Working with Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness by Ali Goodwin https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh Legal and Ethical Guide en-us 2021-07-19 20:35:03 UTC 2021-07-23 13:48:18 UTC hello@padlet.com Slide #1 Professional Perspective agoodwin71 https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1655111071 As a future public school counselor and current public school educator is important to be knowledgable in the kinds of lives our students live outside of school and what kinds of lawful protections they have. It is essential to know the rights of homeless students and their families so that we know how to advocate for these students when they are in our care. It is essential for educators to know the rights and laws that protect our homeless students and for the students and families to understand how they are protected. The information in this guide will serve those working in the public school system as well as students and families that might find themselves in homelessness. ]]> 2021-07-19 21:15:52 UTC https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1655111071 Slide #2 Summary of Topic agoodwin71 https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1655122867 The employment status and source of income is changing for families across the country on a daily basis. When income decreases, or disappears, the first thing to go is usually the most expensive payment and in many cases, that is housing. Families and students that fall on economic hardships have government protection and rights. The definition of homelessness is so broad that many families may not realize they qualify for any benefits. 

Housing changes and living status can have direct impact on a students' education, especially in the ever changing world of the pandemic. It is imperative that teachers know the signs of homelessness in students so that proper help and advocacy can be provided to the students. Counselors, administrators and school staff must be knowledgeable in the rights of homeless students so that these students may receive the help and exceptions they need to be successful. It is believed that the only way to end homelessness is through education. These students need to receive an equal opportunity to education to help end cyclical homelessness. ]]> 2021-07-19 21:38:41 UTC https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1655122867 Slide #3 Professional Association agoodwin71 https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1655236102 School House Connection is a non-profit organization that partners with early childhood centers, schools, and higher institutions to provide strategic advocacy and practical assistance to children, youth and their families that are experiencing homelessness (SchoolHouse Connection, 2020). The following document is a list of vital considerations to assist states and school districts to provide equal education when reopening schools to students experiencing homelessness, especially new homelessness after the pandemic (SchoolHouse Connection, 2021). In addition to the standard requirements for students to be considered for homeless services, the document mentions additional issues that students may be facing due to the pandemic. It is estimated that an estimated 420,000 fewer students have been identified and enrolled in schools since the pandemic (SchoolHouse Connection, 2021).

SchoolHouse Connection. (2021). School reopening and recovery. School House Connection. https://schoolhouseconnection.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/School-Reopening-and-Recovery.pdf

SchoolHouse Connection. (2020). About schoolhouse connection. School House Connection. https://schoolhouseconnection.org/about/about-schoolhouse-connection/]]> 2021-07-20 00:18:22 UTC https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1655236102 Slide #4 Current News Article agoodwin71 https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1657541593 Writing for Education Week, Evie Blad (2021), wrote an article about how school districts have been given more money to support and provide aid for homeless students, but one of the biggest issues is that due to the pandemic these students are harder to identify. In the article she outlines some ways that organizations and districts are planning to identify and support these students this school year. 
  • School districts are under a lot of pressure to identify students and decide how new federal funds will be spent most efficiently. It is expected that there will be a new wave of homeless students when the government ends the moratorium and families are required to come up with rent or face eviction. 
  • Congress required that much of the American Rescue Plan be used to identify and support children, youth and families experiencing homelessness. The $800 million in this plan is eight times more than what is received each year through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Program; a federal program that helps school districts identify and support homeless students. 
  • Federal Funds are typically spent on things like field trips, tutoring and transportation. Flexible funds give homeless student liaisons the ability to spend money on practical barriers that students encounter like the need of shoes or clothing. With more funding than normal, some are having a difficult time figuring out how to spend the money, while others are buying wifi hotspots, paying for more mental health counseling and services and some are even trying to figure out how to pay for emergency hotel stays for families, but all are trying to figure out how to keep these students on track academically. 
  • Some families may not realize that they would qualify for assistance due to the definition of homelessness being so broad. School districts were reporting lower numbers of homeless students during the pandemic simply because they were falling off the radar. Program coordinators and liaisons are hoping funds can be used for hiring more help from social workers to help identify homeless students more quickly to provide them aid. If districts are showing ways of effectively spending the funds, they are hoping the funds will find a more permanent place in the budget. 

