WELCOME BACK Federal Programs/Student Services Overview Paula Wax, Director of Federal Programs

AGENDA FOR TODAY HOMELESS OVERVIEW ELL PROCEDURES ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL CHANGES QUESTIONS AND ANSWER SESSION

Title X: McKinney-Vento Homeless Education The primary piece of federal legislation dealing with the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness in U.S. public schools. It was reauthorized as Title X, Part C, of the No Child Left Behind Act in January 2002. Mississippi Department of Education Office of Federal Programs National Center for Homeless Education www.serve.org/nche

PROGRAM OVERVIEW The McKinney-Vento program is designed to address the problems that students experiencing homelessness face in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school. The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) must ensure that each homeless child has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as other children and youth. MDE and local districts are required to undertake steps to revise laws, regulations, practices, or policies that may act as barriers to the enrollment, attendance, or success in school of homeless children and youth.

Some important concepts are: Eligibility Immediate Enrollment “Attending classes and fully participating in school activities” School Selection Feasibility Transportation Unaccompanied youth Coordination with Title I, Part A

Who Qualifies Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason (“doubling up”)-due to economic hardship, loss of housing, etc… Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds due to the lack of adequate alternative accommodations Living in emergency or transitional shelters Abandoned in hospitals 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 a similar setting Migratory children living in the above circumstances Awaiting foster care placement

The School’s Charge Schools first and foremost are educational agencies Primary responsibility is to enroll and educate students Do not need to agree with all aspects of a student’s home life in order to educate the student

DETERMINIG ELIGIBILITY Made on a case by case basis by examining living arrangements of each child or youth Some instances will be clear-cut, others will require further inquiry and then a judgment call (3 guiding principals) Fixed (stationary , permanent) Regular (predictable, routine, nightly) Adequate (typical home environment)

DISPUTE RESOLUTION Whenever a dispute arises, the parent, guardian, or youth must be provided with a written explanation of the school’s decision, including the right to appeal. The school must refer the parent, guardian, or youth to the local liaison to carry out the dispute resolution process as expeditiously as possible, in accordance with the state plan.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION (CONT.) While a dispute is being resolved, the student must be admitted immediately into the requested school and provided with services. Documentation should be kept for all local liaison interventions with parents, and not just formal disputes.

• Don’t have a fixed, regular and adequate place to sleep = covered. Is my child (or am I) covered by the McKinney-Vento Act? (Do we meet the definition of “homeless”?) Hints: • Don’t have a fixed, regular and adequate place to sleep = covered. • Sharing housing because you lost your housing, can’t afford a home, or a similar reason = covered. • Living in a motel, hotel, trailer park or campground because you don’t have another place to stay = covered. • Living in an emergency or transitional shelter, car, park, public place, abandoned building, substandard housing, bus or train station = covered. • Sleeping in a place that’s not supposed to be a sleeping place = covered. • Waiting for foster care placement = covered.

ELL English Language Learners Upon registration EACH student should fill out a home language survey Notify the District Test Coordinator within 5 days of students enrollment- 2 days if after school begins We administer WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment) TransAct is the program we use for translation http://www.transact.com/

QUESTIONS Q AND A SESSION