Do we really have homeless students here? Beth McCullough M.A., L.L.P. Homeless Education Liaison, Adrian Public Schools Lenawee County Homeless Education.

Do we really have homeless students here?

Beth McCullough M.A., L.L.P.

Homeless Education Liaison, Adrian Public Schools

Lenawee County Homeless Education Coordinator

Who is homeless??

The average age of a homeless person in America is:

9

What is the definition of homeless?

HUD (Housing and Urban Development) definition

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act definition

Head Start definition FAFSA definition

The McKinney-Vento definition: Students who lack a fixed, permanent

and adequate night time dwelling. Shelters, motels Cars, campers, abandoned buildings,

barns, sheds, outside Living with another family due to lack of

income or housing Awaiting foster care placement (the first

six months of a new foster care placement.)

Unaccompanied youth

Students who are homeless and living without a parent or guardian

Getting kicked out or choosing to leave does not affect status

“But that student has a good home.” “If they would just follow the rules.” “Shouldn’t he be in foster care?”

In the 2011-2012 school year Lenawee County public schools identified and served 671 homeless students.

7,500

14,875

22,673

31,133

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

# Enrolled

Homeless Students in Michigan

2007-082008-09

2009-102010-11

Lenawee County Statistics

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

2001-2002

2003-2004

2005-2006

2007-2008

2009-2010

2011-2012

2001-2002 1

2002-2003 61

2003-2004 160

2004-2005 314

2005-2006 340

2006-2007 356

2007-2008 376

2008-2009 414

2009-2010 508

2010-2011 603

2011-2012 671

School district breakdownAddison 39Adrian K-12 144Adrian Head Start 101Blissfield 32Britton/Deerfield 31Clinton 13Hudson 37Madison 51Morenci 31Onsted 36Sand Creek 9Tecumseh 76LISD 35Lenawee Prep 35Other homeless students 33

Total 671

Research has repeatedly demonstrated that a child will loose 4 – 6 months of academic progress when s/he changes schools in the middle of a school year.

Many homeless families report moving four or more times in a school year.

Students who change schools in the middle of one of their high school years are twice as likely to drop out as other students.

Free and Appropriate Public Education: Enrollment Decisions

Homeless students have the right to:

attend their school of origin and receive transportation to that school. The school they attended before homeless or The last school they were enrolled in

attend the school in the attendance area where they are homeless.

attend the school in dispute while going through the dispute resolution process.

McKinney-Vento provisions:

an immediate and barrier free enrollment even without birth certificate, immunization record,

proof of residency

immediate enrollment in free lunch program

transportation Title I set asides homeless liaison in every district

Lenawee 2011-2012 homeless liaisons:

Addison: Sue Ritchey (517) 547-6121 Adrian: Beth McCullough (517) 266-4529 Blissfield: Louise Keinath (517) 486-2148 ext:273 Britton-Deerfield: Wes Rickard (517)451-4581 ext:248 Clinton: Don Fry 517) 456-6504 Hudson: Karen Cheney (517) 448-8912 ext:: 336 Madison: Lisa Gentry (517) 265-1843

Morenci: Diana Fallot (517) 458-7502 Onsted: Dan Scholz (517) 467-2173 Sand Creek: Connie Younglove

(517) 436-3124 Tecumseh: Teri Hoeft (517) 424-7318 LISD: Jody Howard (517) 265-1682 Lenawee Prep. Deb Rhodaberger (517) 266-1917 

What is the role of the homeless education liaison? Verify the status of homelessness Ensure enrollment Arrange transportation to school of origin or

new school Sign free breakfast and lunch forms Make referrals for other services Books, school supplies, socks, shoes,

shampoo, soap, toothbrushes…

Case Study A seventeen year old, living with friends in

Adrian wants to enroll at Madison High School. She went there as a freshman.

She went to Adrian High School for a month this year and was dropped due to lack of attendance.

What does the law provide for her?

A Tecumseh family was evicted and is now living at a shelter in Adrian.

A fifteen year old falls asleep in class and is sent to the counselor. He reports sleeping in a hotel last night.

Letters sent home come back to the school stamped “addressee no longer lives here.” The secretary reaches the mother on her cell phone. The mother states there must be a mistake, she hasn’t moved and she will come pick up the mail.

A sixteen year old lives with his grandparents during the week so his attendance area will be in the school district he wants to play football in. On the weekends he goes home to live with his parents, who live in a different school district.

A seventeen year old girl asks her school counselor what form she needs to fill out because she is going to go live with her boyfriend in a neighboring school district and will be attending school there.

A family, with four children attending Blissfield schools, was evicted. They moved into a shelter in Adrian. Six weeks later they found an apartment in Madison school district.

The Role of School

“What homeless children need most of all is a home…but while they are experiencing homelessness, what they need most is to remain in school. School is one of the few stable, secure places in the lives of homeless children and youth --- a place where they can acquire the skills they need to help them escape poverty.”

National Coalition for the Homeless