Blad, Evie. (2021). As schools weigh how to use new aid for homeless students, finding them is step one. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/as-schools-weigh-how-to-use-new-aid-for-homeless-students-finding-them-is-step-one/2021/04


]]> 2021-07-21 23:35:34 UTC https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1657541593 Slide #5 Current News Article agoodwin71 https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1658372902 Linda Jacobson wrote in an article in 2018 discussing how teacher prep programs are not providing any type of training to future educators on how to identify the signs of homelessness in students, and how needed it is in today's society. 
  • Educators are seeing that students as young as pre-schoolers, are coming to school more stressed and anxious, unable to self-soothe, and sometimes aggressive due to constant transition of living in homelessness and are needing more support to learn how to cope and manage their emotions. 
  • With the population of homeless students increasing every year, educators need to know how to identify the effects of homelessness in their classrooms. Higher education institutions are beginning to realize that they are not preparing their future educators with the knowledge and tools they need to do this. 
  • Educators and those working with students have to recognize that a big part is building relationships with students, as cliche as it sounds. Teachers need to value the parents and their knowledge and expertise of their children and their needs. We hold no power over these parents and families. 
  • When children lose their homes, they are losing all sense of consistency and routines outside of school, so it is important that they have consistency and routine when they are at school. 
  • It is important for educators to be trauma-informed and provide trauma-informed education in their classrooms, but the best way to give students what they need is to to learn from each other because as educators and advocates, we are all in this together. 

Jacobson, Linda. (2018). Teacher prep beginning to address growing homeless student population. K-12Dive. https://www.k12dive.com/news/teacher-prep-beginning-to-address-growing-homeless-student-population/544469/
]]> 2021-07-22 14:37:43 UTC https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1658372902 Slide #6 Statutory Law- McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act agoodwin71 https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1658413232 The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act was originally signed in 1987 by President Reagan and amended in 2015 by President Obama with the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act. 
  • This statute defines homelessness for children and youth who may be sharing sharing housing with someone else due to loss of housing, economic hardship, living in motels, hotels, and trailer parks, because of a lack of adequate accommodations, children that live in a public or private space not designed or used for sleeping, or live in places such as cars, parks and substandard housing (McKinney-Vento Act, 1987). 
  • At the state level, every state must have a designated official that can provide information and answer questions for families, provide training for liaisons, and monitor that educational agencies are following and enforcing laws and regulations (SchoolHouse Connection, 2020).
  • Every educational entity must have a designated person for homeless students that is able to identify homeless students and make sure they enroll in school, receive verification for financial aid, ensure that homeless students are getting necessary medical referrals including mental health, and provide information to families (SchoolHouse Connection, 2020).
  • The Act allows requires that homeless students be enrolled in schools as soon as possible even if they lack required paperwork, allows students to stay at their home school and also receive transportation even if they gain permanent housing in the middle of the year. The Act allows barriers to be removed that could be preventing a student from receiving partial credit for a course. (SchoolHouse Connection, 2020). 
  • If Title I funds are received, part of the funds must be reserved to support homeless students and be spent in a way that Title I funds are not normally spent (SchoolHouse Connection). 

SchoolHouse Connection. (2020). The McKinney-Vento quick reference. SchoolHouse Connection. https://schoolhouseconnection.org/mckinney-vento-act/

McKinney-Vento Act of 1987, 42 U.S.C. §11434 et seq. 
]]> 2021-07-22 15:20:08 UTC https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1658413232 Slide #7 Administrative Law- Adaptations for Special Populations agoodwin71 https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1658972925 According to the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) under the development of systems to ease transitions and establish procedures, school districts and open enrollment charter schools in Texas are required to develop plans to assist in the transition of homeless students and those in substitute care.

