Chitd Cap Behind det See 725) ‘Th term "homelecitrn and youth (Amen india whoa fed ‘ener, and adequate nine rennin Oe ee ee ‘he howingef te persons ct lesof housing economic hori, tell rae par Comping rnd ok of ‘sterateowommodaione ot ling emergency ranatonel rar naling oer ear lon’ (ochidrn ond seats wha hve ‘rma mgm oo at is puto prt plc et denen Frerotte ora ator ‘epngoncrosoton fr man Ine (sore ond south wha ing in or ork pices obra ‘am oon, or anlar sense (asm cdrom who gulf a2 omelet pupae ie ingen cb Sou ich sY.VENTO 2001 — LAW INTO PRACTICE ‘Unaccompanied youth include young people who have run away from home, been thrown out of their homes, and/or been abandoned by parents or guardians, These young people are separated from their parents for a variety of reasons. Over half report being physically abused at home, and over one- third report sexual abuse.' Over two-thirds report that at least one of their parents abuses drugs or alcohol? For many of these young people, leaving home is a survival issue. Other ‘youth are thrown out of their homes because they are pregnant, gay or lesbian, or because their parents believe ‘they are old enough to take care of themselves. Over half of ‘youth living in shelters report that their parents either told ‘them to leave or knew they were leaving and did not care > Once out of the home, unaccompanied youth are froquontly ‘victimized, As many a half have been assaulted or robbed and one in ten runaways reports being raped.* ‘School may be the only safe and stable environment available to unaccompanied youth. Yet unaccompanied youth often face unique barriers to enrolling and succeeding in school. Without a parent or guardian te advocate for them and exercise parental rights, thoy are sometimes denied enrollment and remain out of school for extended periods of time. Unaccompanied youth also may not understand their educational rights or know how to aequize this information, The Role of the MeKinney-Vento Act ‘The education provisions of the MeKinney-Vento Act, which are now incorporated within No Child Left Behind, ensure ‘educational rights and protections for children and youth experiencing homelessness. The law directly applies to homeless unaccompanied youth who also reveive some special attention within the Act Key Provisions 1. The torm “unaccompanied youth” includes youth in homeless situations who are not in the physical custody of 2 parent or guardian. ‘2 Unaccompanied youth have the same rights as othor students experiencing homelessness. Specifically, they have the right to:> Remain in their school of origin (to the extent feasible) Transportation to and from the school of origin Immediately enroll in a new school serving the area in which they are currently living even if they don't have typically requited documents (e.g. proof af guardianship) = Equal access to programs and services euch as gifted and telented education, special ‘education, vocational education, and English Language Learner services. 1a Bach local education agency (LEA), otherwise known as school district, must appoint a ‘homeless liaison, whese duties include: = Helping unaccompanied youth choose and enrell in a school, after considering the youth's wishes. Informing unaccompanied youth of their rights to transportation and assisting youth in. ‘acvessing transportation. = Providing unaccompanied youth with notice of their right to appeal school or echool district decisions and ensuring that youth are immediately enrolled in school pending, resolution of disputes {2 Schoo! personnel must be made aware ofthe specific needs of runaway and homeless youth. 3 MeKinney-Vento state plans must: © address problems caused by enrollment delays due to guardianship issues. © deseribe how homeless youth and youth separated from the public schools are identified and accorded equal access to appropriate secondary education and support services, 2 MeKinney-Vento subgrants can be used for services and assistance to attract, engage, and. retain unaccompanied youth in public school programs and services. See other issue briefs for more information on school selection, enrollment, transportation, disputes, and subgrants, (See ligooerfomeufer hte fei) Strategies for Implementation ‘Schools and districts can adopt various policies and practices to successfully and