Homelessness and School Attendance: Focus on Shelte

1. National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth Conference November 13, 2006 Dorette Ligons-Ham, Regional Site Coordinator Homeless Children’s Initiative, School District of Philadelphia Deborah McMillan, Assistant Vice President for Social Service Programs Philadelphia Health Management Corporation Homelessness and School Attendance: Focus on Sheltered Teens

2. SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA - HOMELESS CHILDREN’S INITIATIVE • SDP HCI has been in existence since 1987. • One of eight regions in PA serving 501 school districts. • Leadership has been stable - only 3 Coordinators. • Serves over 10,000 students. • Identified and tracked over 4,000 students (FY 05-06). • Total SDP Enrollment - 217,405 students (Pre K- Grade 12 (District and Charter - FY 05-06)

3. SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA • Seventh largest district in the nation • 273 public schools • 175 elementary • 43 Middle school • 43 High Schools • 7 Special Schools

4. SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIASNAPSHOT • Number of Students by Race • African-American 65.5% • Asian 5.3% • Hispanic 14.5% • Native American .2% • White 14.2%

5. SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIASNAPSHOT • Number of Students by Grade Level • Head Start & Preschool 4,799 • Elementary 100,392 • Middle 31,145 • Senior High 52,807 • Vocational/Technical Schools 4,701 • Special Schools* 2,465 • Charter Schools 21,096

6. Homelessness in Philadelphia • Over *10,000 homeless students (birth - 18 years old (2005-2006) • Proactive McKinney-Vento site/SDP-OSS-HCI • District managed schools report homeless enrollment rate 3 times more than charter schools • 50+ shelters/transitional housing facilities with women and children - 40% of the population • 5% of total population is homeless youth • Lack of affordable housing, unemployment, and low paying jobs, major cause of homelessness(USCM-2004)

7. Local Practices • Enrollment delays are minimized • Students are approved for tokens/transportation assistance within 24-48 hours and will receive • Tokens in 5-10 days (next scheduled delivery day) • Collaborations with local agencies • School Supplies/Expenses • Uniform/Clothing Assistance • Senior/Graduation expenses • Advocate for families in homeless situations • Tutoring and homework assistance • After school and summer programs

8. Homeless Distribution (AY 04-05) • 50% of all homeless students attended just 37 schools • Charters were one-third less likely to enroll homeless students than District schools

9. Homeless Demographics in Phila. (AY ’04 - ’05)

10. Comparative Behavioral Outcomes (AY ’04 - ’05)

11. Comparative Behavioral Outcomes (AY ’04 - ’05)

12. Statistically Controlling for Grade Range, Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and TANF Status Homeless students are on average: • 3.2 times more likely to be truant (25 + unexc. absences) • 4.1 times more likely to transfer schools one or more times • 1.4 times more likely to be suspended one or more times. • 30% less likely to score at or above the 50th percentile in Reading, Language Arts, and Math (Terra Nova). • 41% less likely to score Proficient or Advanced on PSSA in Reading and 51% less likely in Math.

13. What We’re All About— “ Through it all, school is probably the only thing that has kept me going. I know that every day that I walk in those doors, I can stop thinking about my problems for the next six hours and concentrate on what is most important to me. Without the support of my school system, I would not be as well off as I am today. School keeps me motivated to move on, and encourages me to find a better life for myself.” Carrie Arnold, LeTendre Scholar, 2002

14. Philadelphia Health Management Corporation PHMC is a non-profit, public health organization committed to improving the health of the community through outreach, education, research, planning, technical assistance and direct services.

15. Homeless Teen Education Project Purpose: To provide intensive case management services to 100 homeless teens, ages 13-18, who are living with their parents in emergency shelter. Goals: To improve school attendance and academic performance.

16. Program Components • Engagement of parents in child’s education • Liaison and advocacy with schools • Monitoring attendance • Individual and group tutoring • Mentoring • Group meetings • Special services for high school juniors and seniors • Alternative educational planning

17. Role of Teen Education Specialist • Provide tutoring, mentoring and educational case management • Provide intensive interventions to improve attendance, behavior, and academic performance • Work collaboratively with parents and shelter staff

18. Role of Teen Education Specialist, Cont. • Meet with school counselors, teachers and other school personnel • Accompany students to school • Conduct an attendance, behavioral and academic performance study • Track students after family leaves shelter to maintain school progress

19. Snapshot: Traveler’s Aid Shelter • Located in West Philadelphia • 250 beds • 54 teens • 29 teens, or 54%, met with TES in 10/06. Services Provided by Teen Education Specialist, 10/06

