Title I and Homelessness2012 Dropout Prevention Conference

Mississippi Department of Education Office of Federal Programs

August 2012

“There is a belief that homeless children get McKinney- Vento Homeless Assistance so they don’t need to be served by Title I.”

Diana Bowman, Director National Center for Homeless Education

We generally define homeless as “people on street corners and we don’t have any of those.”

But are there kids on couches, kids who have just lost their homes, kids who are living in campgrouds?

• Welcome and Introductions• Define Homelessness• Eligibility and Mandatory Reservation • Serving Homeless Children • Collaborations Between Homelessness and

Title I Programs • Questions and Answers

Today’s training…

Define Homelessness The term “homeless children and youth”-

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 2001- Title X, Part C of the No Child Left Behind Act – Sec 725

Authorization

A. Means an individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence...;

B. Includes-• Children and youth who are sharing the housing of other persons due to

loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason (sometimes referred to as doubled-up);

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

• Children and youth who are living in emergency or transitional shelters;

The term “homeless children and youth”-

• Children and youth who are abandoned in hospitals; or • Children and youth who are awaiting foster care placement;

– Children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;

– Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and

– Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above.

The term “homeless children and youth”-

Title I Programs

Title I is designed to support state and local school reform efforts tied to challenging state academic standards in order to reinforce efforts to improve teaching and learning for students struggling to meet state standards.

Title I and Homelessness Connection

McKinney-Vento 2001

Homeless students are part of Title I, Part A’s target population of disadvantaged students; however, the high mobility, trauma, and poverty associated with homelessness create unique educational barriers and challenges that non-homeless Title I students may not face.

Title I and Homelessness Connection

Homelessness is associated with lower standardized test scores and a higher likelihood of missing school and/or experiencing multiple school transfers. Thus, homeless students often require additional supports for academic achievement and success on state assessments.

Title I and Homelessness Connection

Eligibility and Mandatory Reservation

Children and youth who are homeless are automatically eligible for Title I, Part A, services, whether or not they attend a Title I school or meet the academic standards required of other children for eligibility.

Automatic Eligibility

According to Title I, Part A, LEAs must reserve (or set aside) such funds as are necessary to provide comparable services to homeless children who are not attending Title I schools.

A State must include in its State Title I plan a description of how the plan is coordinated with the McKinney-Vento Act.

Additionally, an LEA receiving Title I, Part A funds must include in its local plan a description of how the plan is coordinated with the McKinney-Vento Act. The local plan must describe services provided to homeless children.

Title I, Part A Reservation Section 1111(a)(1) of ESEA

LEAs may use reserved funds to provide homeless students with services that are not ordinarily provided to other Title I students and that are not available from other sources.

In determining appropriate expenditures for the funds set aside for homeless students, it is important to note that comparable services may not necessarily mean services that are identical to the services provided to non-homeless students.

Title I, Part A Reservation (cont.) Section 1111(a)(1) of ESEA

Determining an appropriate amount requires coordination between the LEA Title I and homeless education programs.

Consideration must be given to serving homeless students not enrolled in Title I schools as well as for students who are attending Title I schools. Services must meet the unique needs of these children above and beyond the regular Title I programs.

Title I, Part A Reservation (cont.) Section 1111(a)(1) of ESEA

Serving Homeless Children

Which way do I go?

General Services

Through Title I, Part A, or Title I, Part A, in conjunction with a McKinney-Vento subgrant, homeless students can take part in services that enable them to benefit more from a school’s Title I program.

Schoolwide Schools

Subpopulations of children, such as homeless students, who attend Schoolwide schools should have their unique needs addressed within schoolwide programs designed for all students.

Serving Homeless Students

Targeted Assistance

Targeted Assistance schools must provide services to children who have the greatest need for special assistance. The No Child Left Behind Act specifically notes that homeless children are included within the population of those designated with greatest needs.

Coordination and

Supplementing

LEAs may consider using Title I, Part A, funds to provide those services that are authorized, but not required, under McKinney-Vento and are not available through other sources, such as providing expedited evaluations, after-school programming, mentoring, and/or school supplies.

Serving Homeless Students (cont.)

Homeless students and their families often need housing assistance, social services, and healthcare. Linking families with community resources can have a positive impact on the education of the children. Title I, Part A, requires coordination with federal, state, and local services programs, including programs for housing, nutrition, violence prevention, Head Start, adult education, vocational and technical education, and job training.

Serving Homeless Students (cont.)

Title I, Part A, dollars may be used as a last resort to fund social services. Examples provided within the law include using Title I, Part A, monies to: purchase eyeglasses; pay for health, nutrition, and other social services; or provide specialized professional development. Expenditures must be linked to the child’s educational needs.

Serving Homeless Students (cont.)

Collaborations Between Homelessness and Title I

Programs

“Neediest of the Needy”

1. Before-school, after-school, and/or summer programs with an educational focus;

2. Outreach services to students living in shelters, motels, and other temporary residences to help identify homeless children and youth and advise them of available school programming;

Collaboration Efforts

3. Basic needs such as school uniforms, school supplies, and health-related needs;

4. Counseling services;

5. Teachers, aides, and tutors to provide supplemental instruction to students whose achievement is below grade level;

6. Parental involvement programs that make a special effort to reach out to parents in homeless situations;

Collaboration Efforts (cont.)

7. Research-based programs that benefit highly mobile students;

8. Data collection to assess the needs and progress of homeless and other highly mobile students.

Collaboration Efforts (cont.)

In general, LEAs may not use funds under Title I, Part A to transport homeless students to or from their school of origin. Transportation services to the school of origin are mandated under the McKinney-Vento Act’s statute. The “no-supplanting” provisions in Title I prohibit those funds from being used to support activities that the LEA would otherwise be required to provide.

Transportation Cost

Questions and Answers

Marcus E. Cheeks, State Title I Director Mississippi Department of Education

359 N. West StreetJackson, MS 30205

(601) 359-3499mcheeks@mde.k12.ms.us