Educational Stability for Highly Mobile Students

1. Educational Stability forHighly Mobile Students Training and Networking Sessions 2018-19

2. Why Educational Stability High mobility experienced by students who are homeless, in foster care, in migrant or military families may impact the students and their education in many ways.

3. Why Educational Stability Helps A focus on educational stability helps - • Improve school attendance • Reduce distractions from learning • Minimizes educational gaps • Provide consistency while everything else is changing • Encourage continued parent engagement • Maintain connections with relatives, peers, and community.

4. Confidentiality – The Ground Rule • While we will look at some cases, we must maintain the children’s and families’ confidentiality. • For questions regarding specific cases please stop by during the break or after this session.

5. Icebreaker

6. 01 Homeless Education Agenda 02 Migrant Education 04 Foster Care Education 03 Military Interstate Children’s Compact

7. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education

8. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Ensures educational stability for homeless children and youth • Defines homelessness • Establishes educational rights for homeless children and youth • Mandates a homeless education liaison every district • Mandates a state coordinator in every state • Funds a small grant program • ESE Homeless Education Webpage: www.doe.mass.edu/mv/

9. McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Changes The Every Student Succeeds Act reauthorized Homeless Education • Includes preschool • Deletes “awaiting foster care” • Expands access to all educational services • Expands support of unaccompanied homeless youth • including out-of-school youth • Strengthens the role of the homeless liaison • Extends transportation to the school of origin through the end of the year in which housed

10. Why McKinney-Vento? • Homelessness is a journey - not an overnight event – that has enormous impact on children and their education. Homelessness affects • Whole family • School attendance • The ability to focus and learn • Educational gaps due to high mobility • Behavior

11. Why McKinney-Vento Homelessness is often accompanied with • Food insecurity • Lack of medical, dental, and mental health services • Loss of connection to family, friends, community Homelessness also impacts the teacher, classmates and the others in the school. • Students coming and going • Could that happen to me? • I’ve been worried about her. • Is he going to be ok? Is he safe?

12. Homeless Definition Homelessnessis defined as lacking • fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence • Living in shelters • Living in campgrounds, parks, cars, public buildings, hotels • Sharing the housing of others due to • economic hardship, loss of housing or similar reason • (this means there was a triggering event that caused loss of housing) • Including • migrant students living in any of these arrangements, • unaccompanied homeless youth, and preschoolers • Note: This definition no longer includes awaiting foster care

13. Homelessness by the numbers 2017/18 School Year By the Numbers • Shelters 7,020 • Motels 1,552 • Doubled up 15,299 • Unsheltered 197 Total # of homeless students 24,068 • Unaccompanied 1,349

14. Homelessness by the numbers for reporting Data Collection • USED requires homeless liaisons to report: • enrolled students identified as homeless • their living arrangement at the time they are identified, and • whether they are unaccompanied. • This is a cumulative annual count of homeless students served by each district. • Data is used to report grad and drop out rates, attendance and academic progress of homeless students. Best Practice: keep your student information system complete and up-to-date.

15. Homelessness in Massachusetts State Shelter system • Income eligible+ child + MA resident+ nowhere to stay • Family shelters: • congregate shelter, • scatter site shelter • Motels • Unaccompanied youth in adult and youth shelters • Moving out of shelter & signing a Lease • HomeBase, RAFT, Section 8, and MRVP Best Practice: Enrollment verification letter addressed to the parent is accepted as proof of intent to stay in MA in order to access shelter

16. Homelessness in Massachusetts Living Arrangements • Doubling up • Living with friends or relatives due to economic hardship, loss of housing and similar reason • Couch surfing • Families • Unaccompanied youth • Campgrounds, Winter Rentals, & places not meant for human habitation

17. Caregiver’s Affidavit In the absence of a parent or legal guardian… MA state law allows for a caregivers affidavit for medical and educational decision making rights. • Must identify the student (name and DOB) • Must be signed by the parent and the caregiver • Must be notarized • Good for up to two years • Can be revoked or overridden by the parent at any time Note: Students with a caregiver’s affidavit are considered housed unless the caregiver lacks fixed, regular, and adequate housing.

