# EDUCATION FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN

**AND YOUTH PROGRAM**

# TITLE VII, SUBTITLE B

# of the

# McKINNEY-VENTO HOMELESS ASSISTANCE ACT

# REPORT TO CONGRESS   

## FISCAL YEAR 2000

**This report is written in accordance with Section 722(f)(4) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Title VII-B (42 USC 11431 et seq.)**

###           UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

**OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION**

#   Report to Congress

Fiscal Year 2000

EDUCATION FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN AND YOUTH

# TABLE OF CONTENTS

IntroductionPage 3

Education for Homeless Children and YouthPage 4

Summary of Data Included in SEA ReportsPage 4

Barriers to the Education of Homeless Children and YouthPage 6

LEA Strategies to Remove BarriersPage 6

Year 2000 Nationwide Status of Homeless EducationPage 9

### Appendices

Table 1 -   Number of Homeless Children and Youth by Pages 13-14

     Grade Level - Estimated Totals, Enrolled and

     Regularly Attending School

Table 2 -  Primary Nighttime Residence ofPages 15-16

                Homeless Children and Youth 

#              REPORT TO CONGRESS

**AGENCY:**U.S. Department of Education

**PROGRAM:**Education for Homeless Children and Youth

**STATUTE:**McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Title VII-B (42 USC 11431 etseq.)

**SUBJECT:**A compilation of the reports submitted by States in accordance with Section 722(f)(4) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

#### INTRODUCTION

In accordance with Section 722(f)(4) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, State educational agencies (SEAs) are instructed to submit reports to the Secretary every three years that include:

1. Estimates of the number and location of homeless children and youth in the States,

2. Comprehensive information on the nature and extent of the problems and barriers homeless children and youth experience in gaining access to public preschool programs and to public elementary and secondary schools, and 

3. The difficulties in identifying the special needs of homeless children and youth, any progress made in the States in addressing such problems and difficulties, and the States' success in allowing homeless children and youth to enroll in, attend, and succeed in school. 

State educational agencies (SEAs) in the 50 States, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands received fiscal year (FY) 2000 funds under this program. All States receiving program funds submitted reports to the Department.  The District of Columbia is not included since the District has declined federal funds administered under this program. The Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands did not submit reports since they receive funds through a consolidated grants system. 

The Department’s prior reports to Congress stated that due to problems with gathering data on homeless children and youth, the information contained in the reports should be viewed with caution.  In spite of efforts by the Department and the States, the problems associated with identification, duplication, extrapolation, and differing State definitions of homelessness continue.  We advise, therefore, that the information contained in this report also be viewed cautiously as estimates rather than as precise numbers.  For the purposes of the most recent data collection, the Department requested that States provide an estimate of the following: (1) total number of homeless children and youth by grade level; (2) the number of homeless children and youth enrolled in public school by grade level; (3) the number of homeless children and youth regularly attending school by grade level; and (4) the primary nighttime residence of homeless children and youth.    

**Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program**

The intent of the Education for Homeless Children and Youth program, Title VII-B of the  McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, is to ensure that all homeless children and youth have access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public pre-school education, as provided to other children and youth. The Act calls on States to review and revise their laws and policies to eliminate barriers to the enrollment, attendance, and success in school of homeless children and youth and to include homeless students in the mainstream school environment.

Title VII-B grant funds are allocated to SEAs in order to support their State Office of Coordinator of Education of Homeless Children and Youth. The Coordinator facilitates communication and collaboration of the State educational agency (SEA) and other public and private agencies and organizations providing services to homeless children and youth and their families, in order to improve the provision of such services. States award subgrants to local educational agencies (LEAs) on the basis of need.

LEA subgrantees are required to establish or designate a homeless liaison within the school district. The liaison ensures that homeless children and youth enroll in and succeed in school, and that the children and their families receive educational services and referrals to health, dental, and mental health care and other services as appropriate. LEAs are required to develop, review, and revise policies to eliminate barriers to the enrollment, attendance, and success in school of homeless children and youth.  All school districts are required to eliminate barriers to ensure access to and success in educational opportunities for homeless children and youth, regardless whether they receive funds under McKinney-Vento.

