could not pay the registration fee when other basic<br />

needs had to be met. As she started to walk away,<br />

the person at the desk called her back and paid the<br />

fee for her. This put Ms. Dixon on track to one day<br />

become<br />

Photo, JCPS communications.<br />

the Boys and Girls club youth of the year,<br />

receive scholarships to college, finish both her<br />

undergraduate and masters degrees, and now work<br />

toward her PhD.<br />

We would like to provide a<br />

special thanks to the Yum<br />

Center for donating the use<br />

of their space for this event<br />

and to Terry Robinson from<br />

the JCPS Communication<br />

Department for facilitating<br />

the conference. We would<br />

also like to thank all district<br />

personnel who participated<br />

in the conference. We<br />

particularly thank our panel<br />

speakers, KDE State<br />

Coordinator for <strong>Homeless</strong>. school staff and<br />

community members, who helped lend expertise,<br />

provide awareness of resources, and explained how<br />

to reach out in a sensitive manner. Finally, a thank<br />

you to Dr. Marty Pollio- Acting Superintendent for<br />

JCPS for taking time out of his schedule to address<br />

participants and emphasize the importance of<br />

support for our most vulnerable population. Thank<br />

you everyone for making this the best conference<br />

yet. We look forward to the change effort that arises<br />

from your work in advocacy and support.<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

How does JCPS Identify McKinney-<br />

Vento Eligible Students?<br />

Last year there were over 6,000 students identified as<br />

experiencing homelessness in Jefferson County<br />

Public Schools. As of December 1 st , <strong>2017</strong>, there were<br />

nearly 2,000 students already identified for the<br />

<strong>2017</strong>-2018 academic year. Here in the Office of<br />

Student Equity & Community Engagement we expect<br />

that number to climb well over 6,000 by the end of<br />

the academic year (May 2018). These numbers are<br />

significant not only due to their enormity, but because<br />

for all student’s identification means protection and<br />

services.<br />

Across the United States students experiencing<br />

homelessness are protected under the McKinney-<br />

Vento law. In Jefferson County Public Schools, we<br />

refer to these students as McKinney-Vento Eligible.<br />

What this means is that students experiencing<br />

homelessness are provided opportunities or services<br />

in order to allow for a comparable education with all<br />

students in the district. Since children and youth<br />

experiencing homelessness often experience high<br />

mobility, this may make it difficult for a child to<br />

remain in the same school or even get to school on a<br />

regular basis. Sports or other after school activities<br />

may not even seem possible. These challenges make<br />

it difficult for students to maintain academic stability,<br />

and consistent relationships with teachers and peers.<br />

The McKinney-Vento law was created for this reason.<br />

Eligible students have the right to remain in the same<br />

school they attended at the time they first began to<br />

experience homelessness. We call this the school of<br />

origin. In addition, the district is required to provide<br />

transportation for the child or youth to the school of<br />

origin. McKinney-Vento students are also eligible for<br />

immediate enrollment in a reside school even when<br />

they are unable to provide proof of address.<br />

Immediate enrollment also pertains to students<br />

without the normal records such as birth certificates,<br />

immunization records, school records, etc. This is<br />

with the understanding that these records can be<br />

obtained at a future date from previous schools or<br />

other resources. Finally, students will be provided<br />

free and reduced lunch and school activity fees may<br />

be waived.<br />

So how does JCPS know which students are eligible<br />

for these services. One of the predominant ways our<br />

district identifies students experiencing homelessness<br />

is through Residency Forms. These forms are sent to<br />

each school at the beginning of the school year. The<br />

schools then distribute and collect the forms from<br />

each student. These forms are then sent back to the<br />

Student Equity & Community Engagement Office<br />

(<strong>Homeless</strong> <strong>Education</strong>) where they are counted and<br />

