Indiana Education for Homeless Children & Youth Title Con - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Indiana Education for Homeless Children & Youth Title Con Conference May 29-30, 2018

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education & Title-I Program

Outline

• History: McKinney-Vento
• ESSA basics
• Statistics -- Indiana
• Understanding McKinney-Vento school selection rights,

including changes under ESSA related to:

• Definitions
• Student Rights
• Transportation
• Homeless Education Grant
• Finding Strength while Homeless – video 2min43sec
• Q&A

McKinney-Vento: A brief History

Less than 50% of homeless students attending school Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act 1987 Over 86% of homeless students attending school Name changed in 2000 to honor 2nd Senator Reauthorized in 2001 by No Child Left Behind Reauthorized in 2015 by Every Student Succeeds Act

ESSA Basics

• The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law on Dec

10, 2015

• ESSA reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

(ESEA) and the education subtitle of the McKinney-Vento Act

• This presentation reflects the best information currently available,

but may change as the U.S. Department of Education provides additional direction

Statistics in Indiana

• According to IDOE, data from 2012-2016 on homeless Children and

youth (Pre K through 12th grade) are as follows:

• 2012-2013- 15,777 Children & Youth
• 2013-2014- 17,911 Children & Youth
• 2014-2015- 19,173 Children & Youth
• 2015-2016- 19,610 Children & Youth

Definition of Homelessness

• Children & Youth who lack a fixed, regular, & adequate nighttime

residence-

• Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic

hardship, or similar reason (75% of identified MV student in 2013- 2014)

• Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds due to lack of
• alternatives. (6% of identified MV students in 2013-2014)
• Living in emergency or transitional shelters. (15% of identified MV

students in 2013-2014)

Definition of Homelessness (continued)

• Living in a public or private space not designed for humans to live.

Living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, substandard housing (no water or electricity, mold, etc), bus or train stations.

• The definition includes migratory students who live in the

abovementioned situations

• Beginning Dec. 10, 2016, “those awaiting foster care placement” are

not included in the definition.

Causes

• Housing shortage
• Job loss
• Illness
• Increasing cost of living &

frozen wages

• Natural disasters
• Family discord

Impact on Students

• Higher than average rates of
• Emotional, behavioral, & health

issues

• Developmental delays
• Grade retention & lower rates of

academic success

• Hunger & food insecurity
• Exposure to domestic violence
• Correlation between adverse

childhood experiences & adult homelessness

Homeless Student Rights (continued)

• ENROLLMENT: By law, Indiana schools must immediately

enroll homeless students in school. Enrollment is defined by law as attending classes and participating fully in school

• activities. Therefore, students without housing must be allowed

– without any delay – to attend classes and to participate in activities, including sports.

Homeless Student Rights (continued)

• Three school choices:

1. the school attended when permanently housed; 2. the school in which student were last enrolled; or 3. the school nearest to where student is staying that other students in the neighborhood attend. The first two schools listed above are referred to as the “school of origin.”

• Student also has the right to school choices that are available to
• ther students in the district such as charter schools or alternative
• schools. Staying enrolled in the school of origin is often student’s

best option. Generally, changing schools could significantly impede student’s academic and social progress. Therefore, the school district should keep student in “school of origin” unless this is contrary to student’s wishes or parents or guardians wishes.

Homeless Student Rights (continued)

Fee Waivers, School Meals and School Uniforms

• Can student receive help with school and activity fees?
• Yes. The homeless liaison must assist homeless student in getting school fees waived. Schools often charge

students and families significant fees that youth who are homeless are not able to afford. These include graduation fees, lab fees, fees for field trips and for participating in activities. In Indiana, school fees should be waived for students who are eligible for free breakfast or lunch. Students who are homeless are automatically eligible for free breakfast or lunch and, therefore should have their fees waived.

• Can Student receive assistance with school uniforms?
• Yes. The homeless liaison assists homeless students with school uniform requirements. Illinois law allows

school boards to have school uniform or dress code policies if they are necessary to maintain order or to prevent the endangerment of student health and safety. If a school has uniforms, it must assist low-income families in

• btaining the uniforms and in helping students to comply with the dress code policy.
• Can student receive free meals?
• Yes. Under the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, if student is identified as homeless by

the districts homeless liaison, you are automatically eligible for free school meals.

