DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SCHOOL MCKINNEY-VENTO LIAISON

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SCHOOL MCKINNEY-VENTO LIAISON

According to the McKinney Vento Act [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g){6){A)], local liaisons must ensure that

(i)     children and youth experiencing homelessness are identified by school personnel through outreach and coordination       activities with other entities and agencies;

(ii)      children and youth experiencing homelessness are enrolled in, and have a full and equal opportunity to succeed in, schools within the district;

(iii)               children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness have access to and receive educational services for which they are eligible, including Early Head Start and Head Start programs, early intervention services under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and other preschool programs administered by the school district;

      (iv)  children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness receive referrals to health care, dental, mental health, substance    abuse, housing, and other appropriate services;

(v)                the parents or guardians of students experiencing homelessness are informed of the educational and related opportunities available to their children, and are provided with meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children;

(vi)               public notice of the educational rights of students experiencing homelessness is disseminated in locations frequented by families and youth experiencing homelessness, including schools, shelters, public libraries, and soup kitchens, in a manner and form understandable to parents, guardians, and unaccompanied youth;

(vii)              enrollment disputes are mediated in accordance with the provisions of the Act;

(viii)             parents, guardians, and unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness are fully informed of all transportation services available to McKinney Vento students, including transportation to the school of origin, and are assisted in accessing transportation;

(ix)               school personnel providing services to students experiencing homelessness receive professional development and other support; and

(x)                unaccompanied youth

are enrolled in school;

(II)            have opportunities to meet the same challenging State academic standards as other children and youth; and

(Ill)           are informed of their status as independent students under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. § 1087w), and receive assistance verifying this status for purposes of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

The McKinney-Vento Act also states the following regarding the role of the local liaison:

• State Coordinators for Homeless Education (hereafter State Coordinators) and school districts must inform school personnel, service providers, advocates working with families experiencing homelessness, parents and guardians of students experiencing homelessness, and students experiencing homelessness of the duties of the local liaison, and publish an annually updated list of local liaisons on the State education department's website [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g){6){B)].

•  Local liaisons must coordinate and collaborate with State Coordinators and community and school personnel responsible for the provision of education and related services to students experiencing homelessness. This coordination must include collecting and providing the State Coordinator with reliable, valid, and comprehensive data on students experiencing homelessness per the requirements of the Act [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g){6){C)].

•  Local liaisons who receive training on the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Local Homeless Education Liaisons: Understanding Their Role 3 Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) definitions of homeless may affirm, without further agency action by HUD, that a child or youth receiving McKinney Vento services in their school district, or the immediate family of such a child or youth, who meets the HUD definition of homeless is eligible for services through HUD's Continuum of Care and Emergency Solutions Grants Programs [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g){6)(D)].

McKinney-Vento District Homeless Liaison

Job Description:

The District Homeless Liaison serves as one of the primary contacts between homeless families and school staff, district personnel, shelter workers and other service providers. The liaison coordinates services to ensure that homeless children and youth enroll in school and have the opportunity to succeed academically.

Performance Responsibilities:

1.         Establish and coordinate the McKinney-Vento District Support Team (MVDST) to identify, recruit, retain, and serve homeless students.

2.          Communicate with members of the MVDST and evaluate existing programs within the school to ensure equal access of the identified students to tutoring, supplemental instruction, and enriched services. These programs may include: Boys & Girls Club, After-School Tutoring, Gifted & Talented, and Advanced Placement and Honors Courses, as appropriate.

3.           Establish procedures to identify, evaluate, and assess the needs of homeless youth.

4.          Coordinate and maintain records of information related to academic, social, and basic environmental needs of the district's homeless students. Assist in addressing needs directly or through referral to partner agencies, as needed.

5.          Implement pupil services designed to remedy educational deficits for homeless youth, such as tracking the academic progress of the district's homeless students with referrals for remediation and/or tutoring.

6.          Publicly post notice of the educational rights of the homeless and the duties of the district homeless liaison.

7.           Inform parents/unaccompanied youth of the educational rights of homeless children and youth and support services available through the MV Program, as well as access to preschool programs, including Head Start.

8.           Provide community awareness outreach regarding the rights and special needs of students experiencing homelessness.

9.          Mediate and provide a record of enrollment disputes.

10.       Mediate and provide a record of transportation disputes (school of origin).

11.   Inform and assist students and parents regarding transportation arrangements for school attendance and after-school tutoring, as needed.

12.  Communicate homeless student information to the Child Nutrition department on a frequent basis to ensure free meal status.

13.   Assist unaccompanied youth with enrollment and inform them of rights under MV as to independent status for financial aid filing.

14.      Maintain data collection report for all district McKinney-Vento homeless students tracking services provided.

15.  Design and implement professional development for school district staff, including administrators, to build awareness of the educational rights and needs of homeless students, the legal responsibilities of the school district, and local policies and procedures under the MV law.

16.      Communicate with area schools, including private schools, to provide training/awareness of homeless issues.

17.  Establish, manage, and coordinate the MV District Resource Center (MVDRC), including a campaign to generate resources.

18.  Acquire and distribute tutoring supplies, school supplies, clothing, and other useful resources to sites for homeless students. Maintain inventory of such supplies to be distributed to identified students in a timely manner.

19.       Coordinate efforts with community outreach partners to better serve the homeless youth of ACS.

20.   Develop MV district parent and unaccompanied youth support programs through community resource partners and local agencies to address issues faced by homeless families/unaccompanied youth.

21.        Conduct an annual needs assessment/program review to determine deficits and implement corrective actions to better serve homeless students.

22.   Maintain Desktop Monitoring System for Title X, Part C and perform duties related to all Oklahoma State Department of Education reports and audits, including grant writing for McKinney-Vento sub-grant and other local, state, and national resource grants.

23.        Maintain homeless liaison contact information on district/school website pages, student handbooks, district cable television channels, and all other forms of public information and communication.

24.        Attend local, state, and national training conferences and meetings.

25.        Research strategies to assist in the success of homeless students.

26.   Submit monthly log/time sheets and mileage reports as required by the district's finance director.

27.       Develop, implement, and oversee the MV Graduation Planning Program and Graduation Mentor.

28.        Maintain strict confidentiality with sensitive information.