comprehensively address the needs of unaccompanied homeless youth. What follows are ideas {focused on some common categories of concern, Identifying Youth 2 Develop collaborative relationships with local shelters, transitional living programs, street outreach teams, and other service providers for unaccompanied youth, Train LEA homeless liaisons and all school enrollment staff, secretaries, school counselors, principals, and teachers on the definition of unaccompanied youth. Highlight the warning. signs of homelessness (eg. frequent absences, declines in academic achievement, disengagement, stress) and encourage staff to regularly talk to students about what's going ‘on in their lives. a Be creative and utilize new techniques such as involving social workers, surveying peers, ‘and using enrollment questionnaizes, a Inemploying different methods of identifieation, always remember that youth may he living in a variety of situations (e.g. shelters, doubled-up, in cars, on the streets, etc.) and that they ‘deserve to have their privacy and dignity respected. -2-Disseminating Information 12. Develop materials such as posters, brochures, pamphlets, and fliers that explain MeKinney- Vento rights information to youth. Make these items available in school attendance offices and distribute them to youth service providers 12 Train school and schcoi district personnel on the education rights of unaccompanied youth. ‘Require them to distribute informational materials and discuss their contents with the ‘unaccompanied youth they identify. Developing Enrollment Procedures 12. Revise LEA policies immediately to accommodate unaccompanied youth and comply with ‘the MeKinney-Vento Act. 12 Decide who will be alowed to enroll youth and assist with basic educational needs. One ‘option is to allow youth to enroll themselves while having the school distriet homeless Tiaison monitor academic progress and assist youth in making basic educational decisions. Another common option is to try to identify an adult in the youth's life who ean act as a caretaker. Schools and districts may decide to ask such adults to fill out caretaker forms establishing their responsibilities and providing their contact information, a Ensure that the enrollment staif in all schools is familiar with MeKinney.Vento requirements and procedures related to enrolling unaccompanied youth. Train school and school district staff to distinguish between “throwaway” and runaway youth. If your state has runaway reporting requirements designed to reconnect youth with their parents, try to avoid the trauma of police arrest by developing youth-contered approaches of achieving family reunification. For instance, try to got youth to call home or consent to school personnel calling their parents and letting them know where they are. Refor youth to federally-financed youth shelters or other programs that focus on reconnecting runaways and families. Develop partnerships with your local social services agency and refer youth to that agency first rathor than to law enforcement. a Ensure that all ofthe above enrollment procedures are carefully crafted so they do not create further barriers or delay enrollment. For example, policy statements should clarify that identifying a caregiver is not a prorequisite to enrolimont. Ensuring Appropriate Educational Services 1 Revise LEA policies, such as those related to attendance and credit accrual, to ensure that they remove barriers to academic success for unaccompanied youth. 12 Revise or develop LEA policies to address isaucs related to who signs for unaccompanied youth to participate in field trips or extracurricular activities. Work with legal staff to ‘eliminate any fears about potential lability. 19 Provide unaccompanied youth the opportunity to enroll in diversified learning opportunities ‘such as vocational education, credit for-work programs, and flexible school hours, yet ensure that they are integraved with the mainstream school environment, including extracurricular activities, az much as possible. 12 Maintain a listing of available surrogate parents to assist unaccompanied youth with their special education needs. 12. Develop stratagies to continue educating students who have been suspended or expelled from school. “3sAssisting With Non-Educational Needs 12 Provide a “safe place” at school that includes trained mentors, school counselors, or social ‘workers that unaccompanied youth can access as needed. 