Kids Without Homes: A School District Responds

Kids Without Homes:A School District

Responds

Wichita Falls ISDHomeless Education

Training

Contact Information

• Name: Emily Valverde, LBSW

• Office Phone: (940) 235-1032x16036• Email: [email protected]

Homeless Education Coordinator / School Social Worker

District Homeless Liaison

•Sherry Lindemann

•Office Phone: (940) 235-1026x15031

•Email: [email protected]

The younger the child, the more likely he or she is to live in poverty.

Percentage of Texas Children Living in Poverty

Troubling Statistics

Homeless Children in Texas

Current Estimate

140,000+

Homeless Statistics in Wichita Falls

Number of Identified Homeless Students for 2008-2009 School Year:

306

Number of Identified Homeless Students for 2009-2010 to date:

167

Stereotypes of Homelessness

Why do people Why do people become homeless?become homeless?

PovertyPovertyLack of affordable housingLack of affordable housing

Loss of jobLoss of jobEconomic hardshipsEconomic hardships

Who is Who is homeless?homeless?The Federal The Federal

McKinney-Vento McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Homeless Assistance Act Says that children and Says that children and youth whoyouth who lack lack a fixed, regular, and a fixed, regular, and adequate adequate nighttime residencenighttime residence are homeless.are homeless.

The McKinney-Vento Act

The definition of homelesschildren and youth

includes“unaccompanied youth”

notliving with a parent or

legal guardian.

Who is homeless??• Families living in doubled-Families living in doubled-

up situationsup situations• Families living in a Families living in a

hotel/motelhotel/motel• Families or Children living Families or Children living

in shelters-Faith Mission, in shelters-Faith Mission, Children’s Home, Teen Children’s Home, Teen Shelter, First StepShelter, First Step

• Families moving from place Families moving from place to placeto place

• Unaccompanied youthUnaccompanied youth

Who is Who is homelesshomeless??

•Families staying in Families staying in locations not designed for locations not designed for ordinary sleeping ordinary sleeping accommodations such as a accommodations such as a car or the parkcar or the park•Children who have been Children who have been informally placed outside informally placed outside their home, not living with their home, not living with a biological parent.a biological parent.

Life is difficult for our homeless students

Increasing Awareness

• Transient / unstable lifestyle• Living in crowded conditions• Frequently changing schools• Inadequate personal hygiene • Shabby or unclean clothing• Poor health / nutrition• Emotional and social difficulties

Stress Factors include:

Federal Law

defines and protects the rights of homeless students to enroll in, attend, and succeed in our public schools

The McKinney-VentoHomeless Assistance Act

Texas Education Code

specifies that a student who is homeless is entitled to admission in any Texas school district

Chapter 25 of the Texas Education Code

The McKinney-Vento Act

• Educational Stability

What you must know about the law:

• Transportation

• Immediate Enrollment

The McKinney-Vento Act

• Immediate Enrollment

Key Provisions of the Law

• Choice of Schools

• Transportation

• Services

• Dispute Resolution

Making a Difference

• Direct Assistance

• Indirect Assistance

Ways You Can Assist Our Students in Homeless Situations

Identifying students in homeless situations

The law requires all school districts

to identify students in homeless

situations. Identifying students in

homeless situations is also an

important way to create greater

awareness of homelessness in the

school district and community.

Identification

Identification

Student Residency Questionnaires

(SRQ)

SRQ’s are designed to assist with

identification of students who

might be in homeless situations.

All students, OLD and NEW, must

fill out an SRQ form.

IdentificationAs we all know, living situations

may change several times for some of our kids during the

school year. School Staff are the eyes and ears when it comes toIdentification. When you hearthat a living situation might

have changed, go talk to your

campuses homeless contact.

Assisting our Homeless Students

• Professional development• Identification

• Immediate assistance

• Continuing care

• Expanding outreach

• Effective communications

can make a difference!You

Online Resources

• Correspondence list for Administrators

TEA Online

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/

• Subscribe to TEA listservs at:http://www.tea.state.tx.us/list/

Online Resources

USDE Online

http://www.ed.gov/

• NCLB legislation• NCLB regulations• NCLB policy guidelines• Federal Register Notes • NCLB resources• Grant competitions

Main web page links to: