ERIC Number: ED489996
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2004-Oct
Pages: 106
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Increasing School Stability for Students Experiencing Homelessness: Overcoming Challenges to Providing Transportation to the School of Origin
Bowman, Diana; Barksdale, Katina
National Center for Homeless Education
The purpose of this monograph is to review the provisions of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act as related to the provision of transportation of homeless children and youth to their school of origin and provide recommendations for implementing the transportation mandate. The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) in 2003-2004 interviewed local homeless education liaisons and pupil transportation directors from eight school districts that have instituted a variety of approaches to ensuring that children and youth experiencing homelessness receive transportation services to their school of origin. Recommendations include establishing strong networks of community support, developing strong partnerships between the homeless education program and the department of pupil transportation, establishing inter-district collaboration, establishing formal procedures for equity, transparency and consistency, establishing policies to support federal legislation, establishing a database and system for data collection, seeking economical and creative solutions, ensuring transportation modes are safe and follow guidelines, and informing policymakers of the need for school stability for highly mobile children. Sample district policies and documents are included. Appended are: (1) Excerpts from the McKinney-Vento Act Relating to Transportation; (2) Excerpts from "Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program Non-Regulatory Guidance," July 2004; (3) McKinney-Vento 2001--Law into Practice Transportation Brief; (4) National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services--Resolution; (5) Interview Questionnaire; (6) Interviews with LEA Staff; (7) Sample Documents from Local Education Agencies; (8) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration "Guideline #17: Pupil Transportation Safety"; (9) NCHE (National Center for Homeless Education), Services, and Products; and (10) National Partners in Homeless Education.
Descriptors: Disadvantaged Youth, Bus Transportation, Federal Legislation, Homeless People, Community Support, Access to Education, Partnerships in Education, Educational Policy, Agency Cooperation, School Districts, Cooperative Planning, Student Transportation, Board of Education Policy, Neighborhood Schools
National Center for Homeless Education. P.O. Box 5367, 915 Northridge St., 2nd Floor, Greensboro, NC 27403. Tel: 800-755-3277; Fax: 336-315-7457; e-mail: homeless@serve.org; Web site: http://www.serve.org/nche.
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: Administrators
Language: English
Sponsor: Department of Education, Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: National Center for Homeless Education, Greensboro, NC.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A