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 Non-Regulatory Guidance, Question J-5

• 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 Non-Regulatory Guidance, Question N-5

Title IA & MV Basics

• Homeless students are categorically eligible for services under

Title I, Part A

• Eligibility standards normally required are waived for HCY
• Eligible for Title IA services for duration of homelessness or until end of

year in which the student obtains housing

Title IA Set-Aside

• Every LEA must have a set-aside for HCY
• Must be based on the total LEA Title IA allocation
• Must be taken prior to any allowable LEA expenditure or transfer
• LEAs are encouraged to use a needs assessment to determine the

amount for HCY

• Each Title-1 Coordinator should communicate HCY liaison on

allowable & amount set aside

• Services must be comparable to what other students receive

Title I Comparable Services

Equal Comparable

Title I Allowable Expenses

• Items of clothing, particularly if necessary to meet a school’s dress or

uniform requirement

• Clothing & shoes necessary to participate in physical education classes
• Student fees necessary to participate in the general education program
• Personal school supplies such as backpacks & notebooks
• Birth certificates
• Immunizations
• Food
• Medical & dental services

Title I Allowable Expenses

• Eyeglasses & hearing aids
• Counseling services to address anxiety impeding learning
• Outreach services to students living in temporary residences
• Extended learning time
• Tutoring services, especially in shelters or other locations where

homeless students live

• Parental involvement
• Fees for AP & IB testing
• Fees for college entrance exams such as SAT or ACT
• GED testing for school-age students

Data

• Liaisons must collect & report valid, comprehensive, & reliable data
• Number of HCY
• Type of primary nighttime residence
• Number of HCY in subgroups
• Academic performance
• Title I services received
• Graduation rate
• Chronic absenteeism

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Grant (continued)

Important Dates to Remember

FY 2017-2018 Grant Cycle Y2 Timeline

• Grant timeline- 10/1/17 to

9/30/18

• Last day to encumber

funds/modify grants – 9/30/2018

• Reimbursement -- 1st & 15th of

each month

• Final Reimbursement 10/15/2018
• End of Year report due

12/15/2018 FY 2018-2019 Grant Cycle Y3 Timeline

• Grant timeline- 10/1/18 to

9/30/19

• Last day to encumber

funds/modify grants – 9/30/2019

• Reimbursement -- 1st & 15th of

each month

• Final Reimbursement 10/15/2019
• End of Year report due

12/15/2019

• 3yr. Grant Cycle 2019-2022

SY2019-2020, 2020-2021, 2021- 2022

• Grant Application posted on

site: 04-15-2019

• Grant Completion &

Submission Date: 5-15-2019

• Grant Review Period: 6-1-

2019 to 6/15/2019

• Grant Announcement: 7-1-

2019 to 7-30-2019

• CMS submission: 8/1/2019-

8/30/2019

Finding Strength While Homeless

Questions:

Thank You 

Deepali Jani McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Program State Coordinator Office of Student Service Indiana Dept. of Education 115 W. Washington Street South Tower, Suite 600 Indianapolis, IN 46204

: 317.233.3372 (317) 460-1340 (Text/Direct)  : 317.232.9121 Office Hours: 7:30-4:00

Email: djani@doe.in.gov mvgrant@doe.in.gov homeless@doe.in.gov

http://www.doe.in.gov/student-services/mckinney-vento-homeless

Title I Homeless Student Reservation

Student Eligibility

• Students experiencing homelessness and in foster care are

automatically eligible for Title I services

• It is not required for them to live in the boundaries of a Title I

school or meet the academic standards of other children

Title I Funds and McKinney-Vento Coordination

• All LEAs that receive Title I, A funds must reserve (set-aside) the funds

necessary to provide homeless children services comparable to services provided in Title I, A schools.

• Set-aside is determined by using total LEA Title I allocation
• As an “off the top” district reservation, set-aside may fund the local liaison

position, transportation, etc.

• The use of Title I funds should be a last resort (use public or private first)

and must be reasonable, allowable and necessary

Homeless Reservation Template

NEW in 2017-18! Required Documentation

• Homeless Reservation Template that outlines the method used to

determine a reasonable Title I set-aside attached to the Title I application. Off-the-top district reservation - may be determined by a needs assessment and should involve the Homeless Education Liaison. Title I Application can not be reviewed or approved without the template attached to the grant on the Summary page. A link to the template is found in the Title I Application, on the Learning Connection and on the IDOE website. Updated 2018-19 template is available on our website

Foster Care

• Homeless set aside cannot be used for children in foster care
• School Foster Care liaison or staff should communicate with

their point of contact at the local DCS office as a first priority for foster care students’ non-academic needs

• Title I funds can be used for transportation (transportation is

required but LEAs may work with foster parents to see if they are willing to provide it)

Questions

Reminder: Additional questions may also be directed to your assigned Federal Grants Specialist. https://www.doe.in.gov/grants

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) & Foster Youth as Students

Jeffrey Wittman Indiana Department of Education School Social Work & Foster Youth Specialist

ESSA signed into law December 10, 2015 by President Obama:

• Reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

(ESEA).