**SUMMARY OF DATA INCLUDED IN SEA REPORTS**

This report compiles data submitted by States regarding the total number of homeless children and youth.  The figures are only estimates.  States and LEAs employ a wide variety of data-collection methodologies. For example, States do not collect data at the same time of the year. Data are not consistently collected by grade level. Not all school districts report data to their SEA and some States extrapolate their data. Despite these significant data limitations, the data can help identify important questions and issues related to the needs of homeless children and youth. 

**Key Findings**

The greatest reported numbers of homeless children are at the preschool and elementary school levels. The lower numbers reported for junior high and high school may be due, in part, to difficulties in identifying older children and youth.  Approximately 67 percent of identified homeless children and youth (Pre-K - 12) are enrolled in school. The low number of enrolled preschool age homeless children (40,265) suggests that this is an age group that is greatly underserved.  Excluding preschool, the data show that 87 percent of homeless children and youth (K-12) are enrolled.  Approximately 77 percent of homeless children and youth (K-12) attend school regularly.  The vast majority of homeless children and youth identified in the State reports live in shelters, doubled up with friends or relatives, or in other situations such as motels and campgrounds. 

**States’ Goals for Homeless Education**

The following are the most commonly reported goals in homeless education reported by State coordinators:

1. Ensure access to free and appropriate education for homeless students.

2. Form successful interagency collaborations to coordinate services.

3. Provide technical assistance to school districts.

4. Increase awareness of issues surrounding homelessness.

5. Review and revise laws, regulations, and policies related to the education of homeless children and youth.

6. Provide transportation for homeless children to attend school and before- and after-school activities.

7. Implement a data collection system for identifying and tracking homeless students.

Reported reasons for why the above-mentioned goals have not been met include:

1.     Staff turnover in school districts, schools, and local agencies.

2.     Lack of awareness of the needs of homeless children and youth and their      

          families.

3.     Difficulty in identifying homeless children.

4.     More homeless students than staff are able to serve effectively.

5.     Limited funding.

###### BARRIERS TO THE EDUCATION OF HOMELESS CHILDREN AND YOUTH

State and local policies are designed to protect children, but sometimes make it more difficult for homeless children and youth to succeed academically. The following is a listing of frequent problems reported by State coordinators that homeless students face in attempting to enroll in school and attend school regularly.

**Barrier****Number of States Reporting**

Transportation28

Immunization requirements25

Residency requirements24

Providing birth certificates22

Legal guardianship requirements          22

Lack of preschool programs19

Lack of availability of school records18

Physical examination requirements14

# LEA STRATEGIES TO REMOVE BARRIERS  

LEAs are required to develop, review, and revise policies to eliminate barriers to the enrollment, attendance, and success in school of homeless children and youth.  The following is a list of reported strategies utilized to promote academic success for homeless students.

1.  Facilitating immediate enrollment of homeless children and youth by

a) providing a temporary waiver for enrollment documentation;

b) providing a liaison to assist parents with finding records;

c) instituting a State law which provides a 30-day grace period for providing documentation required by the school; 

d) instituting a State law which allows the family/ school to appoint a guardian for the children in cases where the parent is absent;

e) allowing homeless pre-kindergarten students immediate enrollment.

2.  Allowing children to remain in their school of origin prior to their episode of    homelessness.

3.  Increasing homelessness awareness by

a) providing staff development to school personnel;

b) disseminating information to the public about homeless children and youth;

c) hosting a web page on homeless education on SEA websites; 

d) presenting at conferences.

4.  Strengthening homeless education programs by

a) conducting site visits to programs supported with McKinney-Vento funds;

b) distributing publications, manuals, and guidance to district homeless education coordinators and key school staff;

c) designating a homeless education liaison in every district; 

d) creating partnerships for LEA, SEA, and agency coordination.

5.  Passing State legislation that supports the educational needs of homeless         children and youth.

6.   Conducting State level and district level policy reviews and revisions.

### Unique Needs of Homeless Children and Youth

Homeless children and youth require direct and indirect services to ensure optimal academic success. The following is a list of the needs of homeless children and their programming requirements most often reported by SEAs. 

**Major NeedNumber of States Reporting**

Tutoring / Remedial39

Parent Training34

Medical Services33

Counseling33

Transportation33

## Agency Coordination29

Preschool Programs28

## Free lunch / breakfast27

Staff development24

School Supplies 22

Case Management21

##### Federal Programs that Homeless Students Have Difficulty Accessing

Schools must provide services to homeless children and youth that are comparable to services offered to other students.  Most federal education programs are required to serve homeless students; however, many States report that homeless students have difficulty accessing these programs.

