1. PEIMS and Homeless Identification Monday, August 10, 2015 1:30 – 3:00 PM Patrick Lopez, Senior Program Coordinator, Texas Homeless Education Office (THEO) David Ray, McKinney-Vento/Homeless Education Consultant, Region 10 Education Service Center

2. Presentation Goals  Background: Texas Homeless Education Office (THEO)  Background: Federal McKinney-Vento Act  Numbers of Homeless Students  Definition of Homelessness  Homeless Liaison’s Role  2015-2016 Preliminary Version PEIMS Data Standards  Identification Resources  Questions and Answers

3. Background: THEO  Texas Homeless Education Office 1-800-446-3142 http://www.utdanacenter.org/theo  At TEA from 1988 – 1996. At The University of Texas at Austin, Charles A. Dana Center since 1996.  TEA  Region 10 ESC  THEO (UT@Austin, Dana Center)  Representatives from all 3 groups comprise a Leadership Team

4. THEO is contracted by Region 10 ESC to… provide technical assistance to districts, homeless students, families, and service providers co-manage a subgrant program (currently 66 TEXSHEP projects with about 130 participating LEAs) ensure all homeless students throughout the state are able to enroll, attend, and succeed in Texas public schools ensure the identification of all homeless students enrolled in school

5. Background: Federal McKinney-Vento Act Originally passed by Congress in 1987 Education subtitle of an omnibus bill that addressed multiple aspects of emergency assistance for the homeless––The Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (now known as “McKinney-Vento”) Reauthorized every several years since the original passage. Each time it has been reauthorized, changes have been made. Most recently it was reauthorized as Title X, Part C, of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Currently due for reauthorization.

6. The McKinney-Vento Act… provides the statutory definition of homelessness used by public education requires that all homeless children have access to a free and appropriate public school education and the education and services they need to ensure them an opportunity to meet the same challenging state standards to which all children are held requires every state to review and revise laws, regulations, practices, and procedures that may act as a barrier to the enrollment, attendance, or success in school of homeless children

7. The McKinney Vento Act REQUIRES… homeless liaisons in ALL districts immediate enrollment of homeless students/an official dispute resolution process school of origin/school selection/transportation a focus on academic achievement automatic eligibility for free school lunch and Title I

8. Why is McKinney Vento Necessary? Homeless students are… less likely to succeed in school more likely to be below grade level more likely to have attendance problems more likely to face physical, social, and emotional difficulties

9. How many? Using the McKinney-Vento definition of homelessness… about 1.2 million homeless children and youth in the US were enrolled in public schools across the country last year a little over 111,000 of those homeless students were enrolled in Texas public schools

10. McKinney-Vento Reporting Requirements All homeless students enrolled in public schools must be identified and reported Out of the total of all homeless students enrolled, all homeless students who are unaccompanied youth must be identified and reported

11. USDE Technical Specifications On an annual basis, the US Department of Education issues technical specifications regarding the collection and reporting of homeless student data. These specifications determine what data is to be collected, how it is to be collected, and how it is to be reported. Therefore, these technical specifications from the USDE drive the data collection process and procedures in Texas and, specifically, in PEIMS.

12. Who Is Homeless: The Federal Definition SEC. 725. DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this subtitle: (1) The terms `enroll' and `enrollment' include attending classes and participating fully in school activities. (2) The term `homeless children and youths'-- (A) means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (within the meaning of section 103(a)(1)); and (B) includes-- (i) children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement; (ii) children and youths 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 (within the meaning of section 103(a)(2)(C)); (iii) children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and (iv) migratory children (as such term is defined in section 1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described in clauses (i) through (iii).

13. Unaccompanied Youth: The Federal Definition 725… (6) The term `unaccompanied youth' includes a youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.

14. Important Points Regarding Unaccompanied Youth The legal concept of “youth” in the definition of unaccompanied youth is broader than students less than 18 years of age. For the purposes of reporting information to PEIMS, general education students are considered “youth” if they are under 21 on September 1. Special education students are considered “youth” if they are under 22 on September 1.

15. Important Points Regarding Unaccompanied Youth Because of the way the definitions for homelessness and unaccompanied youth are written in McKinney Vento, unaccompanied youth are not a criteria for homelessness. A student cannot be considered homeless simply because they are an unaccompanied youth—they would have to meet the McKinney-Vento definition of homelessness. Unaccompanied youth are not categorically considered homeless—some unaccompanied youth are homeless and some aren’t. The McKinney-Vento Act only requires that schools identify and report the homeless students who are unaccompanied youth. It does not require schools to identify and report any other students who meet the definition for unaccompanied youth.

16. Who Is Responsible for Identifying Homeless Students? (6) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY LIAISON- (A) DUTIES- Each local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youths, designated under paragraph (1)(J)(ii), shall ensure that — (i) homeless children and youths are identified by school personnel and through coordination activities with other entities and agencies;

17. For Homeless Students And Homeless Students Who Are Unaccompanied Youth PEIMS Reporting Requirements

18. PEIMS Record 100 Student Data – Identification  

19. Homeless Status Code: Data Element E1082

20. Homeless Status Code: Code Table C189

22. Code 0: Student is not homeless at any time during current school year

23. Homeless Status Code: Code Table C189 Code 1: Student lives in a shelter, transitional housing, or is awaiting foster care at any time during current school year Shelters are defined as supervised publicly or privately operated facilities designed to provide temporary living accommodations. The shelters category for homeless students includes emergency shelters, family shelters, domestic violence shelters, youth shelters, transitional housing programs, and temporary placements while awaiting foster care. The shelters category for homeless students does not include residential treatment facilities, Title I Neglected or Delinquent facilities, or Texas Youth Commission facilities.

24. Code Table C189 Code 2: Student lives temporarily doubled-up (sharing residence with a family or individual) at any time during current school year Doubled-Up (e.g., living with another family) is defined as sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason. This classification requires a case-by-case determination.

25. Homeless Status Code: Code Table C189 Code 3: Student is unsheltered (i.e., lives on the street, lives in cars, parks, campgrounds, temporary trailers [including FEMA trailers], or abandoned buildings) at any time during current school year Unsheltered is defined as a nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings. It includes such places as cars, parks, campgrounds (if they live there because they lack an alternative accommodation), temporary trailers (if they live there because they lack an alternative accommodation), abandoned buildings, and substandard housing. Substandard housing may be determined by local building codes, community norms, and/or a case-by-case determination as to whether the accommodation is a “fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

26. Homeless Status Code: Code Table C189 Code 4: Student lives in motel or hotel at any time during current school year Students who stay at a motel or hotel are considered homeless if they reside there because they have lost their housing, lack an alternative accommodation, and do not have a “fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.”

27. Important! If a student is homeless, the data for the homeless status (code 1, 2, 3, or 4) need only be reported for the initial status at the time of identification. The homeless status does not need to be updated as the homeless student changes nighttime living situation over the course of the year.

28. PEIMS Record 100 Student Data – Identification  

29. Unaccompanied Youth Status Code: Data Element E1084

30. Unaccompanied Youth Status Code: Code Table C192

31. REGARDING Code 3: Many homeless students are in the physical custody of a parent or a legal guardian. If a homeless student is living in the physical custody of a parent or legal guardian, even though they are homeless, they are NOT unaccompanied.

32. Unaccompanied Youth Status Code: Code Table C192 REGARDING Code 4: Some homeless students are not in the physical custody of a parent or a legal guardian. If a homeless student does not live in the physical custody of a parent or legal guardian, they ARE unaccompanied. Even if the homeless student lives with a relative, such as a grandparent, if that relative is not an actual legal guardian, then that homeless student is considered to be unaccompanied.

33. Important Notes! Once a student has been identified as homeless in a given school year, they should be considered homeless for the duration of that school year. Their homeless status can be re-evaluated at the start of the next school year. Similar to homeless status, once a homeless student has been identified as an unaccompanied youth, they should be considered so for the duration of the school year. The unaccompanied status of homeless students should be re- evaluated at the start of the next school year.

