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Service Providers & SchoolsWorking Together to Educate Runaway and Homeless Youth
Understanding Runaway, Homeless Youth/Student Issues
YOUTH ARE HOMELESS
Doubled up – “couch surfing”
Legal Issues:
Unaccompanied: students not with a parent or legal guardian
Homeless: If they meet the samedefinition of homelessness as otherstudents
Runaway, pushed out,and unaccompanied youthare a growing proportion of
children in homeless situationsThey often know what they are
running from, but have no realistic idea of what they
are running to.
YOUTH ARE HOMELESS
Runaway and kicked-out youth often experience abuse, neglect, conflict, vulnerability, loss and
traumaThis often results in a student
that has difficulty focusing, attending, sitting still, keeping
up, participating, having resources
Runaway Youth are Unaccompanied and Homeless
Barriers to Educational Success
• Frequent school changes - sets child back academically 4-6 months with each change
• Misses school due to: extreme mobility lack of transportation poor health system requirements• Lack of consistent advocacy for educational
needs
Lack of school records/birth certificates Lack of immunizations/immunization records
Barriers to Enrollment & Attendance
Lack of transportationLack of information regarding rightsand choicesLack of school suppliesLack school clothing
Barriers to School Success
Place to do homeworkAbility to concentrateResources to do extracurricular and enrichment activitiesMental health resources: trauma PTSD, mental health adaptations to situationPhysical health care
Unaccompanied Youth face additional barriers:
Barriers to Enrollment--Youth
Attendance policies
Secondary school credit accrual
Lack of parentor guardian’s signature
Doubled Up & Unaccompanied: MV Eligible?
Susan, age 16, has an altercation with her mother and leaves home. She stays with various friends a few nights here and a few nights there. She attempts to enroll in the district where her boyfriend attends. The registrar tells her she cannot enroll herself and must go back to the school of residency where her parents live.
Is the registrar correct that a 16 year old cannot enroll her self? Is Susan MV eligible? Must the school report Susan as a runaway?
Doubled Up & Unaccompanied: MV Eligible?
Bob is 16 years old. He gets into a fight with his father, anaffluent lawyer in town. Bob’s father tells his son to just “get out”. Bob goes to stay with a friend. He spends a few nights on his friend’s couch, then moves on to stay in the garage of another friend. Bob’s teacher learns about his situation and calls you the homeless liaison to see what can be done to help Bob.
Is Bob unaccompanied? Is he McKinney-Vento eligible? Would it make a difference if Bob ran away instead of being kicked out? What if Bob’s father calls threatening to sue the school if they enroll Bob without his parent’s permission?
Doubled Up & Unaccompanied: MV Eligible?
Sam is 16 years old. He has stayed with various friends after leaving his emotionally abusive stepfather’s house about three weeks ago. Last night his friend told him he could no longer stay with him. Sam has identified another friend he thinks he can stay with, but that friend lives in another school district. Sam has been attending school regularly and is mostly not tardy. He does well in school, but could likely do better if he was in a more stable situation. He is afraid to draw the attention of authorities as he fears being placed in foster care. How would you talk to Sam about his living situation?How would you talk to Sam about his school situation?How would you advocate with Sam’s current school so that he can remain there.
Must the district enroll an unaccompanied youth? Yes!
Can the school require parent or guardian permission? No!
What are the liability issues?Not following the law!
When might an unaccompanied youth not be homeless?When a parent or legal guardianmakes “arrangements” for the youthto stay in out-of-home accommodations
Understanding The Law
The Laws:McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance ActTexas Education CodeTexas Family Code
Definitions: Who is homeless?
The Federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act says that children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence are homeless.
Who is homeless?Living in shelters
Who is homeless?Substandardhousing
Who is Homeless?Not meant for human habitation
Who is homeless?Abandonedbuildings, streets, parks, camp grounds, cars
Who is homeless?Hotels/motels
Who is homeless?
Families living in doubled-up situations because they have lost their housing
Abandoned in Hospitals
Awaiting Foster Care
Who is homeless?Children and youth in temporaryfoster care while “awaiting” placement Who is awaiting, and who is in foster care and how do you know?
Awaiting Foster Care: MV Eligible?
CPS asked the Jones family to take their grandchildren in while they investigate allegations of abuse against their mother. Are the children considered “awaiting” foster care? Are they MV eligible? How do you know? What questions should you ask?
Awaiting Foster Care: MV Eligible?The Jones’ family is a kinship home for their grandchildren who were removed from their mother’s care when CPS substantiated allegations of abuse. CPS has custody of the children, and provides services and financial support to the Jones family. Are the children considered “awaiting” foster care? Are they MV eligible? How do you know? What questions should you ask?