sorted. Forms in which families have answered “yes”<br />

to the first question are set aside, reviewed, 11 and the<br />

Photo, Abdul Sharif


ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

data is updated in infinite campus. These forms are<br />

then filed in the office of Student Equity &<br />

Community Engagement. When the answer to the<br />

first question is no the forms are collected, boxed<br />

and stored or sent to archive. This year an<br />

JCPS Pupil Personnel is another source of<br />

identification. Social workers in this department<br />

will sometimes reach out to a family due to an<br />

attendance issue. They may find that the family has<br />

moved or<br />

relocated<br />

due to a loss<br />

of housing.<br />

The social<br />

worker will<br />

then contact<br />

our office to<br />

identify the<br />

student, and<br />

work<br />

together to<br />

provide any<br />

services the<br />

family may<br />

need.<br />

JCPS<br />

Department<br />

of Student<br />

additional step was added in which all “no”<br />

residency forms were scanned to be kept as a digital<br />

file. Finally, forms that are unclear or incomplete<br />

are set aside for further review. Student Equity &<br />

Community Engagement staff will typically follow<br />

up with the family or school for clarification.<br />

There are several other ways in which McKinney-<br />

Vento eligible students are identified. JCPS schools<br />

play a significant role in supporting the<br />

identification process. Schools often phone our<br />

office directly to identify or request support for a<br />

student experiencing homelessness. Students are<br />

identified in infinite campus at that time. During<br />

the identification process we will review the<br />

student’s record and if there are other JCPS students<br />

in the family, we will identify them as well. We<br />

then often reach out to the family to determine if<br />

additional support is required for the students or<br />

family.<br />

Assignments<br />

also provides support in the identification process.<br />

This department sometimes encounters families<br />

attempting to enroll, transfer schools, or work<br />

through a school of origin issue. They are very<br />

good at recognizing when a family might be<br />

experiencing homelessness, and they contact our<br />

office for verification and eligibility. We then work<br />

with student assignments, the family, and the<br />

schools on enrollment, an override, or a new cluster<br />

application.<br />

The office of Student Equity & Community<br />

Engagement also identifies families through<br />

community resources. For instance, our office has<br />

an existing relationship with the Coalition for the<br />

<strong>Homeless</strong> and the shelters across Louisville.<br />

Shelter staff will often contact our office to ensure<br />

academic stability, submit a transportation request,<br />

or discuss a particular issue. Coalition for the<br />

<strong>Homeless</strong> helps with identification buy regularly<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

providing a list<br />

of families with<br />

JCPS students<br />

who have<br />

contacted their<br />

office. We have<br />

also worked<br />

with the Urban<br />

League, SAFY,<br />

and other<br />

agencies or<br />

organizations<br />

who have<br />

submitted<br />

anonymous<br />

referrals.<br />

Finally, a very<br />

common source<br />

of identification is the families themselves. A parent will sometimes locate our number on the JCPS webpage<br />

and call us directly. They are also referred to us from one of the shelters, their school, or another resource in<br />

the community. These families will typically call and share their story with our staff. Their eligibility status<br />

is determined based on the information the family provides. Sometimes our staff will ask additional questions<br />

for clarification or to make a determination. If a determination cannot be made at that time, staff will follow<br />

up with The District Coordinator, Giselle Danger Mercaderes, to make a final determination regarding the<br />

eligibility status of the children or youth. Once a child or youth is determined eligible for services, the<br />

student will be identified in infinite campus so that current and future services can be provided.<br />

In JCPS there are numerous ways of identifying students experiencing homelessness. We often discuss<br />

eligibility and identification as a primary issue, but ultimately this effort leads to the mission of services and<br />

protection for our most vulnerable population. We strive to provide the best academic and educational<br />

experience possible for these students, and the way that we do that is through identification.<br />