#### Challenges and Solutions to Removing Access Problems

Following are the most frequently cited challenges for homeless children and youth to access federal programs and strategies for addressing the challenges, as well as strategies and policies that States and districts are using to overcome these challenges.  Rural districts in particular report that programs such as Head Start, Even Start, and Adult and Vocational Education are frequently unavailable and limited in their resources and enrollment capacity.  High mobility poses difficulties in identifying homeless children and testing them and accessing records from their prior school so that they may receive services before their family moves again.

####  YEAR 2000 NATIONWIDE STATUS OF HOMELESS EDUCATION

**Number of Homeless Children and Youth**

· The estimated number of homeless children and youth (PreK-12) has increased from approximately 841,700 reported in 1997 to 930,200 reported in 2000.

· Preschool and elementary age children comprise the largest numbers of homeless children reported by the SEAs.

· Year 2000 data show that approximately 87 percent of school age homeless children and youth (K-12) are enrolled in school. These figures are not a significant change from the 1997 data.

· Year 2000 data show that approximately 77 percent of school age homeless children and youth (K-12) attend school regularly. These data show a significant change from the 1997 data which indicated that only 55 percent of school age homeless children and youth attended school regularly.

· Only 15 percent of preschool age homeless children are enrolled in school programs. These data suggests that preschool age homeless children are greatly underserved by homeless education programs.

**Issues in Homeless Education**

· Transportation remains the biggest barrier for homeless children enrolling in school and accessing available programs and services. Transportation issues include transporting children to and from school and before- and after-school activities. Ensuring that homeless children may remain in their school of origin (the school they attended before their homelessness) create additional transportation challenges. 

· Many schools and communities are unaware of those who are homeless, the number of homeless in their community, and what their needs are. 

· School district policies frequently pose enrollment barriers for homeless children and youth. Children and parents who are highly mobile generally do not carry immunization records, birth certificates, and proof of guardianship, and schools experience delays in transferring records. As a result, in many districts, children in homeless families are turned away from a new school until these issues are resolved. Without sufficient advocacy, many homeless children experience extended disruptions in their education. 

· Homeless children often need greater access to federal and State programs. Many homeless children are unable to participate in programs due to challenges created by high mobility. Homeless children are frequently isolated from programs that other eligible children can access easily.

**Strategies for Addressing Issues in Homeless Education**

· Efforts to increase awareness hold much promise for sensitizing communities and schools to the needs of homeless children and youth. As school and school district personnel better understand the needs of homeless children and youth, they implement policies and practices that ensure access to school and support for success in school. Many State and local homeless education coordinators conduct extensive awareness activities.

· State coordinators use a variety of methods to ensure that schools and school districts understand and uphold the McKinney-Vento Act. Information dissemination activities include the publication of guidances and manuals, holding State conferences for homeless education, and providing web pages on SEA websites. Several State coordinators visit McKinney-Vento program sites and offer assistance in program evaluation. Several States have designated a homeless education contact in all districts, not just those with McKinney-Vento programs.

· Interagency collaboration is key to meeting the needs of homeless children and youth. School districts that collaborate with local agencies and shelters are able to provide comprehensive services that are continuous and non-duplicative. State homeless coalitions reinforce statewide collaboration. 

**Appendices**

**Table 1: Homeless Children and Youth By Grade Level - Estimated Totals, and Numbers Enrolled and Regularly Attending School**

  - Data not provided

   2 Only 34 school districts responded

  3 Data extrapolated based on 85.5% of identified homeless children and youth

  4  State tracking system does not follow homeless students once enrolled

     -  Data not provided

    5   State tracking system does not follow homeless students once enrolled

    6  State survey did not ask how many homeless children were enrolled in public schools

**TABLE 2: Primary Nighttime Residence of Homeless Children and Youth**

2000 Report to Congress on Homeless Education				

2000 Report to Congress on Homeless Education

� In reauthorizing the Act in 1999, Congress recognized the problems inherent with these data.  States now provide estimates of the numbers of homeless children and youth in their States.

 -  Data not provided.

      7 Only 34 school districts responded

8 Data was reported by percentages; shelters-23%; doubled-up-75%; unsheltered-2%.

9 Data was requested but was not consistently reported by school districts.

- Data not provided.

14

2