18. Educational Rights of Homeless Students • School selection • The right to remain in the school of origin: • the last school attended • the school where student went homeless • Including designated receiving schools • with transportation • through the end of the year in which the student becomes housed • Enrolled is defined as enrolled and attending

19. Educational Rights of Homeless Students Immediate Enrollment • School Selection (continued) • Or enroll locally: • Immediate • With or without documentation • Academic records Health records • Residency/shelter Special education records • Discipline Guardian ship • The school may require emergency contact information Best Practice: Statement on enrollment forms indicating that parents should talk with the district if they do not have required forms for enrollment.

20. Educational Rights of Homeless Students Enrollment Disputes Enrollment Disputes • The parent always has the right to appeal a district’s enrollment decision • Forms are in the Homeless Education Advisory and posted. • One form for the districts - Notification • One form for the parent - Appeal • Homeless liaison is responsible to facilitate the process • All forms go to Compliance@doe.mass.edu • All parties must supply all relevant information

21. Educational Rights of Homeless Students Transportation • Transportation if needed to return to the school of origin • In district • Across district lines • Shared responsibility of: • District where child is enrolled and • District where the child is sheltered • State reimbursement (partial) • Special education transportation • Across state lines (RI exception)

22. Educational Rights of Homeless Students Transportation Continued Transportation (continued) • Comparable service • 7D licensed driver and inspected vehicle • Public transportation per district policy • Parent provided (reimbursed) Best practice: Communicate clearly with the district you are sharing transportation with to find the most cost effective option.

23. Educational Rights of Homeless Students Information and Equal Access • The student’s living arrangement is protected and cannot be shared without parental consent • This prohibits talking to a landlord or neighbors without a parent’s consent. • Student’s name/address shouldn’t be listed on class lists that are shared with families, etc. • Equal access to all school courses, activities, and events including: • summer programming • extracurricular activities • EL services, special education, gifted & talented • alternative education, vocational schools, school choice

24. Educational Rights of Homeless Students: Verification of Homelessness • Verification of homelessness • FASFA and collage admissions purposes • HUD funded programs • MA residency Best Practice: Address verification letters to the parent or unaccompanied youth for them to share. • Free school meals (eligibility is for the school year) Best Practice: Free/Reduced meals applications are not required. But the homeless liaison must notify the Food Service Director of students that have been identified as homeless.

25. Educational Rights of Homeless Students: Title I Title I • School-wide & targeted programs • Addressing the non-traditional needs of homeless students • Needs assessment and coordination • Homeless reservation • Liaison • Transportation

26. Turn and Talk

27. Homeless Education Liaison Homeless Liaison is responsible for: • Identification • Building awareness and training are key • Professional development and training including: • Enrollment staff guidance principals and nurses • Technical assistance available from Problem Resolution (PRS) • Best Practice: Update the school committee on needs of homeless students • Enrollment • Access to all services including • Preschool and Head Start programs run by the district • Special education, EL, vocational, alternative, gifted & talented

28. Homeless Education Liaison: Parent Notices • Provide Information and referrals • Health, dental, mental health • Other community based services (food pantries, clothing banks, ...) • Inform parents • their children’s educational opportunities and • meaningful opportunities for parental involvement • Public Notice of the educational rights • Homeless Education Policy – school committee approved • Best Practice: Notice in student handbooks, the district webpage, and posters/brochures where families receive services are good places to start.

29. Homeless Education Liaison: Additional Duties • Facilitate Dispute Resolution Process • Posted as part of the Homeless Education Advisory • Inform parents of transportation rights • One hour guideline • Communicating with your counterparts • Provide training to district staff • Faculty, enrollment staff, guidance, nurses • School committee

30. Homeless Education Liaison: Community Resources • Unaccompanied youth are enrolled • Informed of independent status for FASFA • Provided verification of homelessness • Provided with college and career counseling • Coordinate and collaborate • State coordinator and • State/local providers Best Practice: Think broadly about the needs of homeless students and reach out to after school programs/21st Century Community Learning Centers, medical and mental health providers, food pantries, clothing banks, public libraries, Parks and Recreation Dept., YMCA/YWCA, Boys & Girls Clubs.

