**Parent, Family and Community Engagement in Title I, Part D and Education for Homeless Children and Youth Programs**

The following are mentions of parent involvement or family and community engagement in the Title I, Part D and McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Programs organized by statute, non-regulatory guidance and technical assistance.

I. **Title I, Part D Program**

A. **Statutory Citations:**

1. Section 1414(c)(14) under “State Agency Applications” states: ‘‘(14) provides assurances that the State agency will work with parents to secure parents’ assistance in improving the educational achievement of their children and youth, and preventing their children’s and youth’s further involvement in delinquent activities;

2. Section 1423 (8) under “Local Educational Agency Applications” states:  ‘‘(8) as appropriate, a description of how the program will involve parents in efforts to improve the educational achievement of their children, assist in dropout prevention activities, and prevent the involvement of their children in delinquent activities;

3. Section 1425 (8) under “Program Requirements for Correctional Facilities Receiving Funds Under this Section” states:  Each correctional facility entering into an agreement with a local educational agency under section 1423(2) to provide services to children and youth under this subpart shall—(8) where feasible, involve parents in efforts to improve the educational achievement of their children and prevent the further involvement of such children in delinquent activities;

4. Note:  Two of the three purposes of the Part D program could easily involve community engagement for N or D youth transitioning to schooling or employment and for dropout and delinquency prevention efforts. Therefore, many State Agency and Local Educational Agency application requirements could involve community engagement. Transition services outlined under Section 1418 are allowed to be contracted by State agencies to private nonprofit organizations, for example. 

B. **Non-Regulatory Guidance**

1. Section I, under State Agency programs, has one question concerning Parent Involvement, stating that distance may be a factor limiting the involvement of parents but they still must give parents the opportunity to participate in their children’s educational plans and if that is not practicable, a person such as an instructional staff member may act in place of the parent.

2. Question K-2 under Transition Services, mentions that parent involvement activities and parent counseling may be funded under the 15%-30% reservation of State agency funds for transition services.

3. There is no mention of parent involvement in our Subpart 2 Guidance, but question N-3 mentions that “pregnant and parenting youth through the age of 21” are eligible to receive Subpart 2 services. 

C. **Technical Assistance**

1. NDTAC has two products addressing family involvement for students in Title I, Part D programs and juvenile correctional facilities in general.

a. “A Family Guide to Getting Involved with Correctional Education” came out in 2008 and has two halves:  one written for program administrators and one written for family members.

b. “Working with Families of Children in the Juvenile Justice and Corrections Systems: A Guide for Education Program Leaders, Principals, and Building Administrators” came out somewhat earlier (2007?)

c. NDTAC has webpages, a Webinar and other resources on parent involvement available for view or download at http://www.neglected-delinquent.org/nd/resources/library/family_involvement.asp

II. **McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program**

A. **Statutory citations**

1. While applicable only to parents of homeless students in four exempted counties in California and Arizona that can offer segregated publicly-funded regular academic programs for homeless children and youth, Section 722 (e)(3)(C)(i) requires that schools:

(i) provide written notice, at the time any child or youth seeks enrollment in such school, and at least twice annually while the child or youth is enrolled in such school, to the parent or guardian of the child or youth (or, in the case of an unaccompanied youth, the youth) that--

(I) shall be signed by the parent or guardian (or, in the case of an unaccompanied youth, the youth);

(II) sets forth the general rights provided under this subtitle;

(III) specifically states--

(aa) the choice of schools homeless children and youths are eligible to attend, as

provided in subsection (g)(3)(A);

bb) that no homeless child or youth is required to attend a separate school for homeless children or youths;

(cc) that homeless children and youths shall be provided comparable services described in subsection (g)(4), including transportation services, educational services, and meals through school meals programs; and

(dd) that homeless children and youths should not be stigmatized by school personnel; and

(IV) provides contact information for the local liaison for homeless children and youths and the State Coordinator for Education of Homeless Children and Youths;

(ii)(I) provide assistance to the parent or guardian of each homeless child or youth (or, in the case of an unaccompanied youth, the youth) to exercise the right to attend the parent's or guardian's (or youth's) choice of schools, as provided in subsection (g)(3)(A); and

(II) coordinate with the local educational agency with jurisdiction for the school selected by the parent or guardian (or youth), to provide transportation and other necessary services;

(iii) ensure that the parent or guardian (or, in the case of an unaccompanied youth, the youth) shall receive the information required by this subparagraph in a manner and form understandable to such parent or guardian (or youth), including, if necessary and to the extent feasible, in the native language of such parent or guardian (or youth);

2. Section 722(g)(5) & (6) outline the coordination duties of local educational agencies and liaisons and mention parents and families of homeless children and youth in several locations. They include providing information on services funded under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (now the HEARTH Act except for EHCY) and the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act; educational and related opportunities for which they are eligible or are otherwise available and meaningful opportunities for parents to participate in the education of their children. Some of this outreach is a kind of community engagement;  

3. Section 723(d)(10) mentions that LEA subgrants can use their funds for “the provision of education and training to the parents of homeless children and youths about the rights of, and resources available to, such children and youths.”

B. **Non-regulatory Guidance**

1. Question F-2 underscores the duties cited above of a local liaison for homeless children and youth to inform parents of, including transportation services.

2. A box at the end of Section M on “Coordination with Title I, Part A of the ESEA” recommends as a strategy to “include homeless parents in Title I parental involvement policies and create opportunities for parents to be involved”.

C. **Technical Assistance**

1. NCHE has created a booklet and poster for parents on the educational rights of children who are homeless, available in English and Spanish for free for up to 20 copies per school (and for a modest fee beyond those quantities).

2. The pdfs for the booklet and poster as well as links to other resources are available at http://center.serve.org/nche/ibt/parent_inv.php