MKV 101
Homelessness is defined as lacking a _______, _______, and _______ nighttime residence.
What is fixed, regular, and adequate?
True or False: There is a time limit on how long a student can be considered homeless.
What is false? There is no time limit on homelessness defined in the McKinney-Vento Act. Eligibility is redetermined every year.
True or False: If a student willingly chooses to leave their parent or guardian’s home, they will not qualify as an unaccompanied youth.
What is false? The precipitating event is not relevant to an unaccompanied student's eligibility
Approximately 70% of students identified as experiencing homelessness are living in this specific category of eligible nighttime residences.
What is doubled-up?
The acronym MKV is often used to describe this federal law.
What is the McKinney-Vento Act?
This is an alternative term you may use to refer to a family or student experiencing homelessness.
What is...
Displaced
Without your own home
In-transition
McKinney-Vento eligible
A student experiencing homelessness may attend either of these school districts.
What is the district of residence and the district of origin?
True or False: Early childhood (ages birth to 5) children experiencing homelessness must be identified and referred to early childhood programs and other community resources.
What is true? Schools are required to idenitify all children within a household experiencing homelessness and make any neccessary referrals.
An unaccompanied homeless youth is defined as this.
What is a youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian and lacking a fixed, regular, or adequate nighttime residence?
The approximate number of students identified as experiencing homelessness in the 2021-2022 school year.
What is 40,000?
The acronym UHY is often used to describe this special population of homeless students.
What are Unaccompanied Homeless Youth?
Due to these reasons, families may not come forward to the school district with information about their living situation.
What is...
Embarrassment
Fear of CYS involvement
Lack of knowledge of rights under McKinney-Vento
Fear host family may be evicted
When determining eligibility, liaisons must also determine the precipitating event that caused the family to become homeless. Name any 3 potential events that lead to homelessness.
What is...
Job loss
Domestic violence
Eviction
Abandonment
Illness
Incarceration of a parent
Natural disaster
True or False: Districts are required to set up transportation for homeless students for after-school programs if they don’t have a ride home and thus would not be able to attend the program.
What is true? It is a requirement to eliminate any educational barriers for students experiencing homelessness.
Students may become unaccompanied homeless youth for a variety of reasons. Name 2 common causes.
What is...
Family dysfunction
Neglect/abuse
Opting out of foster care
Parental incarceration
Death of a parent
Child abandonment
Family homelessness
11% of students identified as experiencing homelessness were also identified under this category in the 2021-2022 school year.
What is Unaccompanied Homeless Youth?
The acronym ECYEH stands for this Pennsylvania program that supports school districts and students experiencing homelessness.
What is PA's Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program?
Red flags refer to signs that a student or family may be experiencing homelessness. Name 3 of them.
What is...
Attending multiple schools
Not having the necessary paperwork for enrollment
Secretive about their address
Unkempt appearance
More than one family at the same address
Truancy issues
Hungry
Tired
There are many factors that must be considered when determining if a home is adequate. Name 3 factors that might deem a home inadequate.
What is...
Lack of space
Lack of heat/water/electricity
Vermin/insect infestation
Mold
True or False: If a family experiencing homelessness comes to enroll their children in their school of residence and cannot provide birth certificates, the school reserves the right to deny enrollment.
What is false? The school must enroll immediately and assist the family in gathering the required documents.
As an independent student, an unaccompanied youth is able to do this without a parent or guardian.
What is enroll, sign for themselves, or complete the FAFSA?
In the 2021-2022 school year, this was the approximate number of students identified in Lower Dauphin School District.
What is 64?
FERPA is an intersecting education law that often comes into question with homeless students (name the acronym).
What is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act?
Students experiencing homelessness face many educational barriers. Name 3 potential educational barriers a student might face.
What is...
Changing of schools
Unable to meet school enrollment requirements
Lack of school supplies
Unmet daily living needs
Lack of transportation to school
Limited adult support
A student identified as experiencing homelessness can fall into any of these 4 categories of nighttime residences.
What is...
Unsheltered/substandard housing
Motels/hotels
Doubled-up/Living with family members or friends
Shelter/transitional housing
True or False: When a caregiver enrolls an unaccompanied youth in school, the caregiver should automatically sign a guardianship affidavit.
What is false: The homeless liaison should speak with the youth and caregiver to determine if this is a McKinney-Vento situation.
If an unaccompanied homeless youth has an IEP and does not have any contact with their legal guardian, this support needs to be assigned to the student.
What is an educational surrogate?
In the 2021-2022 school year, this approximate number of students were identified as experiencing homelessness across Dauphin County, PA.
What is 1,700 or 1,800? (Actual number identified was 1,794)
The McKinney-Vento Act was amended by this Obama-era legislation, commonly referred to as ESSA.
What is the Every Student Succeeds Act?
A student's homeless status should be shared among school staff on a _____________ basis.
What is a need-to-know basis?