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 MKV Act. Eligibility is redetermined every year.
Students may become unaccompanied homeless youth for a variety of reasons. Name 2 common causes.
Family dysfunction
Neglect/ abuse
Opting out of foster care
Parental incarceration
Death of a parent
Child abandonment
Family homelessness
Approximately 65% of students idenitified as experiencing homelessness are living in this specific category of eligible nighttime residences.
What is doubled-up?
Name three ways homelessness impacts education.
Answers can include:
a. truancy
b. lower test scores
c. increased drop-out rates
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. Preschool students are automatically eligible for publicly funded early childhood programs and are prioritized on waiting lists.
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
The approximate number of students identified as experiencing homelessness in the 2021-2022 school year in Pennsylvania.
What is 40,000? (Actual number identified 40,003)
Once identified, a student's enrollment should occur ____________.
What is immediately?
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.
An unaccompanied homeless youth is defined as this.
What is a youth who is not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian and is lacking a fixed, regular, or adequate nighttime residence.
11% of students identified as experiencing homelessness were also identified under this category in the 2021-2022 school year.
a. unaccompanied homeless youth
b. undocumented immigrant students
c. special education students
What is A. Unaccompanied Homeless Youth?
Name three responsibilities of the homeless liaison
The answer can include:
a. identifying and reporting
b. removing educational barriers
c. setting up transportation
d. providing referrals to resources
BONUS: Name 3 district liaisons in your county.
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.
While MKV Act does not specifically outline an age limit for unaccompanied youth, they can be eligible up to the age of ____ in PA, if they are still eligible for the PA public school system.
What is 21?
In the 2021-22 school year, approximately what percentage of MKV students in Region 2 scored in the Below Basic range for math?
A. 25%
B. 70%
C. 12%
D. 92%
What is B. 70%
In Region 2, 23% of students scored "basic" and 70% scored "below basic" in math/algebra I. Additionally, 41% of students scored "basic" and 35% of students scored "below basic" in reading/literature.
List 3 possible ways a school district might fulfill a student's need for transportation.
Options include bus passes, mileage reimbursement, gas cards, school van, school bus, etc.
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: A MKV student who lives in a walking zone for a district will not be provided transportation to/from school by the district.
True: Unless extenuating circumstances require specialized transportation (related to MKV status or special education needs), the student is receiving comparable services as housed students.
UY wishing to pursue higher education are eligible to be verified of their __________ ___________ for the purposes of the FAFSA application.
What is their independent status? This allows them to complete the FAFSA without their parents' financial information.
In the 2021-2022 school year, enrolled students experiencing homelessness made up approximately this percentage of PA's student population
What is 2%
MKV students have the right to receive comparable services as housed students. Explain what this means.
A student experiencing homelessness should have equal and equitable access to anything typically offered to housed students.