34. Identification of Homeless Status Should occur for every student at the start of each school year. Should occur whenever a student enrolls into a new district.

35. Identification of Homeless Status A district should have processes in place for identifying changes in homeless status for students who are ALREADY enrolled. For example, a student who starts the year not homeless could become homeless at a later point in the school year. ALL STAFF in the district need to know what to do if they learn that a student has recently become homeless. Not only teachers, counselors, and social workers, but also bus drivers, cafeteria workers, janitorial staff…everyone.

36. Identification of Homeless Status Student Residency Questionnaires (SRQ) can be helpful in identifying homeless status, especially at the start of a new school year or during enrollment to a new district. An SRQ is a brief series of questions that are designed to indicate when a student is likely to be homeless and, if so, identify their primary nighttime living situation and unaccompanied youth status. They can also be designed to indicate the proper code for both homeless and unaccompanied youth status. SRQs are guides and tools, they are not tests or binding legal documents. Often they are the first step in identification--additional questions might be necessary for a definitive determination.

37. Identification of Homeless Status SRQs are official school records and should be stored in accordance with the your district’s record retention policies and procedures. Contact the district staff in charge of record retention to determine the specific procedures in your district for keeping and storing SRQs. However, keep in mind that all SRQs must be retained—not only those that identify students as homeless. SRQs identifying students as NOT homeless must be retained, as well. The required retention period for all records is outlined in Local Schedule SD of the Local Records Retention Schedules, Texas State Library and Archives Commission: https://www.tsl.state.tx.us/slrm/recordspubs/sd.html Page 18 of this document specifies that a “MCKINNEY HOMELESS ASSISTANCE ACT STUDENT RECORD” must be maintained for 5 years. This would be 5 years after the creation of the record. An SRQ must be kept for 5 years after the SRQ is completed. It is possible that questions identifying homeless status could be included or incorporated into regular enrollment or registration forms. This document states that enrollment or registration forms must be maintained for 5 years after the date of withdrawal.

38. Identification of Homeless Status Many districts are adopting electronic registration processes. An SRQ can be incorporated into electronic registration. Some districts have added stand-alone questions to their registration process, some have created a separate section that functions similarly to an SRQ form.

39. Identification of Homeless Status A district’s homeless liaison and the staff responsible for managing the PEIMS homeless data need to be in communication with each other. Homeless liaisons should always know the numbers of students identified as homeless and homeless unaccompanied youth in PEIMS. The data in PEIMS should be very close to the numbers a homeless liaison expects—any significant discrepancies between what the liaison is expecting and the numbers that actually appear in PEIMS need to be investigated and understood. In the past, such discrepancies have led districts to revising their homeless identification and reporting processes and procedures.

40. Identification of Homeless Status Districts need to have accurate information about the numbers of homeless students they serve. This information needs to be take into consideration for planning purposes—there can be implications for everything from curriculum to physical plant operations. Accurate information about homeless students is critical for effective Title I planning. In addition, districts’ homeless student data as reported in PEIMS is used at all levels of local, regional, state, and national government.

41. Identification of Homeless Status An excellent, comprehensive guide to determining homeless status is the fact sheet, Determining Eligibility for Rights and Services Under the McKinney-Vento Act. This fact sheet is available on the THEO website at: http://www.utdanacenter.org/theo/downloads/factsheets/RP16_Det_eligibility.pdf

42. Identification of Homeless Status There are a series of fact sheets on the THEO website that address homeless education, the McKinney-Vento Act, the identification of homeless students—just about anything related to the education of homeless students. They can be found on this page: http://www.utdanacenter.org/theo/resources/factsheets.php PEIMS specific documents can be found on that page in the Identification of Homeless Students and School Enrollment section.

43. Important! A revised version of the PEIMS Data Standards, incorporating all fixes and updates, will be posted on the TEA website on August 31, 2015. The excerpts form the Data Standards in this presentation are all from the revised version that will appear on August 31 st.

44. Texas Homeless Education Office THEO www.utdanacenter.org/theo 800-446-3142 Patrick Lopez Senior Program Coordinator 512-475-9704 plopez@austin.utexas.edu