  • Students must be provided with information about school administration including contact information for the principal, assistant principal, counselor, homeless liaison, foster care liaison nurses and social workers, as well as information about school activities including clubs, sports, organizations, and tutoring.
  • Procedures must be in place to ensure that qualifying students are receiving nutrition benefits immediately after enrollment. All homeless students are eligible for the United States Department of Agriculture Child Nutrition Programs.
  • Students are required to participate in an enrollment conference no more than two weeks after enrollment or homeless identification to discuss things such as, but not limited to, class credit, attendance, behaviors, college readiness and social and emotional support. The conference team should consist of administrators, teachers, counselors, drop-out prevention specialists, homeless liaison and a parent or guardian.

Adaptations for Special Populations, 19 Tex. Admin. Code §89.1605
]]> 2021-07-23 02:50:49 UTC https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1658972925 Slide #8 Statutory Law- Students that are At Risk of Dropping Out agoodwin71 https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1659031154 In Texas, any student that is under the age of 26 and homeless is considered “at-risk of dropping out” (Tex. Educ. Code §29.081 (d)).

  • Students that are at-risk of dropping out are sometimes eligible for optional flexible school day programs (Tex. Educ. Code §29.0822). This would benefit students that need to work in order to help provide income for their families. 
  • A school district may provide free pre kindergarten classes if the district is able to identify 15 or more eligible children under the age of 3, including homeless children, regardless of residence of the child, parent or guardian (Tex. Educ. Code §29.153).
  • School districts may create a drop out reduction program in which funds are used to create a program that provides services to a population of students where at least 50 percent of students are identified as at-risk of dropping out (Tex. Educ. Code §29.096).

Tex. Educ. Code §29.0822
Tex. Educ. Code §29.096
Tex. Educ. Code §29.153

]]> 2021-07-23 03:46:49 UTC https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1659031154 Slide #9 Judicial Law- N.J. v New York State Education Department agoodwin71 https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1659079600 In 2009 a single mother and her two minor children lost their home to a fire in New York State. The mother alleged that the school district denied the rights of her now homeless children by denying them rights of a free public education, violating the McKinney-Vento Act.
  • At the time of the fire, both students were attending school in the same school district, the district closest to where they lived. After the fire, the mother rented an apartment in the same neighborhood and the students continued attending their home schools (N.J. v. New York Department of Education, 2011).
  • In the summer of 2011, the mother and her students moved into an apartment with the mothers boyfriend in a neighborhood outside of their school district. The two children slept on sofas in the basement of the apartment. The mother claimed that this apartment was not permanent, it was “a temporary situation necessitated by economic hardship” (N.J. v. New York Department of Education, 201, para. 21).
  • The school district found out in September 2011 that the students were no longer living within the school district. A residency meeting was held and the mother claimed they did not have a permanent address. As a result of the residency meeting, the district concluded that the family was not residents of the district and therefore, the students would be unenrolled from the school district (N.J. v. New York Department of Education, 2011).
  • The mother claimed that disenrolling the students from the district was going against their rights of homeless students under the McKinney-Vento Act. The act gives homeless students the right to attend school at their home school, or campus of origin, for the remainder of the school year even if their new housing situation is outside of the district. (N.J. v. New York Department of Education, 2011). 
  • The court concluded that the school district was prohibited, under the McKinney-Vento Act, from unenrolling the students from their schools. It was ordered that the school district arrange transportation services for the students to their respective schools under the obligations of the district under the McKinney-Vento Act (N.J. v. New York Department of Education, 2011).

