Christi na Endres

Program Specialist

Nati onal Center for Homeless Educati on

UNACCOMPANIED HOMELESS

STUDENTS: WHAT YOU NEED TO

KNOW

NCHE is the U.S. Department of Educati on’s homeless educati on technical assistance & informati on center

NCHE has:

A comprehensive website: www.serve.org/nche

A toll-free helpline: Call 800-308-2145 or e-mail homeless@serve.org

A listserv: visit www.serve.org/nche/listserv.php for subscription instructions

Free resources : Visitwww.serve.org/nche/products.php

GET TO KNOW NCHE…

Characteristics of unaccompanied homeless youth (UHY)

Identifying UHY

McKinney-Vento and related educational rights

Serving UHY

SESSION OUTLINE

Studies estimate that 1+ million youth will become unaccompanied homeless youth each year

There is a disproportionate representation of minority ethnic groups, LGBT youth, and pregnant or parenting teens

Generally homeless youth are 13 or older, but they can be younger

DEMOGRAPHICS

Longstanding patt erns of family conflict, blended family issues, abuse and/or neglect within the home

Parental incarceration, substance abuse, illness, hospitalization, or death

Pregnancy, sexual activity, sexual orientation, gender identity, school problems, alcohol/drug use

PATHS TO BEING“ON YOUR OWN”

Foster care issues: running away from a foster care placement, aging out of the foster care system

Some students become homeless with their families, but end up on their own due to lack of space in temporary accommodations or shelter policies that prohibit adolescent boys

PATHS TO BEING“ON YOUR OWN”

2-step process

1. Does the student’s living arrangement meet the McKinney-Vento Act’s definition of homeless?

2. Once homelessness is determined, is the student unaccompanied?

IDENTIFYING UNACCOMPANIED HOMELESS

YOUTH

Housing Physical Custody UHY

Children or youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nightti me residence, including:

Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason (“doubling up”)

Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds due to the lack of adequate alternative accommodations

Living in emergency or transitional shelters

STEP 1: IS THE STUDENT HOMELESS?

Awaiting foster care placement

Living in a public or private place not designed for humans to live

Living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or a similar setti ng

Migratory children living in the above circumstances

Unaccompanied youth living in the above circumstances

STEP 1: IS THE STUDENT HOMELESS?

Unaccompanied youth: a child or youth “not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian”

The Act refers to physical custody, not legal custody; in practical terms, this means that the student is living apart from his/her parent(s) or guardian(s)

STEP 2: IS THE STUDENT UNACCOMPANIED?

Lower: No lower age limit for unaccompanied homeless youth

Upper: Your state’s upper age limit for public education, which is usually 21, but can be older

IS THERE AN AGE LIMIT?

Angela is sixteen years old and had to leave home when she told her parents that she was pregnant. She moved in with her 18-year-old boyfriend who has his own apartment and has a job. She has

ANGELA

come to your school, which is near her boyfriend’s apartment, to enroll.

Callers to the National Runaway Safeline:

48% said they were kicked out

30% said they ran away

22% said it was a combination

Examine the housing situation, not the perceived choice

“BUT, THE STUDENT CHOSE TO LEAVE…”

Federal court case

Determined undocumented students are eligible for educational services to the same extent as documented students

Includes students eligible under McKinney-Vento

PLYLER V. DOE

MCKINNEY-VENTO PROVISIONS: ALL HOMELESS

STUDENTS

Immediate enrollment, even if lacking paperwork normally required

School selection: Can att end either the local att endance area school or the school of origin, according to the student’s best interest

Transportation to the school of origin

Comparable services, including transportation

Free school meals

Access to educational programs such as: Title I, special education, English language learners, migrant education, vocational and technical education, gift ed and talented, etc.

Referrals to other services such as health, dental, mental health, and other appropriate services

Policy revisions: special att ention must be given to ensuring enrollment and att endance of homeless students not att ending school

MCKINNEY-VENTO PROVISIONS: ALL HOMELESS

STUDENTS

Enroll without proof of guardianship

Enroll with liaison assistance

Select a school of att endance with liaison assistance

Receive transportati on with liaison assistance

Initi ate dispute resoluti on process for self

Receive assistance with disputes from liaison

Receive writt en noti ce in disputes

MCKINNEY-VENTO RIGHTS: UHY

Subgrant applications may include criteria regarding the extent to which case management or related services will be provided to UHY

Authorized use of funds: “Services and assistance to att ract, engage, and retain… unaccompanied homeless youths, in public school programs and services provided to nonhomeless children and youths”

MCKINNEY-VENTO PROVISIONS: UHY

“Must make reasonable efforts” to appoint within 30 days

Considered the UHY’s parent for special educati on purposes

Cannot be an employee of the SEA, LEA, or any other agency involved in the educati on or care of the child

Must have no personal or professional interests in confl ict with the child’s interests

Must have the necessary knowledge and skills

IDEA: SURROGATE PARENTS FOR UHY

Appointed immediately and considered the parent for special educati on purposes

Shelter, independent living program, and street outreach program staff and qualifi ed school personnel involved in the educati on or care of the child may be appointed

Must have no personal or professional interests in confl ict with the child’s interests

Must have the necessary knowledge and skills

IDEA: TEMPORARY SURROGATE PARENTS FOR UHY

UHY, as determined by a liaison, HUD or RHYA shelter director, or college Financial Aid Administrator (FAA), can apply for federal financial aid as independent students using the FAFSA

Independent students

Don’t need a parent/guardian signature on the FAFSA

Are awarded aid without consideration for parent/guardian income

COLLEGE COST REDUCTION & ACCESS ACT (CCRAA)

Visit www.serve.org/nche/ibt/higher_ed.php for more information on the FAFSA and additional supports (SAT/ACT fee waivers, GEAR UP, TRIO, etc.)