13


ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

Academy at Shawnee Mentorship<br />

Experience<br />

By: Kasey Carlson<br />

Dr. Terry Morris spoke at the Student Equity and<br />

Community Engagement’s annual Regional<br />

<strong>Homeless</strong> <strong>Education</strong> Conference on Monday<br />

November 20 th . After speaking at the conference<br />

Dr. Morris went to the Challenger Center at the<br />

Academy at Shawnee for a separate event<br />

sponsored by the Student Equity and Community<br />

Engagement Office.<br />

Dr. Terry Morris is an engineer from the National<br />

Aeronautics and Space<br />

Administration<br />

(NASA) at the Langley<br />

Research Center in<br />

Hampton, VA. He<br />

received his doctorate<br />

in systems engineering<br />

from the University of<br />

Virginia. Dr. Morris has<br />

spoken at many national engagements including at<br />

The White House, The Pentagon, the Federal<br />

Reserve, CIA Headquarters, and FBI Headquarters.<br />

At The Academy at Shawnee Dr. Morris spoke to<br />

over 40 students from The Academy at Shawnee<br />

and ESL Newcomer Academy. Dr. Morris engaged<br />

with the students as he spoke about his life. Dr.<br />

Morris grew up in<br />

Chicago where he<br />

began getting<br />

kicked out of the<br />

house at the age<br />

of 4 years old. He<br />

was abused and<br />

neglected by his<br />

family members.<br />

He would eat out<br />

of the trash when<br />

necessary. He<br />

would be able to<br />

come home<br />

usually after a few<br />

weeks but the<br />

cycle continued.<br />

If something went<br />

wrong in the<br />

family it was taken out on Dr. Morris and he<br />

continued getting kicked out of the house.<br />

At the age of 14 Dr. Morris’ family took him to<br />

Mississippi and dropped him off on the side of the<br />

road. Those in the community in Mississippi<br />

noticed Dr. Morris helped him the rest of his<br />

childhood.<br />

Dr. Morris discussed with the students the<br />

importance of education. Through his story the<br />

students were able to see all that Dr. Morris has<br />

done with his life despite the adversities he<br />

experienced.<br />

After Dr. Morris presented his story to the students<br />

he enjoyed lunch with the students and continued<br />

discussion. Students from The Academy at<br />

Shawnee and ESL Newcomers Academy had the<br />

opportunity during this time to ask questions.<br />

Students asked insightful questions regarding his<br />

work and Dr. Morris discussed the great<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

McKinney-Vento Eligible Students Improving Academic Performance through<br />

Outdoor Experiences<br />

By Giselle Danger, Coordinator <strong>Homeless</strong> <strong>Education</strong><br />

