By Dr. Bernadette Garam

Today, we are going to …..Today, we are going to …..

Define homelessnessDefine homelessness Examine what are the primary Examine what are the primary

causes of homelessnesscauses of homelessness What is the impact of poverty and What is the impact of poverty and

homelessness on children and youthhomelessness on children and youth Examine how many children Examine how many children

experience homelessnessexperience homelessness Examine barriers to educationExamine barriers to education

We are also going to…review theWe are also going to…review the

The Stewart McKinley-Vento ActThe Stewart McKinley-Vento Act New Regulations on Homeless New Regulations on Homeless

Education Education

And we will ….And we will …. Study Vignettes and discuss solutionsStudy Vignettes and discuss solutions

WHO IS HOMELESS?WHO IS HOMELESS?

Who is Homeless?Who is Homeless? The term 'homeless The term 'homeless

children and youths' children and youths'

(A) means (A) means individuals who lack individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime adequate nighttime residence; andresidence; and

Homeless children and youth Homeless children and youth

(B) includes-(B) includes- (i) children and (i) children and

youths who are youths who are sharing the sharing the housing of other housing of other persons due to persons due to loss of housing, loss of housing, economic economic hardship, or a hardship, or a similar reason; similar reason;

are living in are living in motels, hotels, motels, hotels, trailer parks, or trailer parks, or camping grounds camping grounds due to the lack due to the lack of alternative of alternative adequate adequate accommodationsaccommodations; are living in ; are living in emergency or emergency or transitional transitional shelters; are shelters; are abandoned in abandoned in hospitals; or are hospitals; or are awaiting foster awaiting foster care placement;care placement;

Children Children and youth and youth who are who are living in living in motels, motels, hotels, hotels, trailer trailer parks, or parks, or camping camping grounds grounds due to the due to the lack of lack of alternative alternative adequate adequate accommodaccommodations; ations;

are living in emergency or are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement;awaiting foster care placement;

Homeless children and youth also includeHomeless children and youth also include

(ii) children and (ii) children and youths who have a youths who have a primary nighttime primary nighttime residence that is a residence that is a public or private public or private place not designed place not designed for or ordinarily for or ordinarily used as a regular used as a regular sleeping sleeping accommodation for accommodation for human beings; human beings;

Homeless children and youth also includeHomeless children and youth also include

(iii) children and (iii) children and youths who are youths who are living in cars, parks, living in cars, parks, public spaces, public spaces, abandoned abandoned buildings, buildings, substandard substandard housing, bus or housing, bus or train stations, or train stations, or similar settings; similar settings; and and

HomelessHomeless childrenchildren andand youthyouth

(iv) migratory children (iv) migratory children who qualify as who qualify as homeless for the homeless for the purposes of this purposes of this subtitle because the subtitle because the children are living in children are living in circumstances circumstances described in clauses described in clauses (i) through (iii)….(i) through (iii)….

[725(2)][725(2)] Age range: Applies to Age range: Applies to

children and youth children and youth who are entitled to who are entitled to public education under public education under state or federal law.state or federal law.

Homelessness: A World Homelessness: A World Problem that You can HelpProblem that You can Help

How Can We Help As Teachers?How Can We Help As Teachers?

Be Excellent, Be Excellent, Caring Teachers and provideCaring Teachers and provide **

Successful Successful EducationEducation for allfor all

Success!Success!

No CHILD LEFT BEHINDNo CHILD LEFT BEHIND

McKinney-Vento Act 2002: McKinney-Vento Act 2002: A Tool for Academic SuccessA Tool for Academic Success

Source: National Association for the Source: National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth Education of Homeless Children and Youth 111.naehcy.org111.naehcy.org

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Subtitle VII-B, is the federal law that:Act, Subtitle VII-B, is the federal law that:

- entitles children - entitles children who are homeless to who are homeless to a free, appropriate a free, appropriate public education, andpublic education, and

- requires schools to - requires schools to remove barriers to remove barriers to their enrollment, their enrollment, attendance, and attendance, and success in school.success in school.

Congress recently reauthorized the Congress recently reauthorized the McKinney-Vento Act's Education for McKinney-Vento Act's Education for Homeless Children and Youth Homeless Children and Youth program.program.

WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY CAUSES OF WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS?HOMELESSNESS?