CCRAA INFORMATION

Consider state-specific issues: Reporting, medical consent, etc.

FERPA: Parental consent is not required for transfer of records to an enrolling school

General liability concerns: The relationship between liability and negligence

“OTHER STUFF”

FERPA ► Family Educational

Rights and Privacy Act

Jeremy couldn’t get along with his stepfather and is living temporarily with his grandmother. He wants to enroll in your school,

JEREMY

but his mom called to insist that the school force Jeremy to come home and threatens to sue the school if you enroll Jeremy.

Provide awareness activities for school staff (registrars, secretaries, counselors, social workers, nurses, teachers, bus drivers, administrators, truancy and att endance offi cers, security offi cers, etc.) about the specific needs of runaway and homeless youth

Develop relationships with dropout prevention programs, truancy offi cials, and other att endance offi cers. Many unaccompanied homeless youth are out of school!

IDENTIFICATION STRATEGIES

Reach out to community agencies and ask them to be your “eyes and ears” in the community to support school eff orts to reach UHY

Enlist other students to help spread the word

Post outreach materials where students may spend ti me, including laundromats, parks, campgrounds, skate parks, clubs/organizati ons

IDENTIFICATION STRATEGIES

NCHE youth outreach materials:

Youth educational rights poster: http://center.serve.org/nche/pr/er_poster.php

Higher education poster: http://center.serve.org/nche/pr/he_poster.php

Surviving on Your Own booklet: http://center.serve.org/nche/pr/youth_booklet.php

IDENTIFICATION STRATEGIES

Think like a youth Inform students up-front about circumstances

that require reporting to child welfare or law enforcement and make reports with them present

Keep in mind the challenges that UHY are facing as you work with them and provide support as able

Encourage UHY to stay in school; support them and advocate for them in getti ng their education

Remember: they’re evaluating you as you evaluate them!

BUILD TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS

US ED Guidance: “Develop caregiver affi davits, enrollment forms for unaccompanied homeless youth, and other forms to replace typical proof of guardianship…such forms should be carefully craft ed so they do not create further barriers or delay enrollment”

July 2004 Policy Guidance, Questi on G-8

ENROLLMENT STRATEGIES

Three common methods for enrolling UHY The student enrolls himself/herself

A caregiver enrolls the student (see http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/toolkit/app_d.pdf for sample enrollment forms)

The liaison enrolls the student

ENROLLMENT STRATEGIES

A school district cannot require a caregiver to obtain legal guardianship at any point prior to or following an UHY’s enrollment

A school district cannot discontinue a student’s enrollment due to an inability to identify a caregiver, guardian, or parent or to produce guardianship or other paperwork following enrollment

ENROLLMENT REMINDERS

McKinney-Vento defi nes enrollment as “att ending classes and parti cipati ng fully in school acti viti es”

Includes extra-curricular activities offered through school

SEAs and LEAs must develop, review, and revise policies to remove barriers to the enrollment and retenti on of homeless children and youth in schools

Program fees and deadlines can be waived (For sample policy: www.serve.org/nche/forum/extra_curr.php)

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

McKinney-Vento funds can be used to assist with program fees, if needed

States have implemented a variety of policies regarding signing/decision-making for UHY to participate in school activities Youth sign for themselves Local liaison signs for the youth Caregiver signs for the youth

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Provide access to diversifi ed learning opportuniti es (vocati onal educati on, credit-for-work programs, fl exible school hours, etc.) but don’t assume youth will need or desire this opti on

Provide before- or aft er-school support

Permit excepti ons to school policies on class schedules, tardiness, absences, and credits to accommodate needs

Assist with credit accrual and recovery (chunking credits, parti al credits, fl exible school hours, etc.)

Provide access to a “safe place” and trained mentor at school

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT

Barbara GreeneState CoordinatorMississippi Department of Educati onbgreene@mde.k12.ms.us(601) 359-3499

Christi na EndresProgram SpecialistNati onal Center for Homeless Educati on cendres@serve.org(336) 315-7438

FOR MORE INFORMATION

NCHE website: www.serve.org/nche/ibt/sc_youth.php

NCHE helpline: 800-308-2145 or homeless@serve.org

Homeless Youth in the United States: Recent Research Findings and Intervention Approaches , htt p://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/homelessness/symposium07/toro/index.htm

Why They Run www.1800runaway.org

DATA SOURCES