12 Contact relevant social service agencies and gather information, pamphlets, and applications concerning valuable services such as food stamps, Make such materials available to identified unaecompanied youth. (2 Meet with and eoordinate with relevant social service and medical agencies to develop policies and procedures to facilitate an unaccompanied youth's accoss to sorvices and, treatment with sensitivity and urgency. 12 Develop a list of referrals that includes shelters, youth hotlines, and other youth services providers. Various national organizations and agencies are usoful resources for youth and those trying to assist them: Covenant How ational Network for Youth Runaway Hotline 1-800-999-9999 (24 hrs) 202-788-7949 swore coveranthouse.org vwoww.nndyouth org [National Runaway Switchboard Stand Up for Kide Runaway Hotline 1-800-621-4000 (2¢ hrs) 1-800-885-4KID swore nrscrsilineorg \worwstandupforkide.org Legislative References ‘Dees tememeendyu nh yuh at nth pol cy fs paren grin 7 Meine Vet ct “(Te Stato apts el educational agence wl apt oles and prates to eure hat eansporation spo, at thee the pet run nthe fan anaccompaniod yh thea ad om he wd MeKinner- Vero Ac See. 72RC 4169 "Bach nel ada gene son. hal enue tat (ea unacempaied youth fal informed ol tranopettion serves including transportation to the ‘hal trina dened in (NOG), an isos scesing traneyratio oe school hat slo {nar paragraph XA." ‘Maer Vents Act Be, T220NBVA). eee tee cedar sesh on ester en in rn the cams of tramasempanind youth enrore tht the homeless zon dengan parsers XD) ‘ent placement or nrllment decay under ths rubperaeaph cose the view of such anneal ‘outh and proves sec to uch youth the ght to appeal une abpareraph(E™ kane Vento Act Se. 20643)8) Ita ipa vise ovr achoo esetin onetime in a ost "0 ithe av ofan ueccompenied ut. to omelesUinicon shall ensure thatthe youths immediatly Stoted i abo! pea eolnn ote dnpue” ‘knny Vos fot Se 7S) Such plan shal inde the (D)A deserion progres cel personel aduingprcipalt terdane ens, teachersenrllnent personel, el south (A desrgsin of proud hat ene that “= bomeee eh and Youths separated fom the pu echooe ae enti and scxarde equal ces to 4‘pprapateendary ication and appr avin (i Sereepie to zen cher probleme with rapt othe edston af homlos children and youths, incoing probleme ‘esthing fom envllment las that are cae. (ip gumdlnahip ieee SoEticy Vento As Bee 72000) “ln datrmining he quality of pits nder paragraph () the Seat educational agey shall otside the owing (G) Soe ther sanires or he eat dasa gene older ndtv ahgh-qalty pram, uch a be ete ‘o whish he loa educational apency wil provide nse manaerent or elated serves to unaceurpanied our Mektnney Vena far See T239)0) “Aol eaeataneagcy mas ws fonds anda nde hie naction fr activin that ary atthe purpose his ‘utc the lowing (1) The provision ef erviow tnd aeietance to src engage and retin mee ciren public heal programs and wervoes provided to onboreless chien ard Maker Vento Act See. 7284) ‘This document was devel 1d collaboratively by: [National Asscation forthe Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NABHCY) 202-264-7382 wor aaehey.org National Canter for Homeless Bdueation (NCHE) 500-908-2145 sre aerve.orinche! [National Law Center on Homelossees and Poverty (NLCHP) ‘02688-2595 vrewslehp org Endnotes Meckare, M.G, Brbry, LB, & Canes, A.M. (00, Hemeles alee’ paths te spartion fam fami: Comparison of fumulycharaconat,ppcologeladjstmen end Wetiniaaon. sural ef Communi Pycology 27 18 MacLean, M.G, Baby, L-B, & Canes, A.M. (10 Henle sdlosents! paths te separation from fai: Canparisn of fey aap tna anton ura of Comma Poca 7,18 "Every sate la required to have a caordinator forthe education of homeless children and youth, and every school district is soquited to have a liaison for homeless students. These individuals will assist you with tho implomentation ofthe McKinney-Vento Act. To find out who your state coordinator is, visit the NCHE website at www serve orginchs Totorteiertor For further information on the McKinney-Vento Act and FondssEtes> resources for implementation, call the NCHE HelpLine at 800 308-2146 oF e-mail homeleseser¥e.0. Tocal Contact Information