Not every student learns well in the traditional<br />

classroom setting. Some students learn better from<br />

hands on experience. This includes homeless teenagers<br />

The Nation Center for Outdoor and Adventure<br />

<strong>Education</strong> (NCOAE) is trying to change that for some<br />

of the homeless students in New Hanover County, NC<br />

school district.<br />

in middle and high school who may not be able to<br />

afford opportunities for this unique way of learning.<br />

The Student Equity and<br />

Community Engagement<br />

Office in Jefferson County<br />

Public Schools had the<br />

opportunity to attend the<br />

National Association for<br />

<strong>Education</strong> of <strong>Homeless</strong><br />

Children and Youth<br />

Conference this fall. While<br />

at the conference I attended<br />

a session on improving the<br />

academic performance of<br />

McKinney-Vento eligible<br />

students through a program<br />

offered by NCOAE. The<br />

speakers, Celine Adair,<br />

director of operations for<br />

NCOAE, and Kathy<br />

Newcomb, supervisor of<br />

school counseling and<br />

social work for New Hanover County Public Schools,<br />

15<br />

Continued on next page


ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

explained the program, how it works, and data on the<br />

program.<br />

The NCOAE is a non-profit that with courses in<br />

outdoor and wilderness skills. This ranges from things<br />

like mountaineering and rock climbing to surfing and<br />

backcountry camping. One of the core programs that<br />

they offer is <strong>Education</strong> Without Walls (EWW). EWW<br />

is a program designed for teenagers who have<br />

financial need and wouldn’t typically have the<br />

opportunity to participate in outdoor activities such as<br />

the ones listed above. They can receive high school<br />

credits for participating in the program.<br />

The NCOAE has partnered with New Hanover<br />

County, NC schools to offer the EWW opportunity for<br />

teenagers in the school district that are homeless and<br />

low income. The students participate in 5 expeditions<br />

throughout the year lasting between 2 to 4 days<br />

consisting of 8 to 12 students. They also have an<br />

opportunity to participate in a 16 day expedition in the<br />

summer. Teens also receive mentorship throughout the<br />

year with a student advocate. Student advocates are<br />

students from a local college who receive course<br />

credit. NCOAE offers participants everything they<br />

need to participate, all gear is provided. Transportation<br />

to and from the expedition sites is also provided for<br />

the teens.<br />

EWW offers these students an experiential learning<br />

experience in the wilderness. After students learn a<br />

skill they are able to try it out right away. The Core<br />

Curriculum of NCOAE includes three overall areas,<br />

environmental sciences, personal development, and<br />

technical skills. This curriculum includes geology,<br />

oceanography, communication, decision making, stress<br />

management, critical thinking, social responsibility,<br />

food storage safety, expeditionary mentality, lightening<br />

safety, navigation, and bag packing for the<br />

backcountry.<br />

During expeditions students are encouraged to lean<br />

heavily on reflection and analysis. Opportunities are<br />

given for participants to reflect periodically. There is<br />

time set aside during the expedition for group time<br />

where students have small group discussions with the<br />

other 8 to 12 participants.<br />

NCOAE has conducted research along with this<br />

program where they have found that this program has<br />

a great impact on the students who participate. The<br />

program has found a 71% increase in self-esteem, 78%<br />

increase in levels of self-actualization, and 97 % of<br />

students were successfully promoted to the next grade.<br />

Since the program was implemented New Hanover<br />

County, NC school district has seen a 20% higher<br />

graduation rate than other school districts in the<br />

region. The program and New Hanover County, NC<br />

School District are still collecting and analyzing data.<br />

Celine Adair can be contacted at the Nation Center for<br />

Outdoor and Adventure <strong>Education</strong> at 910-399-2030.<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

Extended Learning Opportunities<br />

By: Julie McCullough<br />

The mission of the Jefferson County Public Schools<br />

Student Equity and Community Engagement<br />

Program is to develop and maintain a<br />

comprehensive education program, by coordinating<br />

resources and services for homeless students living<br />

in any temporary living arrangement because of the<br />

lack of a fixed, regular, and adequate residence.<br />

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Poverty offers<br />

numerous opportunities for JCPS students to receive<br />

extended learning instruction outside the traditional<br />

classroom. One of those programs is the JCPS<br />

Successful Pathway After-School Program, where<br />

JCPS certified teachers work with students to<br />

achieve academic success. Students of all ages and<br />

abilities may benefit from this one-on-one tutoring<br />

in a variety of academic areas including Math,<br />

Reading, Writing, Spelling, and Study Skills. The<br />

program provides remedial instruction, enrichment,<br />

or support school work to provide extra instruction<br />

in areas of need. Additionally, these learning<br />

environments encompass a mission of inclusion and<br />

positive instruction for struggling students, so that<br />

all students can learn at higher levels in a safe,<br />

nurturing, and trusting environment.<br />

The Federal McKinney-Vento <strong>Homeless</strong> Assistance<br />

Act states that “children and youth who lack a fixed,<br />

regular, and adequate nighttime residence are<br />

considered homeless. If, due to a loss of housing, a<br />

child must live in a shelter, motel, vehicle, or<br />

campground, on the street, in abandoned buildings,<br />

or doubled-up with relatives or friends, then he/she<br />

is eligible to receive services provided under the<br />

McKinney-Vento Act.<br />

public education, including a public preschool<br />

education, as other children and youth.<br />

<strong>Homeless</strong> children and youth must have access to<br />

the educational and other services that they need to<br />

enable them to meet the same challenging State<br />

student academic achievement standards to which<br />

all students are held. In addition, homeless students<br />

may not be separated from the mainstream school<br />

environment.”<br />

Families who are currently in transitional housing<br />

and/or students whom have an academic area of<br />

need are offered these services from 5 P.M.-7 P.M.<br />

Monday-Thursday at three Jefferson County sites:<br />

• Wayside Christian Mission<br />

Hotel Louisville<br />

121 West Broadway<br />

• Volunteers of America<br />

1321 South Preston Street<br />

Louisville, Kentucky 40208<br />

(502) 636-0816<br />

• St. Vincent DePaul<br />

1029 South Preston Street<br />

Louisville, Kentucky 40203<br />

(502) 583-8158<br />

For more information, please contact Giselle<br />

Danger-Mercaderes at 502-485 3650<br />

The McKinney-Vento <strong>Education</strong> for <strong>Homeless</strong><br />

Children and Youth Program is designed to address<br />

the problems that homeless children and youth have<br />

faced in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in<br />

school. Under this program, state educational<br />

agencies must ensure that each homeless child and<br />

youth has equal access to the same free, appropriate<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

A Family Loses a Home -<br />

The Fight for Their four<br />

girls' <strong>Education</strong><br />

By Giselle Danger, Coordinator <strong>Homeless</strong><br />

<strong>Education</strong><br />

In February <strong>2017</strong>, a mother of four contacted our office, desperately seeking help. The family had just lost their<br />

home due to a fire and unexpected medical bills and her daughters, ages 7 and 9, needed to change school<br />

because they were not longer residing in the house that they had call for the last 10 years. Frantic, their mother<br />

turned to the JCPS Student Assignment Office for help. “I need to complete a cluster application but I don’t<br />

have an address. We are sleeping in our car for now”; explained mom.<br />

“I have a McKinney-Vento eligible family here”-reported a very familiar and friendly voice over the phone. “I<br />

talked to mom about their school of origin right and she is excited about been able to stay at Bloom Elementary.<br />

