MV Transportation Staff
rife_j
McKinney-Vento for Transportation Staff
Learning Objectives
Role and Resources
Overview of MV
Who Qualifies and Their Rights
Data on Homelessness
24,685
Number of Students Experiencing Homelessness Nationwide 14-15
Number of Students Identified and Served in Colorado 14-15 PK-12
Number of Unaccompanied Homeless Youth in Colorado
14-15
Percent Increase Nationwide Since 2009
1.3 Million
34%
2,052
2014-2015 U.S. Department of Education Federal Data Summary: Education for Homeless Children and Youth
Overview of McKinney-Vento
- Originally passed in 1987
- Reauthorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015
- Most provisions under ESSA were enacted October 1, 2016
- Protects the rights of homeless children and youth
- Outlines the responsibilities of the state coordinator, district liaisons and public school districts in serving students experiencing homelessness
- Works with Title IA and other federal education programs
Causes of Homelessness
- Scarcity of affordable housing
- Health problems such as:
- Uninsured or under-insured
- Addiction or mental health
- Fleeing domestic violence
- Poverty
- Natural disasters
- In the case of homeless unaccompanied youth:
- Abuse
- Neglect
- Family dysfunction
Who Qualifies
Homelessness as Defined by McKinney-Vento
- Case-by-Case
- Children who lack a "fixed", "regular", and "adequate nighttime residence"
- Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason
- Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds due to lack of adequate alternative accomodations
- Living in emergency of transitional shelters
- Living in public or private place not designed for humans to live
- Living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar
- Those living in "substandard" housing
Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
Child or youth who meet the definition of McKinney-Vento and not in physical custody of a parent or guardian
2
1
No age limits
McKinney-Vento Themes
School Stability
School Enrollment
Support for Academic Success
Identification
- Consider avoiding the term "homeless" when speaking to families, youth or even school personnel
- Provide awareness activities
- Post outreach materials and posters in schools and community locations where families might frequent
- Coordinate with agencies and organizations
- Housing questionnaires
School Stability
- Importance: Significantly lower graduation rates and student achievement for mobile students
- LEAs shall:
- Based on a student's best interest, continue their education in the school of origin for the duration of homelessness, and until the end of the academic year in which the student becomes permanently housed OR
- Enroll in any public school that housed students living where the students is living are eligible to attend
Best Interest
Presume
Presume that keeping the student in the school of origin is in the student's best interest.
Consider student-centered factors including the impact of mobility on education, health and safety.
Give priority to the parent, guardian or unaccompanied youth's request.
Consider
Prioritize
School Enrollment
- If not in student's best interest to remain in school or origin or what the parent, guardian or youth requests:
- Right to immediate enrollment
- Even if lacking required documents, including immunization and other required health documents, proof of residency, guardianship or other documents
- Includes attending classes and participating fully
- LEAs must develop, review, and revise policies to remove barriers to the identification, enrollment and retention, including barriers due to outstanding fees or fines, or absences.
Support for Academic Success
- School stability and school enrollment vital to academic success
- Categorically eligible for free lunch/breakfast
- Coordination with Title I, Part A services
- Procedures to ensure MV students receive appropriate full or partial credits
- LEAs must coordinate McKinney-Vento and special education services within the LEA, and with other involved LEAs
- Information about a McKinney-Vento student's living situation is student education record subject to FERPA
Disputes
School Selection
Enrollment
Eligibility
Key Points to Remember
- SEAs and LEAs are responsible for reviewing and revising policies, including transportation policies that may act as barriers to the identification, enrollment, attendance, or success in school of homeless children and youths in the State. (See sections 721(2), 722(g)(1)(I)).
- Under the McKinney-Vento Act, homeless children and youths are entitled to receive transportation that is comparable to what is available to non-homeless students. (Section 722(g)(4)(A)).
- Transportation must be arranged promptly to ensure immediate enrollment and so as not to create barriers to homeless students’ attendance, retention, and success. (See sections 721(2), 722(g)(1)(I)).
- In addition, SEAs and LEAs must adopt policies and practices to ensure that transportation is provided, at the request of the parent or guardian (or, in the case of an unaccompanied youth, the liaison), to or from the school of origin in accordance with the following requirements:
- If the child or youth continues to live in the area served by the LEA in which the school of origin is located, that LEA must provide or arrange for the child’s or youth’s transportation to or from the school of origin. (Section 722(g)(1)(J)(iii)(I)).
- If the child or youth continues his or her education in the school of origin but begins living in an area served by another LEA, the LEA of origin and the LEA in which the homeless child or youth is living must agree upon a method to apportion the responsibility and costs for providing the child or youth with transportation to and from the school of origin. If the LEAs cannot agree upon a method, the responsibility and costs for transportation are to be shared equally. (Section 722(g)(1)(J)(iii)(II)).
Key Points to Remember
Resources
1. National Center for Homeless Education
sc_transport.php- National technical assistance organization for USED: https://nche.ed.gov/
- Homeless Education Liaison Toolkit: http://nche.ed.gov/pr/liaison_toolkit.php
- Resources by topic: https://nche.ed.gov/ibt/ibt.
- Resource specific to school transportation: https://nche.ed.gov/ibt/sc_transport.php
2. National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY)
3. Colorado Department of Education's Homeless Education Website
homeless_index4. U.S. Department of Education Section "J" Guidance on Transportation:
guidance.pdfThank you!