31. Homeless Education Liaison: Data Collection • Provide reliable data • Tracking for internal purposes • Support services • Transportation reimbursement • Annual ESE data collection • Students that are enrolled with you • SIF and legacy districts • Provide verification of homelessness for HUD funded programs

32. Homeless Education Liaison: Contact Information and Monitoring Also on your radar – • DESE contact • Current list of homeless liaisons on the DESE website. • Updated by the district’s Directory Administrator • Please verify your contact information • Monitoring and Compliance • CPR schedule • Desk review and visits

33. Monitoring and Compliance Educational Stability Desk Reviews • Follow the DESE Tiered Focused Monitoring (TFM) schedule • Primarily desk reviews • Covers legal criteria for all homeless, foster care and military connect students.

34. DESE Supports and Resources • Technical assistance and training • Collaboration • Policy • Monitoring • Grant program • Support services • School-Housing Partnerships • Regional Liaisons

35. More Best Practices • Building liaison • Enrollment forms acknowledging McKinney-Vento • Communication around transportation • College counseling, planning, and SPOCS

36. Resources • Network of Regional Liaisons • Carol Baez, Worcester • Jacob Hansen, Framingham • Julie Mador, New Bedford • National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) • Massachusetts Family Resource Centers • Know your local community

37. Questions?

38. Migrant Education Program

39. Title I Part C – Migrant Education Program • Ensuring that students fully benefit from the same programs and educational supports provided to all students • Helping students meet the same academic achievement standards that all children are expected to meet in the state • Providing supports in the pathway to high school graduation

40. Title I Part C – Migrant Education Program: Migrant Student Who is a Migrant Student? • Child or Child’s parent(s)/guardian(s) are a migratory agricultural worker, migratory fisher, or migratory food/fish processor who moved within the preceding 36 months* • Child is under 21 years of age • Has not graduated from high school or received high school equivalency • Moved across school district lines *sometimes with, or to join a parent, spouse, guardian, caregiver who is the worker

41. Title I Part C – Migrant Education Program: Migrant Worker Who is a Migratory Agricultural Worker/Fisher? An individual who made a qualifying move due to economic necessity in the past 36 months and engaged in* temporary or seasonal employment in agricultural or fishing work. * Individual may still be considered a migratory agricultural worker/fisher if the individual actively sought such work and has a recent history (within past 3 years) of moves for this type of work.

42. Title I Part C – Migrant Education Program: Migrant Eligible Work Produce Processing Fish and Shellfish Dairy and Field Crops Meat, Fish + Produce Processing Dairy and Field Crops Tobacco Field Crops Nursery Current Migrant Populations + Qualifying Work Fish and Shellfish Cranberries Nursery Fish and Shellfish

43. Title I Part C – Migrant Education Program: Student Profile Migrant students experience: • Educational disruption • Social isolation • Cultural and language differences • Health related problems • Extreme poverty • Any other factor that inhibits the ability of a migratory child to do well in school

44. Title I Part C – Migrant Education Program Services ServicesProvided to Support the Migrant Student • Facilitation of Enrollment • Ensure Equal Access & Comparable Services • Provide Summer School • Provide Supplemental Educational Support Services during the Academic Year • Regional and State Parent Advisory Councils Migrant Students automatically qualify for free lunch!

45. Title I Part C – Migrant Education Program Subgrantee Subgrantee for DESE: EDCO Collaborative Emily Hoffman ehoffman@edcollab.org 339-222-5602 www.edcollab.org/programs/mmep

46. Title I Part C – Migrant Education Program and Districts How Can Districts Help Our Students ?

47. Title I Part C – Migrant Education Program Forms

48. Title I Part C – Migrant Education Program: For More Information More Information: • DESE Migrant Education webpage: www.doe.mass.edu/ssce/migrant.html • Results Webpage: https://results.ed.gov/

49. Questions?

50. Break for Lunch