They are on their way to see you now and I can process the school assignment override so they can stay at<br />

Bloom as soon as you confirm McKinney-Vento eligibility”<br />

About 20 minutes after this phone call, the family walked out of the LAM building with school supplies, shoes,<br />

backpacks, referral to a night shelter completed and a list of job opening in the area. However, nothing made<br />

the mother happier that knowing that their children could stay at Bloom Elementary. It is a big deal to able to be<br />

able to provide educational stability for a homeless student. Every time a child moves from one school to another,<br />

there are issues of being in a place where nobody knows them, with a new peer group. Moving from one new curriculum<br />

to another-that's a huge challenge.<br />

The collaboration between the Student Assignment Office and the Student Equity Community Engagement<br />

Department simplifies and expedite services for facing homelessness. By the time the leave the LAM building<br />

the families receive support with school enrollment, advocacy and their immediate educational needs are<br />

addressed. We advocated on behalf of displaced families using the McKinney-Vento Act as arsenal.<br />

In less than an hour we worked together to ensure that the girls can have educational stability. They were able to<br />

stay in school and remain secure with their familiar teachers and friends. The support also came pouring in from<br />

the Bloom Elementary once they find out about the family situation. “We want the girls to stay here” -Mrs.<br />

Crawford- Family Resource Coordinator at Bloom Elementary insisted and “we will help in any way possible<br />

