Patricia Julianelle, Legal DirectorProject HOPE Conference

December 2, 2013

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Legislative and Policy Update

Legislative and Policy Issues

Budget/Sequestration/FY2014 Appropriations

SNAP (Food Stamps)ESEA Reauthorization (McKinney-Vento

and Title I)Child Care Higher Education ActUniversal Preschool Legislation

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Federal Budget: Budget, Sequestration,

FY2014 Appropriations

Last year, Congress failed to reach an agreement on how to reduce the deficit by at least $1.2 trillion

Sequestration resulted in a 5.5% across-the-board cut to FY2013 funding (school year 2013-2014)

McKinney-Vento funding is now funded $61.7 million

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Federal Budget: Budget, Sequestration,

FY2014 AppropriationsAgreement to re-open the government includes a

House-Senate budget conference committee charged with making recommendations for a budget resolution that sets overall numbers for discretionary and mandatory funding, and revenue for FY2014

The report is due by December 13Appropriators must make funding decisions for

individual programs, or implement sequestration, by January 15

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What’s at Stake for Children,Youth, and Families

McKinney-Vento and other education programs, as well as homeless and housing programs, subject to more cuts (across-the-board and/or individual)

Income and health programs that keep people in housing subject also to cuts

End result = more child and youth homelessness, and less support to help them out of homelessness

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Federal Budget Action Steps

Communicate the value of homeless programs, and the impact of cuts

Visits during weekends or Congressional recesses are ideal, but calls/letters NOW

Children’s Defense Fund alert:http://www.childrensdefense.org/take-

action/online.html

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SNAP (Food Stamps)Good news: new USDA guidance on

unaccompanied Youth and SNAP Bad news: House and Senate are working on a

final version of the Farm billHouse bill cuts $40 billion from SNAP; low-

income working families lose benefits, children lose school meals

ACTION NEEDED NOWwww.feedingamerica.org

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McKinney-Vento, Title I, and Elementary and Secondary

Education A Reauthorization

Reauthorization is the opportunity to make substantive changes to the law

Congress has been working on this legislation since 2007, but partisan differences and other Congressional priorities have prevented it from moving forward

Major action in 2007, 2011, and 2013

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Major Issues in ESEA Reauthorization

McKinney-Vento Personnel: State Coordinators and Local Liaisons

School Stability Provisions (“Feasibility”)EnrollmentTransportationDisputesCredits/Academic SupportExtra-curricular activitiesUnaccompanied YouthPreschool ChildrenFunding LevelTitle I, Part A SetasidesChildren and Youth in Foster Care

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Congressional Action This Year

S. 1094, “Strengthening America’s Schools Act,” passed out of Senate HELP CommitteeContains most of NAEHCY’s

recommendations for amending McKinney-Vento and Title I

H.R. 5, “Student Success Act,” passed the full House on July 19Contains some of NAEHCY’s

recommendations

See www.naehcy.org for more details

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Child Care Reauthorization

Senate HELP Committee passed S. 1086, a bipartisan CCDF reauthorization bill, to reauthorize the Child Care Development Block Grant on September 18

Requires States to establish a grace period for records/requirements for homeless families, use funds for identification, outreach, and services, sliding scale for fees

Action possible next year11

Higher Education and Unaccompanied Homeless Youth

Unaccompanied homeless youth added to FAFSA in 2007 reauthorization; homeless students added to TRIO and GEAR UP in 2008

Some progress, but continuing barriers…

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FAFSA Statistics

Highest number of homeless applicants (CA, TX, IL, MI, WA, FL, OR, NY, OH, MO, CO)

Applicants indicating homelessness on FAFSA through liaison, RHYA, HUD 2011-2012 – 25,953 2012-2013 – 27,492

Total number of FAFSA applicants with any homelessness indication (liaison, RHYA, HUD, or FAA) 2011-2012 – 53,705 2012-2013 – 58,151

