McKinney-Vento Summer Newsletter

As the school year winds down, we want to take a moment to thank you for your dedication and hard work in supporting students experiencing homelessness and those in foster care. Your commitment truly makes a difference in the lives of the families and children we serve. We hope you have a restful and rejuvenating summer—a time to reflect, recharge, and take well-deserved care of yourselves.

M-V Liaison Quarterly Meeting (June 12 or July 23): Are you equipped with the latest policies, procedures, and best practices to support students experiencing homelessness? This session will help you strengthen compliance across the three McKinney-Vento domains—Implementation, Student Performance, and PFE-MV Act—by organizing essential documents, codes, and strategies into a comprehensive (digital or physical) compliance notebook. | Pitstop # 115754 or #115755 |

⏬More Summer PD Opportunities for MV Liaisons and All Educators - Share Link with your staff - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-rleDklriqdWywrWjWeACzHPPhSa0KaF/view?usp=drive_link

• AM Session: Simulation
• PM Session: Breaking Barriers: Essential Skills for Supporting Students in Poverty

Wylie ISD is making a profound impact on students' lives through its exceptional mentoring program. The program is dedicated to supporting the whole student, both academically and personally.

One of the most inspiring aspects was the thoughtful inclusion of a food pantry and essential items, readily available for students in need. There is a commitment to providing dignity and compassion for students experiencing hardship and a powerful example of how school communities can foster a caring and supportive culture by creating a lasting positive impact on students' well-being and success. More info here.

Submit Your Celebration Stories! If your district has an innovative way of supporting students experiencing difficult life circumstances, please email us. We would love to share all the things happening around Region 14!

Region 14 has created this guide to serve as a comprehensive resource to help students, families,

and educators navigate the path to higher education. Whether you are exploring college options, understanding financial aid, or preparing for the transition from high school, this guide provides essential information and practical advice to support informed decision-making. 🔗Click Here

• Did you know more than 1 in 5 children struggle with hunger in Texas?
• When school cafeterias close at the end of the academic year, students lose access to those daily, nutritious meals.
• The Summer Meal Programs help ensure Texas children have the food they need for an active, healthy summer.
• 🔗 Summer Meal Site Map

In the MV Meetings Folder in the Liaison Shared Drive.

TEHCY Web Portal Training Library

Under section 1113(c)(3)(A) of the ESEA, an LEA must reserve sufficient Title I funds to provide services to homeless students who attend nonTitle I schools that are comparable to those provided to students in Title I schools.

• Guidance and Worksheet to Determine Amount of Title I, Part A Homeless Reservation (Fillable Form)
• Title I, Part A Contacts: Mindy Broadfoot, ESC Region 14 | mbroadfoot@esc14.net | Vivian Smyrl, TEA Program Director, Title I, Part A | vivian.smyrl@TEA.Texas.gov

• Check-in with families and unaccompanied/homeless youth to ensure families and youth have a plan for where they will go during the summer months. See sample email.

• Check progress toward graduation and postsecondary plans. Consider transcript audits as a way to monitor progress toward graduation. Form: Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Documentation of Independent Student Status documentation for FAFSA, Medical Housing, Financial Aid. Consider working with school counselors to look for partial credit opportunities or credit recovery.

• Identification, Enrollment, and School Determination

• Review the list of identified students for the year. Follow up with any who may be participating in summer programming and are experiencing homelessness to ensure that barriers to participation are removed.

• Ensure Ascender/SIS is up-to-date with identified students and primary nighttime residence.

• Keep a list of students still in homeless situations at the end of the school year to follow up with those students in August for possible reidentification.

• For students transitioning into middle or high school or a different building for the following school year, connect with the homeless liaison or building point of contact so that a person can be in communication with the student and/or family in the following school year to ensure identification. See sample communication.

• Prepare for Fall, 2025 - See timeline here.

Read the full findings and what's next at School Connection here.

What are you seeing in your district for students completing the FAFSA? 5 minute survey

Assist students with accessing/meeting the following:

• iPlan Guide
• Texas Tuition and Fee Waiver | More info
• Education and Training Vouchers (ETV) | More info
• Meet Elibility Requirements
• Eligible students can receive up to $5,000 per school year to pay for housing, utilities, tuition, childcare, etc.
• Complete current or prior foster care status on college applications (applytexas.org)

• Share the latest hiring lists Abilene, Brownwood, Eastland, Sweewater + Snyder.
• Connect them with employers with a history of hiring students experiencing homelessness
• Provide job application/resume assistance
• Practice interviewing skills
• Advocate for their needs to potential employers
• Use your own network and knowledge of available resources

• Share the Big Country Navigator App (mobile or web-based): bigcountrynavigator.com
• Share the Region 14 resources page: https://sites.google.com/esc14.net/homeless-foster/resources