Yesterday, my daughter was snubbed by the county. Her bus simply did not arrive. She patiently waited for 25 minutes at her stop. This morning, I was assured it would come for her. I spoke with the district "homeless liaison", Patricia this morning as E was ready to walk out the door. She told me the transportation was a-go. About 20 minutes in, I called North Kitsap transportation. Barbara told me that Bremerton Transportation was responsible for the morning route. So I called Bremerton. (Both numbers I have in my phone memory from last year.)
Of course, there was no answer and I left a message around 8:35, 30 minutes later than the bus came for her last year. So E waited patiently on the bench for 51 minutes before I called her back into the apartment of my nephew (and his sweet family who have graciously opened their home to us) and called Bremerton transportation one last time. I finally got an answer (after 2 days of inquiry). Now, I am told she will be picked up tomorrow at 8:35. I hope this is more sincere than the assurances I have received about the past two days.
During the discussion with Patricia, we exchanged some information. I explained our status and we both agreed on the language of the McKinney Vento Act. She informed me that the superintendent has stated that he will likely be contacting their lawyer for advice on this matter. This is disconcerting to say the least. From what I understand, it was the transportation department (not sure which district or individual) which had lodged the original complaint that caused the (hopefully) temporary displacement of the program.
The failures of states to adequately implement the act—removing barriers to enrollment and developing transportation systems—has been the subject of numerous lawsuits.
The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty successfully litigated cases against the District of Columbia and the State of New York.
I have downloaded the most recent renewed legislature onto my computer. It states that if the state receives money from this program, it is required to provide transportation for as long as the child is “homeless” as defined by the same document (see below).
There are different definitions for this word. For example, the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) has a requirement that regardless of specifics such as sleeping on a couch, or in sleeping bags on the floor, or sleeping in a car in the “safe” parking lots (provided for homeless families by the county), or camping in a tent- if a homeless family sleeps in the same space for more than 6 months, they are no longer considered to be legally “homeless”. We qualify under both definitions, but I find the DSHS definition to be disgraceful. I would be more forgiving of the social services definition if their housing program was functional, but as they are at present, clearly fail to provide programs which could facilitate their time limit.
What the hell is the McKinney Vento???
Well, it has some history. It's first incarnation was signed by Reagan in '87, Sponsored by Rep. Tom Foley (D-WA), the bill was named after Representatives Stewart McKinney (R-CT) and Bruce Vento (D-MN).
Since then, it has been reauthorized by Title X, Part C, of the No Child Left Behind Act- which in my opinion has been an attack against the public school system, gutting programs and closing schools in order to make more space for privatized school programs which can’t be held accountable to federal standards such as the failure to support poor and disabled children. There are so many other reasons why privatization falls short. So many in fact, that the digression into them would subvert the primary topic of this blog post. I may revisit this topic in the future when I’m not seethingly angry about the events of the past two days.
The McKinney-Vento Act is a conditional funding act which means that the federal government gives grants to states and in return, the grantee states are bound by the terms of the act. If a state chooses not to accept federal funds for these purposes, it does not have to implement the act.
“Local Educational Agencies (LEAs), otherwise known as school districts, must, to the extent feasible, keep students in homeless situations in their school of origin (defined as the school the student attended when permanently housed or the school in which the student was last enrolled), unless it is against the parent’s or guardian’s wishes.” ~The McKinney-Vento Act At a Glance publication, developed collaboratively by: National Center for Homeless Education and National Association for the Education of Children and Youth National Law Center on Homelessness
According to the State of Washington Office of the Superintendent Washington receives approximately $950,000 in funding each year from the U.S. Department of Education to support the education of homeless students in school programs. This is the only money specifically designated for serving the educational needs of homeless students in Washington.
According to an independent money tracker, the state of Washington was Awarded: $1,298,061.0 and spent $961,421.27 in the 2009/2010 school year.
According to the North Kitsap School District 2012/2013 Budget Summary adopted 7/31/2012, $4,790.00 was collected from this stimulus for 20010/2011, but no numbers are provided for 2011/2012 or 2012/2013.
Bremerton School district has been providing transportation to school and North Kitsap for the trip home from school. I can’t find any documentation about McKinney Vento funding for the Bremerton school district budget reports, however I did find this statement on Bremerton’s website: “In accordance with the McKinney-Vento Act, Bremerton School District is required to provide homeless children access to educational services and opportunities to enroll in, attend, and be successful in school.”, but according to an independent money tracker. $3,105.00 was reported for the 2009/2010 school year.
I am not sure what all of this data suggests, other than it’s not very transparent. I had to download no less than a dozen PDF documents and depend on outside resources and still do not have reliable numbers for how much money is being collected for this federal education program.
On the other hand, if districts are able to opt out of the act, and provide local tax money to supplement the loss of federal funding, and companies like Microsoft and Boeing actually paid their dues, I wonder if we could rise above the nation’s false standard and stop persecuting the people who have the most direct knowledge of how ~ as well as expending the most energy towards the education of our kids. I would still have the expectation that students could have access to a stable learning environment and not get bounced around different districts unable to glean an education between all of the social transitioning.
Last night, E’s teacher called in support of us, disgusted about the transgression. Today, the office manager of the elementary school called with comforting condolences. I cried a little.
Back, shoulder and neck muscle spasms, nerve pinch left shoulder, hip discomfort, headache behind my right eyeball. subject to emotional outbursts.
Of course, there was no answer and I left a message around 8:35, 30 minutes later than the bus came for her last year. So E waited patiently on the bench for 51 minutes before I called her back into the apartment of my nephew (and his sweet family who have graciously opened their home to us) and called Bremerton transportation one last time. I finally got an answer (after 2 days of inquiry). Now, I am told she will be picked up tomorrow at 8:35. I hope this is more sincere than the assurances I have received about the past two days.