Lack of Affordable HousingLack of Affordable Housing

Sharp decrease in affordable housing Sharp decrease in affordable housing units in 1980sunits in 1980s

Shortfall for poorest households now Shortfall for poorest households now stands at3.3 million housing unitsstands at3.3 million housing units

Between 1997 and 1999, net loss of Between 1997 and 1999, net loss of more than 300,000 housing units more than 300,000 housing units

Causes of HomelessnessCauses of Homelessness

Low IncomesLow Incomes

A minimum wage worker cannot afford the A minimum wage worker cannot afford the Fair Market Rent for housing anywhere in Fair Market Rent for housing anywhere in USUS

TANF benefits and Food Stamps combined TANF benefits and Food Stamps combined are well below the poverty line in every are well below the poverty line in every StateState

Mean income of families who become Mean income of families who become homeless is 46% of poverty linehomeless is 46% of poverty line

CONTRIBUTING FACTORSCONTRIBUTING FACTORS Health ProblemsHealth Problems

--Over 40 million people don't Over 40 million people don't have have insuranceinsurance

Domestic ViolenceDomestic Violence--Lack of housing options for Lack of housing options for women with Low-incomes women with Low-incomes

For Unaccompanied Youth: For Unaccompanied Youth: --Physical and sexual abuse by a Physical and sexual abuse by a parent or guardian parent or guardian -Neglect-Neglect

-Family conflict-Family conflict

WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF POVERTY AND WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS ON CHILDREN AND HOMELESSNESS ON CHILDREN AND

YOUTH?YOUTH?

- PHYSICAL HEALTH- PHYSICAL HEALTH - Hunger- Hunger - Acute illness- Acute illness - Chronic illness- Chronic illness - MENTAL HEALTH- MENTAL HEALTH - Depression- Depression - Anxiety- Anxiety - PTSD- PTSD - EDUCATION- EDUCATION - School Transfers- School Transfers - Absences- Absences - Falling behind in academic achievement- Falling behind in academic achievement

HOW MANY CHILDREN HOW MANY CHILDREN EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS?EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS?

- At least 1.35 million children - At least 1.35 million children are homeless during a year's are homeless during a year's time, representing 39% of the time, representing 39% of the overall homeless population. overall homeless population.

- At least 10% of American - At least 10% of American children living in poverty, and children living in poverty, and 2% of all American children, will 2% of all American children, will experience homelessness over experience homelessness over the course of a year.the course of a year.

- Over 40% of children who are - Over 40% of children who are homeless are under the age of 5.homeless are under the age of 5.

WHERE DO CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHERE DO CHILDREN AND YOUTH LIVE WHEN THEY ARE HOMELESS?LIVE WHEN THEY ARE HOMELESS?

- Only 35% of - Only 35% of children who are children who are homeless are in homeless are in shelters; the rest shelters; the rest are staying are staying temporarily with temporarily with others, cars, others, cars, campgrounds, campgrounds, motels, etc.motels, etc.

WHERE DO CHILDREN AND YOUTH LIVE WHERE DO CHILDREN AND YOUTH LIVE WHEN THEY ARE HOMELESS?WHEN THEY ARE HOMELESS?

- Requests for emergency shelter by - Requests for emergency shelter by families have increased every year families have increased every year since 1985, with a 22% increase in since 1985, with a 22% increase in 2001.2001.

- 52% of requests for emergency - 52% of requests for emergency shelter in cities went unmet in 2001 shelter in cities went unmet in 2001 due to lack of shelter capacity.due to lack of shelter capacity.

- There are very few shelters in rural - There are very few shelters in rural areas.areas.

Class ExerciseClass Exercise

Form into groups of Form into groups of 4- 54- 5

Study the Vignette Study the Vignette assigned to your assigned to your group.group.

Discuss the best Discuss the best solutionssolutions

Report to ClassReport to Class

BARRIERS TO EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN BARRIERS TO EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN HOMELESS SITUATIONSAND YOUTH IN HOMELESS SITUATIONS

- ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENTS- ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENTS - Residency requirements- Residency requirements - School Records- School Records - Immunizations- Immunizations - Legal guardianship - Legal guardianship

requirementsrequirements - HIGH MOBILITY- HIGH MOBILITY - LACK OF TRANSPORTATION- LACK OF TRANSPORTATION - LACK OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES, - LACK OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES,

CLOTHING, ETC.CLOTHING, ETC. - POOR HEALTH, FATIGUE, HUNGER- POOR HEALTH, FATIGUE, HUNGER - PREJUDICE/STEREOTYPES- PREJUDICE/STEREOTYPES

SOURCESSOURCES National Association for the Education National Association for the Education

of Homeless Children and Youthof Homeless Children and Youth www.naehcy.orgwww.naehcy.org National Center for Homeless National Center for Homeless

EducationEducation www.serve.org/nchewww.serve.org/nche National Coalition for the HomelessNational Coalition for the Homeless www.nationalhomeless.orgwww.nationalhomeless.org National Law Center on Homelessness National Law Center on Homelessness

& Poverty& Poverty www.nlchp.orgwww.nlchp.org National Network for YouthNational Network for Youth www.nn4youth.orgwww.nn4youth.org