20. Number of Students per Grade Males = 25 Females = 21

21. Number of Schools attended 2 schools = 14 3 schools = 6 4 schools = 7 5 schools = 3 6 schools = 2 7 schools = 1 12 schools - 1 Number of addresses prior to shelter placement 1 address – 5 2 addresses – 16 3 addresses – 9 4 addresses – 2 5 addresses – 1 6 addresses - 1 Student MobilityN= 34

22. Unexcused Absences

23. Stenton Family ManorFocus Group Demographics • Number of participants: 20 (of 48 teens in shelter) • Gender: 13 girls and 7 boys • Age range: 13-17, average age 15 • Length of stay in shelter: Range = 8-22 months Average stay = 11 months

24. YES (13) Transportation is biggest issue. Old school is too far. All received free tokens for public buses. No (6) “You know the people that knew you before you were in shelter” Change Schools at Shelter Entry? Almost all children said they would have preferred to stay in their old schools rather than change. Almost all children had changed schools.

25. What I like…. Learning new stuff Smart kids Boys Cheerleading Peers Teachers who are nice Good grading system Trips Want to get out of the shelter Better food than shelter What I don’t like… Disrespected Boys are fresh Fighting for no reason Bathrooms “nasty” Crime Dirty Teachers who don’t teach Getting up early Thoughts About School

26. Stigma: In their own words… They probably get teased People ask, “Can I come to your house?” It’s hurtful Some people follow you home to see where you live People can be really mean It’s embarrassing They are embarrassed about where they live They tease ‘em I don’t get teased because I don’t tell anyone

27. Stigma: What can be done? Most teens felt nothing could be done about stigma. When pressed, all of the solutions were self directed. In their words: • They can’t do nothing • Don’t tell them • Ignore them • Only tell people if you can trust them • They gonna do the same thing the next day (assemblies don’t help)

28. What do you want to be when you grow up? Neonatologist Physical therapist Child welfare worker Pediatrician Basketball player/singer/dancer Artist (2) Designer Mortician Attorney (criminal) Construction worker Police officer or attorney Paleontologist Our Dreams

29. Changes in Attendance (one year)

30. Changes in Attendance

31. What the research tells us about school mobility: • Students who switch schools frequently score lower on standardized tests (study found mobile students scored 20 points lower than non-mobile students) • Mobility also hurts non-mobile students (study found average test scores for non-mobile students were significantly lower in high schools with high student mobility rates) • It takes children 4-6 months to recover academically after changing schools

32. What the research tells us about school mobility: • Students suffer psychologically, socially, and academically from mobility; mobile students are less likely to participate in extracurricular activities and more likely to act out or get into trouble • Mobility during high school greatly diminishes likelihood of graduation (study found students who changed high schools even once were less than half as likely as stable students to graduate, even controlling for other factors)

33. School Stability—Key Provisions • Children and youth experiencing homelessness can stay in their school of origin or enroll in any public school that students living in the same attendance area are eligible to attend, according to their best interest • School of origin—school attended when permanently housed or in which last enrolled • Best interest—keep students who are homeless in their school of origin, to the extent feasible, unless against the parents’ or guardians’ wishes

34. Feasibility—USDE Sample Criteria • Continuity of instruction • Age of the child or youth • Safety of the child or youth • Length of stay at the shelter • Likely area where family will find permanent housing • Student’s need for special instructional programs • Impact of commute on education • School placement of siblings • Time remaining in the school year

35. Conclusion Recommendations: • Homeless liaison at school district (mandated) • Tracking of homeless students and educational data • Training for both school and shelter staff on homelessness, education & child development • Teamwork/communication between shelter and local schools • Identified contact people for families at both school and shelter to address educational issues (e.g. youth case manager) • Extra attention should be given to children receiving special services

36. Conclusion (cont.) • Education of families on McKinney-Vento and rights • Minimize transfers from shelter to shelter • Avoid school policies that might stigmatize/segregate homeless children • Clear rules at shelter regarding school attendance • Help teens develop coping strategies, including addressing stigma • Support teens in accessing internships and college opportunities

37. Contact Information Deborah McMillan Assistant Vice President for Social Service Programs Philadelphia Health Management Corporation 260 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102 215-985-2559 Deborah@phmc.org Dorette Ligons-Ham Regional Coordinator/Educational Liaison School District of Philadelphia, Homeless Children’s Initiative 440 N. Broad Street - Suite 206, Philadelphia, PA 19130 215-440-6056 dligonsham@phila.k12.pa.us