while the mother searched for housing.”<br />

Continued on next page<br />

18


ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

<strong>Homeless</strong><br />

Unaccompanied Youth<br />

By Giselle Danger-Mercaderes<br />

When thinking about the problem<br />

of homelessness, we may<br />

intuitively make a mental<br />

connection with the stereotypical<br />

image of someone you have seem<br />

before under a bridge or laying on<br />

the overcrowded shelter, drug<br />

addicts, or perhaps the mentally ill<br />

living on the sidewalks begging<br />

for change from passerby. But all<br />

people that are homeless do not<br />

live on the streets. People<br />

experiencing homelessness can be<br />

someone who stays with a friend<br />

or a family member, someone<br />

living in overcrowded conditions,<br />

someone living in inhabitable<br />

conditions that may affect their<br />

health, someone living away from<br />

their loved ones because of certain<br />

conditions such as extreme<br />

poverty and domestic violence.<br />

Many of these people are youth.<br />

<strong>Homeless</strong>ness is a distressing<br />

circumstance for any child or<br />

youth; but for youth on their own,<br />

the stresses of homelessness are<br />

multiplied. The countless<br />

challenges faced by youth<br />

experiencing homelessness on<br />

their own puts these students at<br />

risk of dropping out or school<br />

failure and to fall prey to<br />

substance abuse, develop mental<br />

illness, and victimization.<br />

Many youth become homeless as a<br />

result of family conflicts and<br />

financial difficulties. Some of the<br />

causes of homelessness are due to<br />

physical or sexual abuses, family<br />

that has a drug addiction, or<br />

because of parental neglect.<br />

Unfortunately it is common for<br />

homeless unaccompanied youth<br />

to experience more than one of<br />

these risk factors in their homes.<br />

During the 2014-2015 school<br />

year, U.S. public schools enrolled<br />

95,032 unaccompanied students<br />

experiencing homelessness, up<br />

21% from 78,654 during the<br />

2012-2013 school year (National<br />

Center for <strong>Homeless</strong> <strong>Education</strong><br />

[NCHE], 2016, p. 17). And yet,<br />

these numbers represent only<br />

school-age unaccompanied youth<br />

who were identified and enrolled<br />

by U.S. public schools.<br />

The McKinney-Vento Act defines<br />

unaccompanied youth as “a<br />

homeless child or youth not in the<br />

physical custody of a parent or<br />

guardian” [42 USC § 11434a(6)].<br />

Taking a closer look at the<br />

definition, two conditions must be<br />

present for a child or youth to be<br />

considered an unaccompanied<br />

youth under the McKinney-Vento<br />

Act: 1. The child’s or youth’s<br />

living arrangement meets the Act’s<br />

definition of homeless, and 2. The<br />

child or youth is not in the<br />

physical custody of a parent or<br />

guardian. Physical custody refers<br />

to where a child or youth is<br />

physically living; as such, a child<br />

or youth who is not in the physical<br />

custody of a parent or guardian is a<br />

child or youth who is not living<br />

with a parent or guardian.<br />

It is important to note, however,<br />

that the presence of a custody or<br />

guardianship issue alone would<br />

not make a student eligible for<br />

McKinney-Vento services; rather<br />

the student’s living arrangement<br />

also must be considered homeless.<br />

“The McKinney-Vento Act<br />

defines unaccompanied<br />

youth as “a homeless child<br />

or youth not in the physical<br />

custody of a parent or<br />

guardian”<br />

Giselle Danger-Mercaderes<br />

EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS<br />

UNDER THE MCKINNEY-<br />

VENTO ACT<br />

The purpose of the McKinney-<br />

Vento Act is to address the barriers<br />

that children and youth in<br />

homeless situations face in<br />

enrolling, attending, and<br />

succeeding in school. This is<br />

accomplished by ensuring that<br />

these children and youth have<br />

equal access to the same free,<br />

appropriate public education as<br />

other children and youth;<br />

experience school stability despite<br />

residential mobility; and receive<br />

the educational and other supports<br />

they need to enable them to meet<br />

the same challenging academic<br />

achievement standards to which all<br />

students are held.<br />

To this end, McKinney-Vento<br />

students, including unaccompanied<br />

youth, have the right to:<br />

19


ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

• receive a free,<br />

appropriate<br />

public education;<br />

• enroll in school<br />

immediately,<br />

even if lacking<br />

documents<br />

normally<br />

required for<br />

enrollment, or<br />

having missed<br />

application or<br />

enrollment<br />

deadlines during<br />

any period of<br />

homelessness;<br />

• enroll in school and attend classes while the school gathers needed documents;<br />

• continue attending the school of origin, or enroll in the local attendance area school if attending the<br />

school of origin is not in the best interest of the student or is contrary to the request of the parent, guardian,<br />

or unaccompanied youth;<br />

• receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if requested by the parent or guardian, or by the<br />

unaccompanied homeless youth.<br />

In addition, the McKinney-Vento Act includes the following provisions specific to unaccompanied youth:<br />

• The right to immediate enrollment without proof of guardianship<br />

• Assistance from the local homeless education liaison to select a school of attendance, whether the local<br />

attendance area school or the school of origin<br />

• Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if requested<br />

• Ensure the prompt and fair resolution of any disputes in accordance with the Act<br />

Because many of these youth have little or no support from a responsible, caring adult, the school staff’s<br />

interest and involvement in an unaccompanied youth’s education is especially valuable and can be lifechanging.<br />

20


ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

Issues Facing our Unaccompanied<br />

<strong>Homeless</strong> Youth Questions and<br />

Answers<br />

By Giselle Danger, Coordinator <strong>Homeless</strong> <strong>Education</strong><br />

