can we talk? opportunity, challenge, and importance in data sharing between educational and homeless...
TRANSCRIPT
Can We Talk?
Opportunity, Challenge, and Importance in Data Sharing between Educational and Homeless Service Provider Systems
National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth Annual Conference – Kansas City, MO
Monday, October 27, 2014
General Focus of SessionIncreasing understanding of the
responsibilities, challenges, and emerging opportunities in collaboration and data sharing between education providers and homeless service providers
Homeless Programs Perspective K-12 Perspective Early Childhood Perspective Federal erspective
Panelists
• Carie BiresPolicy Manager, Ounce of Prevention Fund,
Chicago IL• Jimiyu Evans
Director of Operations, Project CommunityConnections, Atlanta GA
• Chuck Kieffer Director, Cloudburst Consulting Group, Ann
Arbor MI• Matt Aronson
Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs, HUD• John McLaughlin
Coordinator of Homeless, Neglected, and Delinquent Education Programs, Department of Education
Learning Objectives Increase understanding of opportunities/benefits of cross-
systems collaboration & data sharing at the state and/or local levels
Increase understanding of the data collection and collaboration requirements of HEARTH/HMIS rules and the McKinney-Vento Education Act as well as those of other relevant state and federal initiatives touching on lives of homeless children.
Increase understanding of the barriers and challenges associated with cross-systems data sharing
Share specific examples of local efforts to implement cross-systems collaborations and data sharing.
Identify concrete action steps and recommendations applicable both to educators and homeless service providers
Importance and Benefits of Cross- Systems Collaboration and Data Sharing HUD homeless assistance programs provide
important services to help stabilize homeless children, youth, and families -- thereby contributing to educational success
Conversely, educational services and supports help to support housing stability and prevent homelessness
Housing Stability
Education
Stable Housing Positively Impacts Educational Outcomes
Children & youth in families with stable housing:◦ Attend school more consistently◦ Perform better academically◦ Experience less stress/mental health trauma◦ Are less likely to be disruptive in the school
setting
Educational Services and Systems Also Impact Housing StabilityChildren experiencing success /
achievement in educational settings decrease disruptive stress in the family setting
Educational services and supports available to homeless children & youth decrease stress on parents dealing with multiple challenges of homelessness
Other Benefits of Cross-Systems Collaboration and Data Sharing
Increases efficacy of cross-systems referrals
Allows LEAs to focus on education-specific barriers, while partnering with community-based housing providers
Allows CoCs to focus on housing stability and related supports, while partnering with local educational providers
Decreases duplication of efforts (and related costs) in services provision and supportive interventions
Benefits of Collaboration in Cross-Systems Counting
Accurate and consistent counts at local, state, and national levels help:
◦ Identify and respond to problems
◦ Monitor impact of programs and achievement of goals
◦ Inform responsive policy and practice
◦ Increase ability to make the case for systems change
New HEARTH Rules Obligate CoC Collaboration with Educational Systems
Ensure School Enrollment
Ensure Access to Services
Ensure Collaboration in Planning
CoC Educational Obligations: Ensure School Enrollment
Homeless service providers must ensure that all children are enrolled in early childhood education programs or in school, as appropriate, and connected to appropriate services within the community, e.g.:
◦ Policies must be in place to support enrolling all children in school or in early childhood programs, as appropriate.
◦ Recipients must designate staff to ensure children are enrolled in school and connected to appropriate McKinney-Vento and community services.
CoC Educational Obligations: Ensure Access to Services
CoCs must collaborate with local education agencies to ensure that individuals and families who become or remain homeless are informed of their eligibility for McKinney-Vento educational services, e,g.:
◦ All CoC recipients must inform families and unaccompanied youth of their educational rights;
◦ All CoC recipients must collaborate with local school district liaison(s) as a matter of policy and practice, and when a new child or youth enters the program;
CoC Educational Obligations: Ensure Collaboration in Planning The CoC must have a process for involving local
education partners in the CoC planning process, e.g.: ◦ CoC works with school district liaison(s) to develop safeguards to
protect homeless students from discrimination based on homelessness
◦ The CoC has a working committee to address homelessness and education for families and unaccompanied youth that includes local education stakeholders
◦ Local school district liaison(s) are included in the CoC’s strategic planning activities
CoC and ESG funding recipients must have a joint process in place with school administrators to identify families/children who are homeless or at risk ◦ LEAs are encouraged to contribute to Point-In-Time counts
Collaboration in Cross-Systems Planning and Counting
Quick Comments from Panel and/or Audience on Role and Importance of Cross-Systems Collaboration
Data Collection Requirements: The Service Provider PerspectiveBasic Demographic Information - 20 data points
Income & Health at Program Entry & Exit – 10 data points
Barriers to Housing Stability – 35 data pointsTenant, Personal, Income
Risk Factors for Homelessness – 20 data points
Special Needs, Mental Health, Substance Abuse – 10 data points
Data Collection Requirements: The School’s Perspective
Basic Demographic Information - 4 data points
Georgia Department of Education – 10 data points
McKinney Vento Homeless Services – 12 data points
CoC Requirements andCoordinated Assessment
Appointment of Lead Agencies
Assessment Data Collection◦ SPDAT◦ VI-SPDAT
• Ranking & Prioritization
KidsHome Collaborative(Atlanta, Georgia)
Local School System PartnerRapid Re-housing Provider PartnerEmergency Shelter & Transitional
Housing PartnerEmployment & Benefits
◦ In service trainings◦Standardized referral and intake forms◦Sharing of HMIS data – pending◦Housing Stability, Academic Achievement,
Reunification
Challenges & Barriers to DataSharing at Local Level
Buy-in on joining HMIS
Accountability
Data Collection on Children vs. Data Collection on Entire Family/Household
Academic Data vs. Housing Stability Data
Other Barriers to Data Sharing
Discrepancies in underlying data definitions and reporting requirements (e.g. data elements &
timing of collection)
No standardized methodology in LEAs for identifying homeless children
Shortage of systems resources (including staffing) to commit to data gathering responsibilities
Differences in “culture” re: data gathering expectations
Early Childhood Homelessness Data Landscape
ProgramAre there program
requirements related to homeless children?
Is data collected on homeless
children?
Head Start/Early Head Start
Yes Yes
Maternal, Infant, Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV)
No No
IDEA Part C Yes No
Preschool Development Grants
Yes No
Child Care Development Fund (CCDF)
No No
EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM DATA-GATHERING REQUIREMENTS
What are the Barriers?Identification of homeless families is
still a challenge
Data systems don’t include fields to collect information on housing status
Few requirements to collect data on homelessness
Data collected on homelessness not used for compliance
What Can We Do About It?Continue/improve training for all
Update data collection instruments/data systems to capture housing status
Include data and accountability mechanisms in advocacy efforts
Review programs that have mandates related to homelessness and ensure mechanism for compliance
Other Approaches to Advancing Cross-Systems Collaborations
Active outreach by LEAs/Head Start/Early Childhood Providers in homeless settings
Cross-systems planning committeesFocused engagement in promoting more
robust Point-In-Time countsShared engagement in design and
development of Coordinated Assessment and Intake systems and protocols
Cross-systems agreements and MOUsLinking participation to funding
prioritization
Summary Perspectives
Program requirements and assurances are only meaningful when programs are held accountable
We can’t have accountability without data
We all have a role to play
Collaboration in Planning and Counting: Views from the Federal Programs Perspective
Housing & Homelessness: Department of Housing and Urban Development (Matt Aronson)
K-12 and Preschool Education: Department of Education (John McLaughlin)
Let’s Talk! Examples of Effective Cross-Systems
Planning Collaborations (K-12, Early Childhood)
Examples of Effective Cross-Systems Program & Services Collaborations
Examples of Effective Cross-Systems Data-Gathering/Data-Sharing
Q & A on Barriers and Strategies for Response
Contact Information Carie Bires (Ounce of Prevention Fund, Chicago IL)
Jimiyu Evans (Project Community Connections, Atlanta GA) [email protected]
Chuck Kieffer (Cloudburst Consulting Group, Ann Arbor MI) [email protected]
Matt Aronson (Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC) [email protected]
John McLaughlin (Department of Education, Washington, DC) [email protected]