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NAEHCY Survey: Liaisons

No barri-ers en-

countered

After a student’s first year, financial aid office required burden-

some documen-

tation

Financial aid office unaware of policies for unac-

com-panied

homeless youth

Financial aid office insensi-

tive/intim-idating to students/providers

Financial aid office required

student to obtain

additional documen-

tation

Don’t know who to contact for help at

ED

Financial aid office would not accept a

statement from a

school li-aison

No appeal process if financial aid office refuses to

accept youth’s

homeless status

22 and 23 year old

homeless students must ask

for de-pendency override

Financial aid office would not accept a

statement from other

agency/person

Financial aid office would not accept a

statement from a

homeless provider

When we contacted ED, they did not help re-

solve the situation

Series1 45.7% 29.6% 18.4% 15.2% 15.2% 12.6% 9.4% 9.4% 9.0% 8.1% 0.9% 0.0%

2.5%

7.5%

12.5%

17.5%

22.5%

27.5%

32.5%

37.5%

42.5%

47.5% 45.7%

29.6%

18.4%

15.2% 15.2%12.6%

9.4% 9.4% 9.0% 8.1%

0.9% 0.0%

Barriers Reported by LEA Homeless Liaisons

Higher Education Act Reauthorization

S., 1754, the Higher Education Access and Success Act for Homeless and Foster Youth

Clarifies that youth under age 24 who are determined to be unaccompanied and homeless are considered independent students;

Expands the entities authorized to make determinations of unaccompanied homeless youth status to include private and publicly funded shelters and homeless service programs, TRIO programs, and GEAR-UP programs;

Requires financial aid administrators to make determinations of unaccompanied homeless youth status for youth who cannot get determinations from other authorities

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HEA Bill for Homeless/Foster, 2 Eliminates the requirement for unaccompanied homeless

youths’ status to be re-determined every year. Creates a presumption that these students will continue to be independent unless the student’s circumstances have changed, or the financial aid administrator has conflicting information; and

Requires the Student Loan Ombudsman to receive, review and expeditiously resolve complaints regarding the independent student status of homeless and foster youth

Provides homeless and foster youth in-state tuition to reduce barriers to college attendance due to lack of financial support;

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HEA Bill for Homeless/Foster, 3

Prioritizes homeless and foster youth for the federal work study program

Designates a single point of contact to assist homeless and foster youth to access and complete higher education;

Requires IHEs to: Post public notice about financial and other assistance

available to homeless and foster youth; Develop a plan to assist homeless and foster youth to

access housing resources during and between academic terms; and

Include in applications questions about homeless or foster status, that youth can answer voluntarily to receive assistance accessing financial aid and other resources.

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HEA Bill for Homeless/Foster, 4

Requires TRIO and GEAR-UP Programs to: Identify, conduct outreach to, and recruit homeless and foster

youth, in collaboration with child welfare agencies, homeless service providers, and school district homeless liaisons;

Include information on homeless and foster youth in outcome criteria and data collection;

Review and revise policies to remove barriers to the participation of homeless and foster youth; and

Describe successful outreach activities and strategies to meet the needs of homeless and foster youth

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Universal Pre-K Legislation

S. 1697 and H.R. 3462 – Strong Start for America’s Children Act Establishes new federal-state partnership to increase access

to high quality prekindergarten programs for low and moderate income children

A phased-in federal-state match with formula grants to states based on the state population of low-income 4-year-olds

Eligible states must offer state-funded preK, have early learning standards, and be able to link preK data to K-12 data

States provide local grants to LEAs, early education providers, or consortia

States can reserve up to 15% of funds for low-income children birth to three year-olds

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Universal Pre-K Legislation

S. 1697 and H.R. 3462 – Strong Start for America’s Children Act :Definition of homelessness consistent with McKinney-Vento

educationState applications must describe coordination with McKinney-

Vento education programs In awarding subgrants for infants and toddlers, States must

give preference to programs that have a plan to increases services to homeless children

State performance measures must track progress in increasing school readiness in all domains for homeless children

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Universal Pre-K Legislation

Local entity applications must:Describe how parents will be engaged and

ensure that parents are aware of services provided, including outreach to encourage eligible families to participate, including homeless families

Describe how the entity will develop and implement a system to increase program participation of homeless children

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Universal Pre-K Legislation

Local entity applications must adopt policies and procedures that require:outreach to identify homeless children;immediate enrollment while records are obtained; continuous enrollment and participation, even if a

child moves out of the service area, if that is in the child’s best interest, including providing transportation when necessary;

professional development on homelessness for preK staff; and

collaboration with homeless liaisons and service providers 23

Universal Pre-K Legislation

Hearings expected next yearGo to www.childrensdefense.org to write a

letter showing supportEdit the sample letter to voice support for

homeless provisions

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