Q. How does the McKinney-Vento Act define<br />

“unaccompanied youth”? Is there an age<br />

range?<br />

A. Unaccompanied youth is defined as a homeless<br />

child or youth not in the physical custody of a<br />

parent or guardian [42 U.S.C. §11434A(6)]. The<br />

Act does not provide an age range. Thus a student<br />

whose parent retains legal custody of a youth, but<br />

not physical custody, is considered an<br />

unaccompanied youth.<br />

Q. Is there an age limit on serving secondary<br />

students?<br />

A: Since the McKinney-Vento Act does not<br />

include any age limits for serving students, it<br />

applies to children and youth age 21 and under,<br />

consistent with their eligibility for public<br />

education services under state and federal law.<br />

State laws vary, but generally provide access to<br />

all students until high school graduation or<br />

equivalent, or until age 18 (or older in some<br />

states). For special education students, federal law<br />

provides the right to access services until age 22<br />

[20 U.S.C. §1412(a)(1)(A)].<br />

Q. Must schools enroll youth in school without<br />

proof of guardianship?<br />

A: Yes. Lack of a legal guardian or guardianship<br />

documents cannot delay or prevent the enrollment<br />

of an unaccompanied youth [42 U.S.C. §§11432<br />

(g)(3)(C), (g)(1)(H)(iv)]. States and LEAs have<br />

established various procedures for enrolling<br />

youth. Many permit the youth to enroll himself or<br />

herself; some have the McKinney-Vento liaison<br />

handle enrollment; others use caregiver forms to<br />

allow adult caregivers, when present, to enroll<br />

youth. Whatever procedures are used, they must<br />

ensure immediate enrollment, as the McKinney-<br />

Vento Act requires states and LEAs to eliminate<br />

barriers to identification, enrollment and retention<br />

and to enroll unaccompanied youth in school<br />

immediately [42 U.S.C. §§11432(g)(1)(I), (g)(7)].<br />

LEAs may adopt their own policies to meet these<br />

mandates.25<br />

Q. Can a school require a caregiver to get legal<br />

guardianship to enroll a student in school?<br />

Continued on next page<br />

21


ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

A: No. The McKinney-Vento Act requires states to address enrollment barriers related to guardianship in<br />

school enrollment and requires LEAs to enroll youth in school immediately, even if they lack a legal<br />

guardian or typically required enrollment documents, such as divorce decrees [42 U.S.C. §§11432(g)(3)(C),<br />

(g)(1)(H)(iv), (g)(1)(I)]. The decision to seek legal guardianship is a serious decision that significantly<br />

affects the legal rights of the parent, caregiver and youth well beyond the school arena. While that step will<br />

be appropriate in some cases, it will not be in others.<br />

Q. Who can make educational decisions for an unaccompanied youth?<br />

A: States and LEAs have established various procedures for educational decision-making. Some permit the<br />

youth to make educational decisions on his or her own behalf; some vest the liaison with that authority;<br />

others allow adult caregivers, when present, to make such decisions. FERPA allows “an individual acting as<br />

a parent in the absence of a parent or a guardian” to access a student’s education records, thereby permitting<br />

schools to discuss educational issues with such caregivers [34 CFR §§99.3-99.4]. The McKinney-Vento Act<br />

requires states and LEAs to eliminate barriers to enrollment and retention and to enroll unaccompanied<br />

youth in school immediately [42 U.S.C. §§11432(g)(1)(I), (g)(7)]. LEAs may adopt their own policies to<br />

meet these mandates. It should be noted that the Individuals with Disabilities <strong>Education</strong> Act (IDEA) has its<br />

own rules and procedures for defining “parent” and appointing a “surrogate parent” to make special<br />

education decisions for minors, where a parent or legal guardian is not available. See Question 107.<br />

Q Do schools have to contact the police when enrolling unaccompanied youth?<br />

A: No, absent other circumstances schools do not have to contact the police. While state law determines the<br />

obligations of school staff to contact child protective services (CPS) or law enforcement if they suspect<br />

abuse, the McKinney-Vento Act requires states and LEAs to eliminate barriers to identification, enrollment<br />

and retention of students experiencing homelessness [ 42 U.S.C. §§11432(g)(1)(I), (g)(7)]. U.S. Department<br />

of <strong>Education</strong> Guidance elaborates that the “McKinney-Vento Act includes a broad, ongoing requirement for<br />

SEAs and LEAs to review policies or practices that may act as barriers to the identification, enrollment,<br />

attendance and school success of homeless children and youths…. It is important for SEAs and LEAs to<br />

consistently review their policies and practices with regular input from homeless parents, youths, and<br />

advocates so that new barriers, or barriers that the SEA or LEA staff may be unaware of, do not prevent<br />

children and youths from receiving the free, appropriate public education to which they are entitled.” <strong>2017</strong><br />

Guidance, A-4.<br />

22


ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

McKinney-Vento Transportation. Frequent Asked Questions<br />

Q: Under what circumstances must an LEA<br />

provide adequate and appropriate<br />

transportation to school for students<br />

experiencing homelessness?<br />

A: The McKinney-Vento Act requires LEAs to<br />

provide adequate and appropriate transportation<br />

for students experiencing homelessness in three<br />

situations. First, LEAs must provide adequate and<br />

appropriate transportation to the school of origin<br />

upon the request of a parent or guardian, or in the<br />

case of an unaccompanied youth, upon the request<br />

of the McKinney-Vento liaison [42 U.S.C. §11432<br />

(g)(1)(J)(iii)]; see e.g., <strong>2017</strong> Guidance, J-4. That<br />

is true regardless of whether the district provides<br />

transportation for other students or in other<br />

circumstances. Second, for other transportation<br />

(as opposed to the school of origin), the<br />

McKinney-Vento Act requires districts to provide<br />

transportation comparable to that provided to<br />

housed students [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(4)(A)].<br />

