If you lost your housing and now live in a shelter, motel,

vehicle, camping ground, or temporary trailer; on the street;

doubled-up with family or friends; or in another type of

temporary or inadequate housing, your child might be able to

receive help through a federal law called the McKinney-Vento

Act.

Per the federal law, every school district must assign a person (a liaison) to ensure that students experiencing temporary housing are identified, enrolled and able to succeed in school. The liaison is responsible for identification of McKinney-Vento eligible students and supporting the needs of these students. The liaison or other responsible designee:

• assesses McKinney-Vento eligibility and needs of students and families experiencing homelessness
• Interprets laws relating to student homelessness
• Works as a team member to remove educational barriers
• Provides case management
• Makes referrals to facilitate appropriate services to ensure full attendance and access to an appropriate education

• Attend school, no matter where the student lives or how long they have lived there.

• Attend either the local school or the school of origin, if this is in their best interest; the school of origin is the school the child attended when he/she was permanently housed or the school in which the child was last enrolled.

• Receive transportation to and from the school of origin.
• Enroll in school immediately, even if missing records and documents normally required for enrollment, such as a birth certificate, proof of residence, previous school records, or immunization/medical records.

• Enroll, attend classes, and participate fully in all school activities while the school gathers records.

• Have access to the same programs and services that are available to all other students, including transportation and supplemental educational services.

• Attend school with children not experiencing homelessness; a school can not segregate a student because he or she is homeless

* Unaccompanied homeless youth may enroll without documents and without the help of an adult.Unaccompanied homeless youth includes any child who is “not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.”Falling within this definition are students who have run away from home, been thrown out of their home, orbeen abandoned or separated from their parent(s) or guardian(s).

• Make sure your child goes to school every day and is rested and fed.
• Attend and complete student and learning coach orientation
• Provide a quiet place for your child to do school work and set aside time every day to help your child.
• Pay attention to your child’s health needs and take care of problems early.
• Ask your child what he or she is learning in school; have him or her explain it to you. If you show interest in your child’s education, he or she will know that it’s important.
• Read to your child every day; for older children, set aside time each day for you and your child to read together silently. Talk about what you read.
• Praise your child for what he or she does well, like getting a good grade or playing on a school sports team.
• Listen to what your child shares with you and talk about any problems he or she is having. You can also talk about these problems with a teacher or school counselor.
• Encourage your child to participate in things like sports and music

• Every school district has a school liaison. This person can help you decide which school would be best for your child . The local liaison also can help your child get school supplies. and will communicate with your family coach who will support you throughout the school year.
• You should also talk to your child’s teacher(s) often to find out how he or she is doing.
• The school counselor can help your child deal with changes and challenges. Share with this person any information about how your child is acting at home or things he or she is dealing with that might affect his/her schoolwork.
• Other good people to know are your family coach, school principal, school social worker, and school nurse.
• All school and school district staff can help make sure your child gets all the services he or she needs to do well in school. You are an important partner in your child’s schooling and should work as a team with the school and school district.

• If my child changes schools, who can help us transfer records quickly?
• How can my child receive free school supplies, if needed?
• Who can help if my child needs special education services? How quickly can these services be set up?
• What academic help is available for my child, such as Title I programs or tutoring?
• What programs can help develop my child’s talents and address his/her unique needs?
• How can my child go on class field trips or participate in other school activities if I can’t pay for them?
• Is there assistance available for getting my younger children in head start?

Moving from one school to another can be very upsetting for children. They have to leave the friends and teachers they know and get used to new friends, teachers, and classes. Because of this, it is usually best for your child to stay in his/her current schooling situation even if you move to a different area.

Here are some questions to think about when deciding whether your child should stay in the same school or move to the new school where you’re living:

• How old is your child?
• How permanent is your current living arrangement?
• Does your child need the food they could get at the local school district?
• Is your child attached to his/her school ? An older child who feels very connected to his/her school of origin and/or is about to graduate might have a harder time changing schools.
• How anxious is your child because you have had to move? Would changing schools be overwhelming?
• Would changing schools cause your child to fall behind in school and receive bad grades?
• Is this a good time of year for your child to change schools, such as at the end of a semester or school year, after testing, or after an event that is important to your child?
• Are there safety issues to think about in choosing which school your child should attend?

Click on the Department of Education logo for important resources.

• Realize the prevalence of trauma (as informed by ACEs).
• Recognize the impact trauma has on learning and behavior.
• Respond in a trauma-informed way.
• Resist Re-traumatization by training everyone in the school about trauma-informed care

Click on pa.gov above to learn more about resources offered through the Department of Human Services.

Click on pa.gov above to access the BEC (basic education circular)

Contact Alina Kitchell- Agora's School Liaison-if you have any questions! akitchell@agora.org