New York State Technical and Education Assistance Center for Homeless Students

NYS-TEACHS
at Advocates for Children

151 West 30th Street
5th Floor
New York, NY 10001

TEL 800.388.2014
FAX 212.807.6872

info@nysteachs.org

New and Noteworthy

Please join us for the New York premiere screening of The Littlest Nomads!

"Over 1.6 million children in the United States are homeless, including hundreds of thousands of Littlest Nomads"

When: Wednesday, June 6th at 7:00pm (doors open at 6:30pm)

Where: Touro Law Center. 225 Eastview Drive, Central Islip 11722

Cost: $5.00 general admission (payable to HEAR US Inc.)

"Saving Sabrina's Senior Year"

This April 8, 2012 Newsday article chronicles how Wyandanch High School helped a top student continue to succeed after she moved into temporary housing.

U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Education Letter - May 2011

On May 6, 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education issued a letter to all school districts addressing student enrollment practices that may discourage participation of immigrant students, which is illegal. The letter and accompanying fact sheet describe enrollment practices that should be avoided and those that are permissible. The letter also mentions that immigrant students who are homeless, including those who are undocumented, are entitled to immediate enrollment under the McKinney-Vento Act, even if they don't have the papers normally needed for enrollment. For more information about immigrant students and homeless education, please visit our "Immigrant Students" web page.

Grant Winners Announced

Congratulations to the following mini-grant recipients, who will be receiving funding for projects benefiting students in temporary housing! The grant program was made available due to a generous gift from Ergotron, a Minnesota-based business that was inspired by homeless education segments from the CBS show 60 Minutes. We will be posting stories about use of the mini-grants later, so stay tuned!

Grant Recipients: Albany City SD, Buffalo City SD, Corning-Painted Post Area School District, Eastern Suffolk BOCES, Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES, Kingston City SD, New York City Dept of Ed, Parishville-Hopkinton CSD, Rochester City SD, Rush-Henrietta CSD, St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES, Valley Central SD, Vestal CSD, Wyandanch UFSD

Try out our new, interactive Video Simulation!

This video simulation, a collaborative project between NYS-TEACHS and the Urban Arts Partnership, demonstrates the ways in which conversation between school staff and a parent can affect the school registration process. In this Choose Your Own Adventure-style video, you will act as the front line staff at "New Town Central School District". You will be asked to respond to a parent who has come to enroll her daughter in school, and your choices will guide how the conversation unfolds.

New Field Memo from the State Education Department re: Extreme Weather Events in New York State and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act - Sept. 2011 [PDF]

To help expedite the enrollment of homeless children affected by the recent extreme weather events in New York State the State Education Department has released this September 2011 Field Memo. Many families have been forced to leave their homes and are temporarily residing with relatives, friends, or in motels or shelters. Under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (McKinney-Vento) and New York Education Law section 3209, these families are considered homeless and their children would have a right to return to their school district of origin, or to the school building where previously enrolled, or to enroll in their new local school. The attached Field Memo has additional information about serving these students.

New Field Memo from the State Education Department re: Required Attendance at this year's McKinney-Vento Workshops - Sept. 2011 [PDF]

As our State continues to reel from the economic crisis of the past few years and, in some areas, endure weather-related devastation, New York's children and families have been some of the hardest hit in the nation. From 2008-09 to 2009-10, school districts across the state have reported an increase of 14% in the number of students identified as homeless. To ensure that all NYS school districts are aware of their responsibility to identify eligible homeless students and help them succeed in school, the New York State Education Department (SED) is requiring your school district's participation at one of this year's McKinney-Vento Workshops. Superintendents, LEA McKinney-Vento liaisons, CSE chairs, registrars, school counselors, social workers, principals, transportation directors, school attorneys and Title I Directors are among those who would most benefit from attending one of these workshops. The attached Field Memo from the State Education Department emphasizes the importance of participation in this year's workshops. To register, please visit click here.

Extreme Weather Event Guidance to Schools.

This September 8, 2011 Q and A from the State Education Department provides important information for districts affected by severe weather events. The Q and A addresses issues such as changes in average daily attendance, the use of split sessions, transportation options, requirements under McKinney-Vento, and resources to address health and mental health issues that may arise.

Field Memo: Title I, Part A Set-aside Funds for Students in Temporary Housing

This August 1, 2011 guidance memo from the State Education Department outlines the responsibility of districts to set aside or reserve a portion of their Title I funding for students experiencing homelessness if the district has non-participating Title I schools. It also reminds districts to include the set-aside amount in the online Title I Supplement, offers suggested formulas for determining the set-aside, and describes some ways in which the set-aside funding may be used.

Field Memo: LEA Requirements for Implementing McKinney-Vento Dispute Resolution Process

On July 19, 2011, the State Education Department issued a Field Memo in response to several 310 Appeals it had received in which homeless eligibility was being disputed, but the McKinney-Vento liaisons (also known as the LEA liaisons or homeless liaisons) did not comply with all applicable filing requirements. The failure to submit all forms in connection with a 310 Appeal can interfere with the rights of both the LEA (Local Education Agency, Charter School, or BOCES) and the petitioner (parent, guardian, or youth) on whose behalf the appeal is being made. Failure to submit all required forms can also create delays in the resolution of disputes. The Field Memo is meant to assist LEAs and McKinney-Vento liaisons in navigating the appeal process and to ensure compliance with timelines for submission of the required forms.

Important updates regarding the New York State testing program

There have recently been a number of changes in the testing program. Below are three memos providing updates:

1. Changes in Assessments beginning in the 2011-12 School Year
2. Revision to the Scoring Policy for Regents Examinations
3. August 2011 Examination Schedule

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Assessment Policy, Development, and Administration by phone at (518) 474-5900 or by e-mail at EMSCASSESSINFO@mail.nysed.gov.

2011 Summer School Memo

2011 Memo from the State Education Department regarding McKinney-Vento and Summer School.

2009-2010 Data on Homelessness

2009-2010 Data on Homelessness is now available. The data was collected by the New York State Education Department in the Student Information Repository System (SIRS).

2011 NYS McKinney-Vento Subgrant Recipients [Excel]

The State Education Department recently awarded McKinney-Vento Subgrant for the 2011-13 funding cycle. This spreadsheet details the school districts and BOCES awarded Subgrants, the amounts awarded for January 1 - June 30, 2011, and the districts to be served by each subgrant.