During the discussion with Patricia, we exchanged some information. I explained our status and we both agreed on the language of the McKinney Vento Act. She informed me that the superintendent has stated that he will likely be contacting their lawyer for advice on this matter. This is disconcerting to say the least. From what I understand, it was the transportation department (not sure which district or individual) which had lodged the original complaint that caused the (hopefully) temporary displacement of the program.
The failures of states to adequately implement the act—removing barriers to enrollment and developing transportation systems—has been the subject of numerous lawsuits.
The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty successfully litigated cases against the District of Columbia and the State of New York.
I have downloaded the most recent renewed legislature onto my computer. It states that if the state receives money from this program, it is required to provide transportation for as long as the child is “homeless” as defined by the same document (see below).
There are different definitions for this word. For example, the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) has a requirement that regardless of specifics such as sleeping on a couch, or in sleeping bags on the floor, or sleeping in a car in the “safe” parking lots (provided for homeless families by the county), or camping in a tent- if a homeless family sleeps in the same space for more than 6 months, they are no longer considered to be legally “homeless”. We qualify under both definitions, but I find the DSHS definition to be disgraceful. I would be more forgiving of the social services definition if their housing program was functional, but as they are at present, clearly fail to provide programs which could facilitate their time limit.
The McKinney-Vento Act uses the Illinois statute in defining homeless children as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.” The Act then goes on to give examples of children who would fall under this definition:
- (a) Children sharing housing due to economic hardship or loss of housing;
- (b) Children living in “motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camp grounds due to lack of alternative accommodations”
- (c) Children living in “emergency or transitional shelters”
- (d) Children “awaiting foster care placement”
- (e) Children whose primary nighttime residence is not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation (e.g. park benches, etc.)
- (f) Children living in “cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations…”
Following the Illinois statute, the McKinney-Vento Act also ensures homeless children transportation to and from school free of charge, allowing children to attend their school of origin (last school enrolled or the school they attended when they first become homeless) regardless of what district the family resides in.
What the hell is the McKinney Vento???
Well, it has some history. It's first incarnation was signed by Reagan in '87, Sponsored by Rep. Tom Foley (D-WA), the bill was named after Representatives Stewart McKinney (R-CT) and Bruce Vento (D-MN).
Since then, it has been reauthorized by Title X, Part C, of the No Child Left Behind Act- which in my opinion has been an attack against the public school system, gutting programs and closing schools in order to make more space for privatized school programs which can’t be held accountable to federal standards such as the failure to support poor and disabled children. There are so many other reasons why privatization falls short. So many in fact, that the digression into them would subvert the primary topic of this blog post. I may revisit this topic in the future when I’m not seethingly angry about the events of the past two days.
The McKinney-Vento Act is a conditional funding act which means that the federal government gives grants to states and in return, the grantee states are bound by the terms of the act. If a state chooses not to accept federal funds for these purposes, it does not have to implement the act.
“Local Educational Agencies (LEAs), otherwise known as school districts, must, to the extent feasible, keep students in homeless situations in their school of origin (defined as the school the student attended when permanently housed or the school in which the student was last enrolled), unless it is against the parent’s or guardian’s wishes.” ~The McKinney-Vento Act At a Glance publication, developed collaboratively by: National Center for Homeless Education and National Association for the Education of Children and Youth National Law Center on Homelessness
According to the State of Washington Office of the Superintendent Washington receives approximately $950,000 in funding each year from the U.S. Department of Education to support the education of homeless students in school programs. This is the only money specifically designated for serving the educational needs of homeless students in Washington.
According to an independent money tracker, the state of Washington was Awarded: $1,298,061.0 and spent $961,421.27 in the 2009/2010 school year.
According to the North Kitsap School District 2012/2013 Budget Summary adopted 7/31/2012, $4,790.00 was collected from this stimulus for 20010/2011, but no numbers are provided for 2011/2012 or 2012/2013.
Bremerton School district has been providing transportation to school and North Kitsap for the trip home from school. I can’t find any documentation about McKinney Vento funding for the Bremerton school district budget reports, however I did find this statement on Bremerton’s website: “In accordance with the McKinney-Vento Act, Bremerton School District is required to provide homeless children access to educational services and opportunities to enroll in, attend, and be successful in school.”, but according to an independent money tracker. $3,105.00 was reported for the 2009/2010 school year.
I am not sure what all of this data suggests, other than it’s not very transparent. I had to download no less than a dozen PDF documents and depend on outside resources and still do not have reliable numbers for how much money is being collected for this federal education program.
On the other hand, if districts are able to opt out of the act, and provide local tax money to supplement the loss of federal funding, and companies like Microsoft and Boeing actually paid their dues, I wonder if we could rise above the nation’s false standard and stop persecuting the people who have the most direct knowledge of how ~ as well as expending the most energy towards the education of our kids. I would still have the expectation that students could have access to a stable learning environment and not get bounced around different districts unable to glean an education between all of the social transitioning.
Last night, E’s teacher called in support of us, disgusted about the transgression. Today, the office manager of the elementary school called with comforting condolences. I cried a little.
Back, shoulder and neck muscle spasms, nerve pinch left shoulder, hip discomfort, headache behind my right eyeball. subject to emotional outbursts.
E Was picked up on Friday, 9/9 by the Bremerton District Transportation and brought home by the North Kitsap District Transportation. Thank you to everyone who helped me get her to school. We are blessed.
ReplyDelete