- Washington School District
- McKinney Vento - Homeless
-
McKinney Vento - Homeless Information
Washington School District Policy
Washington Co. Housing Authority
Housing Authority, Washington County
100 Crumrine Towers
South Franklin Street
Washington, PA 15301Hours: 8:30am-4:30pm, weekdays; closed 12:00pm-1:00pm
Services: Provides low-rent, public housing for families and senior citizens or other qualifying adults; handicapped units are available. Section 8 Housing Program provides eligible, low-income persons with rent subsidy for a home or apartment.
Eligibility: There are three ways to qualify: as a family, as an individual age 62 or older, or as a disabled individual receiving SSI. Financial guidelines apply.
Area Served: Washington County.
To Request Service: Call for information.
Accessibility: Accessible.
Source of Funds: Federal funds, HUD, and rental fees.
Rights for Homelessness
The right to stay in the same school even if the family moves if this is in the child's "best interest." Parents can choose to have their child: (a) stay in their current school; or (b) attend the school the child attended when they first became homeless when feasible and in the child's best interest.
The right to immediately enroll in the local school where the child is actually living - even without the required enrollment documents such as proof of residency, immunizations or birth certificates and even if there is a current dispute about whether a student is "homeless." Note: If the family is living in more than one place, this means the child can enroll where the family has a substantial connection, such as where the family spends the greatest percentage of its time or conducts its activities of daily living, such as a day shelter.
The right to free and appropriate transportation to and from their school of choice - even if the school does not otherwise provide transportation to other students to the child's school of choice. The school the child attends is responsible for arranging the transportation, but can share the cost with the district where the child lives, equally, or by agreement.
The right to dispute resolution and immediate enrollment pending final resolution of any dispute. Parents have the right to prompt resolution of any disputes. They also have the right to a written explanation of a school's decision to deny enrollment with notice of the right to appeal and an explanation of the process. Schools must refer parents to the local homeless education liaison, sometimes called "McKinney-Vento Liaison" who is charged with helping the parent resolve disputes and must advise parents of the right to seek help from the Regional or Site Coordinator or to file a formal complaint with the State Homeless Children's Initiative State Coordinator, or in court.
The right to special education services or other reasonable accommodations for a child with a disability. Children with disabilities, including children experiencing homelessness, have the right to be identified, evaluated, and provided with appropriate special education services or reasonable accommodations if needed, even if they change school districts. Young children from birth through school-age who may have developmental delays and other disabilities also have the right to be identified and evaluated and to access early intervention services to meet their developmental needs.
-
Frequently Asked Questions
Are ALL children who are homeless eligible for Title I services?
YES! ALL children who are homeless are automatically eligible for Title I services regardless of where they go to school. Even schools that do not usually receive Title I funds must reserve some funds for students who are homeless and provide "comparable" Title I support services to support children who are homeless.How can Title I funds be used to support students experiencing homelessness?
- Extra learning help in school
- Tutoring
- After-school programs
- Extended learning time
- Saturday classes
- Summer school
- Other services to assist homeless students in meeting the state's challenging academic achievement standards
- Extra learning help in the shelter: Educationally-related support services like after-school tutoring or summer programs.
- School supplies
- School uniforms, clothing, shoes necessary to participate in physical education
- Basic needs such as food, medical and dental services and agency referrals
- School and graduation fees including fees necessary to participate in the general education program
- AT/ ACT and AP and IB testing or GED testing fees for school-aged students
- Counseling services to address anxiety related to homelessness that is impeding learning
- Assistance with obtaining school enrollment documents (e.g., birth certificate, immunization records)
- Eyeglasses and hearing aids
- Parent programs to support school success
How would I know if my child needs extra learning help in school?
If your child scores "below basic" or "basic" on standardized tests (like the PSSA that all children take in grades 3-8 and 11 ), she needs additional help or support to learn.
If your child is not doing well in school, talk to your school about opportunities for tutoring and other extra supports to help your child make progress. School districts have a Title I plan that describes how their funds will be used for learning support. You can talk to your school about how Title I learning support is provided.
Can Title I funds be used to provide transportation for my child to stay in the same school for the rest of the school year even after we are living in permanent housing?
YES! Schools can use Title I funds for services that are authorized or encouraged but not absolutely required by the McKinney-Vento Act. Here, the Act requires schools to continue to allow formerly homeless children to remain in the same school until the end of the school year. However, the Act does not specify how transportation to school will be provided. Therefore, Title I funds may be used to provide transportation for your child to stay in the same school, even after you have found permanent housing. Even if a school is not willing to use its Title I funds for this purpose, your child can still be transported with general school district funding.
What are some examples of services that Title I funds CANNOT be used to support?
Services that do not support or enhance a child's ability to learn are not covered by Title I. This includes prom gowns or tuxedos; regular clothing for the student or family members; yearbook fees and other non-education related services. Also, Title I funds cannot be used for services that are "required" to be provided under McKinney-Vento such as transportation for a child who is currently homeless to return to their prior school. Instead, McKinney-Vento funds are to be used for that purpose.
- Extra learning help in school
-
General Resources
Where to go to get help in Western Pennsylvania:
Regional Coordinator: (Allegheny County) (412) 394-5894
Assistant Regional Coordinator: (Westmoreland County) - (724) 219-2309
Assistant Regional Coordinator (Washington, Fayette and Greene): (724) 938-0820 ext. 21Pennsylvania Homeless Children Initiative
Eight Homeless Children's Initiative Regional Sites are in operation, with the State Coordinator located in Harrisburg. All of these individuals would be happy to assist with any questions you may have or to help with a specific situation to help students enroll in school, access the full range of programs or file a complaint when things are not working.
The State Coordinator
Can be reached at: (717) 772-2813
The Pennsylvania Homeless Children's Initiative (PAHCI) Directory maintains a webpage. There are two directories on this webpage that can assist you in ensuring homeless students receive the services they require.Homeless Center School
Statewide Directory: Pennsylvania School District Liaisons for Homeless Students.
The Statewide Directory: Pennsylvania School District Liaisons for Homeless Students contains general information regarding the primary responsibilities of a school district homeless liaison, and the contact information for each school district (and charter school) within Pennsylvania, organized by county. There· are several options to enable you to locate a homeless liaison for your area - you can search for the appropriate liaison by zip code, by county, by region or by city. You can also view the entire liaison listing and/or print the document. Statewide Directory
Pennsylvania Shelter Directory: Homeless Families, Domestic Violence and Runaway Youth:
The Pennsylvania Shelter Directory: Homeless Families, Domestic Violence and Runaway Youth contains a listing of emergency shelters for homeless families, organized by county. This listing is not an all-inclusive directory of all shelters in Pennsylvania - the shelters listed here accept homeless families and/or homeless youth (such as runaways). There are no shelters listed here that serve homeless individuals solely. There are several options to enable you to locate a shelter in your area - you· can search for the available shelter/s in your area by zip code, by county, by region, or by city. You can also view the entire shelter listing and/or print the document. Homeless Shelter Directory
If you don't know where to turn for help, you can start by looking at these directories to find district liaisons and shelter providers who might be able to help you or lead you to others who can. If you don't have access to a computer, you can always call the State or Regional Coordinator and they will tell you who is responsible for helping you in your area.
More Pennsylvania Resources:
-
Mrs. Shelly DigonDistrict Registrar, Supervisor of PIMS Child Accounting311 Allison Avenue
Washington, PA 15301(724) 223-5013