Awaiting Foster Care: MV Eligible?CPS has removed the Jones children and placed them in a foster home. This placement breaks down, so they temporarily move the children to another foster home while they search for another home that is a better match. Are the children McKinney-Vento eligible? What if they were moved to a shelter while CPS tried to find another foster home?
MV Eligible? Formal vs Informal Substitute CareWhat questions should you ask?Does CPS have custody/ward of state?Is the home licensed or certified?Is it a kinship or foster home?Has there been a home study?Is the family receiving financial support from CPS? If the answer is no = informal & MV eligibleIf the answer is yes = formal & not MV eligible
Awaiting Foster Care: MV Eligible?The Jones’ family is a kinship home for their grandchildren who were removed from their mother’s care when CPS substantiated allegations of abuse. CPS has custody of the children, and provides services and financial support to the Jones family. Are the children considered “awaiting” foster care? NO. Are they MV eligible? No. How do you know? What questions should you ask?
Are migrant students homeless?
Only if they meet the samecriteria for homelessness as otherstudents
Undocumented Students
Are students who are undocumented eligible for federal MV services?
Yes, schools are not to ask questions about legal status, Plyer v Doe, 1982 ruling. They must meet the homeless definition.
Are children of deployed military personnel considered homeless?
If children must move in with relatives because their parents deploy for active military duty are the children considered doubled-up and thus homeless?
Are children of deployed military personnel considered homeless?
It depends on the child’s living situation. If the child is placed with a caretaker according to a plan made by the parents as required by the military, it is likely the child is not eligible. However, occasionally those plans “break down” if they were made a long time ago, or that caretaker is no longer available or in a position to provide stable housing. Again a case by case review is necessary to determine eligibility.
The McKinney-VentoHomeless Assistance Act defines and protects the rights
of homeless students to enroll in, attend, and succeed in our public schoolsServices last the duration of the school year even if the student becomes permanently housed
Understanding what services schools must provide
Outreach and identification
Enrollment Services
What Schools Must Do:
• Posters and brochures on each
campus where students enroll• School personnel trained to identify
• Outreach into the community –
contact service providers – places where homeless families stay or frequent
Outreach and identification
The McKinney-VentoAct requires publicnotice of educational rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness disseminated inevery school districtat every campus --and wherever servicesare accessed.
Required Posting/Notification
Identification Use a student residency questionnaire
The McKinney-Vento Act mandates that . . .
every school district isrequired to have a homelesseducation liaison, and
the liaison is required toperform specific tasks.
Homeless Liaison
Assist with identification and enrollment
Help settle enrollment disputes
Connect students to district and community services
Immediate Enrollment“Immediate” not defined -<2
daysEnroll homeless students
even if theyhave no records Contact previous school for records
10 days to send records
30 days to receive immunization records or start the process
Immediate EnrollmentUnaccompanied YouthEnroll homeless students even if theyhave no legal guardian
Enroll homeless students even if theyhave no proof of residency
Immediate Enrollment
Enrolled is defined as attending and fully participating, not just the students name on an enrollment list.
Immunizations
Texas Attorney General’s Decision
– 30-day provisional enrollment
– Liaison must help student obtain records or necessary course of immunizations
Choice of Schools
School of origin: school in whichstudent was enrolled when he/shebecame homeless or
where student was last enrolled.
Choice of Schools
Homeless students may remain atschool of origin ormay attend school to which theyare zoned.
Choice of Schools
Notify all parents upon enrollmentthat in certain instances, theirchildren may be able to remain attheir school all year -- be sure toask before changing schools.Parents must be informed before changing schools.
Transportation
To and from the schoolof origin
Comparable services
Supplemental services tutoring enrichment summer school
Free LunchAutomatic eligibility for
students in homeless situations – certified by homeless LiaisonImmediate access
Year long eligibility even if become permanently housed.
Dispute ResolutionEnroll students if possibly homelessGather information, then make determination of status
Notify parent/caregiver/youth in writing of decision with appeal information – Homeless Liaison assistsDuring appeal, student remains enrolled
Placement
DecisionsWork with Title I, Special Ed, gifted and talented and other programs Set up systems for prompt
placement in special programs
Understanding Practices that work
Helping Service Providers
Know the LawKnow what services schools are required to provide in order to advocate for the
studentBuild relationships
Learn about each other’s issues/needs Create systems
Share a holistic view and like goalsWork mutually compatible service plans
Share resources
THEO’S Role
• Guidance to Texas’ school districts for compliance, and service provision
• Training to districts and community
• Input on policy at the federal and state level
• Advocacy for students and families
• Web resources: www.utdanacenter.org/theo
THEO provides:
THEO’S Role
• Hotline: 1-800 446-3142
• Barbara James: 512-475-8765
• Jeanne Stamp: [email protected]
• Tim Stahlke: 512-475-9709
• Patrick Lopez: 512-475-9704
• Janie Phillips: 512-475-9702
Contact Us:
