NYS-TEACHS Publications

NYS-TEACHS

During COVID-19 remote and hybrid instruction, liaisons are playing a critical role in helping students and families experiencing homelessness meet their basic needs (e.g., food), education-related needs (e.g., remote learning tools), and social-emotional needs (e.g., supportive connections).

However, liaisons are reporting that one of the most challenging obstacles during this time is maintaining consistent communication and connection with the students and families that they work with. This “check-in checklist” summarizes some of the strategies liaisons are using in their outreach to families and youth.

NYS-TEACHS

During COVID-19 remote and hybrid instruction, liaisons are playing a critical role in helping students and families experiencing homelessness meet their basic needs (e.g., food), education-related needs (e.g., remote learning tools), and social-emotional needs (e.g., supportive connections).

However, liaisons are reporting that one of the most challenging obstacles during this time is maintaining consistent communication and connection with the students and families that they work with. This “check-in checklist” summarizes some of the strategies liaisons are using in their outreach to families and youth.

NYS-TEACHS

This worksheet, created by NYS-TEACHS, is a checklist of responsibilities for NYC Students in Temporary Housing School-Based Liaisons. It is intended for use as an organizational tool for School-Based Liaisons to keep track of activities and resources for serving students in temporary housing.

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Centering Anti-Racist Approaches to Conversations with Families and Colleagues
McKinney-Vento liaisons are responsible for the identification, enrollment, and the removal of educational barriers for students experiencing homelessness. McKinney-Vento liaisons can create meaningful change in their districts and the lives of students experiencing homelessness by providing internal trainings and connecting students to educational resources and community referrals. Unfortunately, due to systemic racism across many aspects of American life, Black, Latinx, Native American, and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities experience homelessness at disproportionate rates compared to white and Asian communities. Systemic racism exists in schools; therefore, it is crucial for McKinney-Vento liaisons to reflect on school protocols and narratives that reinforce racial bias and inequity. Even small intentional changes, such as in our semantics, can have positive effects on family relationships and ultimately, the well-being and success of students. We created this tip sheet to help McKinney-Vento liaisons and other school staff reflect on their own communication styles, race, and how institutional racism impacts students and families.

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Districts must indicate in their student management systems students who experience homelessness at any point during the year. This guide specifies which codes relate to students identified under the McKinney-Vento Act.

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The McKinney-Vento Enrollment Checklist, developed by NYS-TEACHS, outlines steps McKinney-Vento liaisons should take when enrolling students experiencing homelessness. The checklist includes links to key documents and referrals.

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Students in temporary housing often face challenges that go beyond everyday stress and cross the line into toxic stress and trauma. This info-brief from NYS-TEACHS illustrates how a trauma-sensitive approach can improve academic outcomes for students in temporary housing.

It offers examples of the negative impact and behavioral manifestations of trauma as well as strategies for countering those negative impacts through a trauma-sensitive approach.

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If you are new to the concept of trauma-sensitivity or want a deeper understanding of how to implement each of trauma-sensitive strategies outlined in our “Matrix of Trauma-Sensitive Strategies for School Success,” this toolkit can help.

This detailed toolkit from NYS-TEACHS provides suggestions for HOW to apply various trauma-sensitive strategies and WHY they are necessary to improve academic outcomes for students in temporary housing.

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Our Quick Tip Sheets provide detailed information about the rights of students experiencing homelessness in a one-page format. Each guide is targeted to a specific school role.

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McKinney-Vento Liaisons are required to refer students and families to key services and supports. These supports include early education, health and mental health care, housing, and other appropriate supports. Our template referral lists are intended to help you streamline your referral process and/or provide information that may be needed in a sensitive manner. Please note that these forms don’t replace individualized assistance; they are meant to give you and your families a starting point and summary of local referrals.

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This checklist includes strategies McKinney-Vento liaisons and school districts can use to ensure that youth experiencing homelessness have access to college access services and other supports to help ensure that they are ready for post-secondary opportunities.

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Districts are encouraged to check in with parents whose children are McKinney-Vento eligible (or youth themselves in the case of unaccompanied homeless youth) at the end of each school year to determine whether their housing situation has changed and make appropriate arrangements for the next school year if there has been a change. This template letter can be used to reach out to families for this purpose.

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This tip sheet from NYS-TEACHS provides information about when it is appropriate to share a student’s housing information with school/district staff. It also provides tips for “how” to share that information while still respecting the student’s privacy.

Interested in more tip sheets from NYS-TEACHS? See our Quick Tip Sheets series targeted to specific school roles.

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This tip sheet from NYS-TEACHS guides the user through best practices for having conversations about housing status with families. We provide best practices for common scenarios.

Interested in more tip sheets from NYS-TEACHS? See our Quick Tip Sheets series targeted to specific school roles.

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This chart provides concise information on the transportation rights of students in temporary housing attending school in New York State. It includes information on available services, the responsible agency, and funding sources when serving students in many different housing situations, including for students attending charter schools.