Therefore, if the district transports housed<br />

students to the local school or to a summer<br />

enrichment program, it must also transport<br />

students experiencing homelessness. Finally,<br />

LEAs must eliminate barriers to the school<br />

enrollment and retention of students experiencing<br />

homelessness. For example, if a student is living<br />

on or near an extremely busy intersection, in a<br />

very dangerous neighborhood, or is otherwise<br />

unable to attend school without transportation, the<br />

district must eliminate lack of transportation as a<br />

barrier to the child attending school [42 U.S.C.<br />

§§11432(g)(1)(I), (g)(7)].<br />

Q How far is too far to travel to the school of<br />

origin?<br />

A: The McKinney-Vento Act does not specify<br />

any mileage or time limit for travel to the school<br />

of origin. The Act requires LEAs to provide<br />

transportation to the school of origin at the request<br />

of a parent or guardian or, for unaccompanied<br />

youth, at the McKinney-Vento liaison’s request<br />

[42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(1)(J)(iii)]. Therefore,<br />

whenever a student is attending the school of<br />

origin, providing transportation is required. A<br />

commute so lengthy as to be harmful to the child’s<br />

educational achievement will weigh against<br />

Continued on next page<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

placement in the school of origin and should be<br />

considered as part of the best interest<br />

determination. This determination will depend on<br />

the student’s circumstances. For example, a<br />

lengthy commute may be a more acceptable<br />

arrangement for an older youth than for a young<br />

child. Similarly, in many rural areas, lengthy<br />

commutes to schools are common; the commute<br />

of a child experiencing homelessness in such an<br />

area would need to be evaluated in that context.<br />

See Question 29 for information on the best<br />

interest determination process.<br />

Q: If a district doesn't offer transportation to<br />

summer school for any students, does it have to<br />

provide summer school transportation for<br />

students in homeless situations?<br />

A: It depends on the nature of the summer school<br />

participation. The McKinney-Vento Act requires<br />

schools to provide comparable transportation<br />

services for students in homeless situations. If the<br />

school does not provide transportation to summer<br />

school for housed students, then it is generally not<br />

required to provide transportation to homeless<br />

students. However, if attendance in summer<br />

school is required for the student to pass to the<br />

next grade, or, in the case of a high school<br />

student, the summer course is required for<br />

graduation, the district must provide<br />

transportation.<br />

Q: How does the McKinney-Vento Act interact<br />

with state or local transportation policies<br />

related to safety, inter-district transportation,<br />

and other issues?<br />

A: As a federal law, the McKinney-Vento Act<br />

supersedes conflicting state and local laws and<br />

policies. LEAs must comply with the Act’s<br />

transportation requirements. However,<br />

transportation must always be safe and<br />

appropriate, and LEAs must comply with safety<br />

regulations and the McKinney-Vento Act<br />

simultaneously. Inter-district transportation<br />

policies usually are related to fiscal issues; such<br />

consideration must not interfere with a student’s<br />

right to be transported under the McKinney-Vento<br />

Act.<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

Early Childhood <strong>Homeless</strong>ness in the United States: 50-State ProfilePublished: January 1, 2016<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION EDITION<br />

Editor—Catherine Collesano<br />

Editor, Photo Contributor—Abdul Sharif<br />

Credits<br />

<strong>Special</strong> thanks to those that contributed to Envision Equity during <strong>2017</strong>. We look forward to providing you with more<br />

content starting in January of <strong>2017</strong>. Until then, remember to Envision Equity!<br />

Envision Equity is a publication of the JCPS Department of Diversity, Equity, and Poverty Programs. All submissions should be sent<br />

to Catherine Collesano at catherine.collesano@jefferson.kyschools.us or Abdul Sharif at abdul.sharif2@jefferson.kyschools.us. If<br />

you are interested in becoming a subscriber or a contributor to Envision Equity, please contact one of the editors at the above email<br />

address.<br />

www.jefferson.kyschools.us<br />

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Offering Equal <strong>Education</strong>al Opportunities<br />

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