N.J. v. New York Department of Education, 2011

]]> 2021-07-23 04:39:04 UTC https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1659079600 Slide #10 Local Administrative Law/Policy/Rule agoodwin71 https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1659082226 Lubbock-Cooper Independent School District (LCISD) homeless students flexibility in some district provisions.
  • Homeless students enrolling in LCISD are given flexibility in providing proper documentation for proof of residency, immunizations, educational program placement if the student is not able to provide previous academic records. A homeless student may stay in their home school or enroll in a school in the attendance area where they are currently living (Lubbock-Cooper Independent School District, 2020). 
  • At any point in the school year students may be given opportunities for credit-by-examination, and may be given partial credit for passing only one semester of a two semester course (Lubbock-Cooper Independent School District, 2020).
  • If a student in grade 11-12 enrolls in another district and does not meet graduation criteria, the student is allowed, per state law, to request their diploma from their previous district and graduate from that district (Lubbock-Cooper Independent School District, 2020). 

Lubbock-Cooper Independent School District. (2020). Student handbook. Lubbock-Cooper Independent School District. https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1345558/StudentHandbookNov162020.pdf


]]> 2021-07-23 04:41:35 UTC https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1659082226 Slide #11- Ethical Principle agoodwin71 https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1659349204 According to the American School Counselors Association (ASCA), school counselors have responsibilities to themselves as counselors to expand their knowledge of multicultural and social-justice awareness so that they can be more effective and culturally competent (American School Counselor Association, 2016). Counselors need to be aware of how social prejudices such as living situations in homelessness, foster care and incarceration, can affect students, and also educational stakeholders (American School Counselor Association, 2016).  If counselors understand what students are going through outside of school, it is easier to know how to serve and advocate for students when they are in school. 

American School Counselor Association. (2016). ASCA ethical standards for school counselors. American School Counselors Association. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/f041cbd0-7004-47a5-ba01-3a5d657c6743/Ethical-Standards.pdf
]]> 2021-07-23 12:31:07 UTC https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1659349204 Slide #12 Non-Law Source- Texas Education Agency agoodwin71 https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1659350839 Texas Education Agency (TEA), provides information on their website about supporting at risk students, such as students experiencing homelessness. The information outlines the responsibilities of homeless liaisons in local education agencies, provides information about how homeless students are identified, and also outlines how schools and transportation is determined for homeless students. Since many teachers were not provided any type of training in their teacher prep programs about dealing with students living in homelessness, this serves as vital information to everyone working in the field of education. 

Texas Education Agency. (n.d.) Texas education for homeless children and youth (TEHCY) program. https://tea.texas.gov/texas-schools/support-for-at-risk-schools-and-students/texas-education-for-homeless-children-and-youth-tehcy-program
]]> 2021-07-23 12:33:36 UTC https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1659350839 Slide #13 Dest Practices for Compliance and Recommendations agoodwin71 https://padlet.com/agoodwin71/wnbe1ccsb1y76hwh/wish/1659368917 With the population of homeless families and students in schools increasing everyday, it is extremely important that educators know how to best serve these students as soon as they walk in the school doors. Below are my recommendations on best practices schools can follow for compliance:
  • School districts should provide training and information for teachers about the signs of homelessness in students. Teachers spend the most time with students during the day, so teachers are typically the first to notice how a student looks or behaves during the school day. If teachers know what to look for, the student will be able to receive the support and services needed more quickly. 
  • School administration and counselors need to build and maintain relationships with educational stakeholders and outside services so that when a need arises, resources are readily available to serve students and families in need. 
  • With the definition of homelessness being so broad, many families do not even know they qualify for services. School districts and school counseling departments need to work to disseminate information in the community about homelessness so that more families are aware of the services provided to people living in homelessness.  
  • Housing situations are likely to continue to change for students along with increased homelessness due to the pandemic. Teachers, students and administrators need to be extra aware of students that may have been unaccounted for during the new school year. Districts need to come up with a plan of how they will identify and find these students. 
  • Districts are receiving extra money to serve students living in homelessness due to the pandemic. The population, economic status and need of students needs to be continually evaluated so that the money can be spent in a way that directly impacts, serves, and benefits the students in need.
  • Current supports that are in place for homeless students need to be evaluated to ensure that they are directly aligned to the ever changing needs of students. 
  • Counselors and administrators need to be up-to-date and knowledgeable in the rights and protections of homeless students and their families so that adequate and effective services can be provided to these students. 
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