• Provides states greater control over accountability & school

improvement

• Aims to create transparency regarding achievement gaps of

disadvantaged subgroups of students, including foster youth.

Why Special Protections for Students in Foster Care in ESSA?:

• “Children in foster care are some of the country’s most

educationally disadvantaged students. Studies show that students in foster care experience: school suspensions and expulsions at higher rates than their peers not in foster care, lower standardized test scores in reading and math, high levels

• f grade retention and drop out, and far lower high school and

college graduation rates.” (Legal Center for Foster Care Education)

Focus Areas for ESSA regarding Foster Youth:

• Ensure educational stability of foster youth.
• Consider best interest of foster youth in educational placement.
• Collaborate on best interest educational placement.
• Enroll foster youth immediately.
• Provide transportation of student to school collaboratively

determined to be in the best interest of foster youth to attend.

• Share resources and / or cost to make it happen.
• Start collecting foster data.

ESSA Requires State Child Welfare Point

• f Contact:
• Establishment of Child Welfare State Point of Contact.
• Indiana State Point of Contact for Department of Child Services

is Melaina Gant.

• Contact information:
• Mrs. Melaina Gant, M.Ed.

Director, Education Services - DCS 317.515.7331 (cell) melaina.gant@dcs.in.gov

ESSA Requires Separate State Education Agency (SEA) Point of Contact:

• Cannot be same point of contact as McKinney-Vento Liaison at

State Educational Agency.

• Can be the same person for Foster Care Point of Contact and

McKinney-Vento Educational Liaison at Local Educational Agency

• Indiana Department of Education State Education Agency Point
• f Contact is Jeff Wittman.
• Contact Information:

Jeff Wittman School Social Work & Foster Youth Specialist 317-234-5704 (Office) jwittman@doe.in.gov

Changes to Definition of Foster Care per ESSA:

• ESSA removes status of “awaiting foster care placement” from

Homeless definition.

• New Definition of Foster Care: 24 hour substitute care for

children placed away from their parents or guardians for whom the child welfare agency has placement and care responsibility. This includes children in foster family homes, shelters, relative foster homes, group homes, and residential facilities – regardless of whether the foster care facility is licensed or whether payments are made by the state.

ESSA Requires Each Local Educational Agency to Identify a Point of Contact:

• This means all Local Educational Agencies including public

school districts and charter schools

• One Point of Contact per Local Educational Agency to simplify

contact, to be shared with Child Welfare Point of Contact (Melaina Gant) and State Education Agency Point of Contact (Jeff Wittman)

• These points of contact will collaborate to determine best

interest educational placement and transportation plans.

Best Interest Educational Placement Determination for Foster Youth:

• School of Origin:
• Assure the foster youth be enrolled or remain in school of origin unless
• therwise determined it is not in their best interest.
• Best interest for educational placement determination initiated by

Department of Child Services (DCS) Family Case Manager.

• Utilizes Point of Contact Checklist for systematic determination of

best interest (available on IDOE website)

• Completed Point of Contact Checklist approved by DCS

Educational Liaison

• Approved Point of Contact Checklist sent to school for their input
• Process should be collaborative

Transportation Plan for Foster Youth:

• Determined using collaborative interaction between Child

Welfare and Local Educational Agency staff.

• Transportation to be provided as long as the child is in foster

care and it is in the child’s best interest to attend that school or until the child exits foster care.

• Transportation of students in foster care to / from their school of
• rigin is an approved expense under Title I funds for schools.

Immediate Enrollment for Foster Youth

• When a school change is warranted as in the best interest for a

foster student, children in foster care can enroll immediately in a new school, regardless of having the normally required enrollment document.

• Enrolling school to immediately contact the school last attended

by foster youth to obtain relevant academic and other education / health related documentation.

Data on Foster Students to be Reported by Schools:

• Schools to identify and report data to IDOE on students in foster

care served each year, beginning at end of 2017-18 school year.

• Reporting done one time at end of school year
• DCS and IDOE working together on a data share agreement to

share disaggregated data on foster student achievement and graduation rates per ESSA.

Questions about ESSA & Foster Students???

Contact Information for Jeff Wittman:

Jeff Wittman Indiana Department of Education School Social Work & Foster Youth Specialist 115 W. Washington St. South Tower, Suite 600 Indianapolis, IN 46204 317-234-5704 (Office) jwittman@doe.in.gov