Earlier today, Nest Community Shelter dedicated our monthly radio show on WIMS to talk about the McKinney-Vento Act. We welcomed Mr. Joe Bunch, the Education liaison for this program with Michigan City Area Schools, and Kristy Hahn of Family Advocates and Nest Board President, to join our Executive Director, Harrison Holtkamp, to have an educational discussion on what this act is, why it was created, and who it serves within our community.
Today, we want to share more about this topic, and we can start by defining what the McKinney-Vento Act is:
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is a federal law that provides educational rights and services to children and youth experiencing homelessness from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. President Reagan signed this law into effect in 1987, ensuring that housing instability wouldn’t become a barrier to education.
The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.” This includes students who are:
- Sharing housing due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason
- Living in motels, hotels, camping grounds, or other temporary accommodations
- Living in emergency shelters, cars, parks, or abandoned buildings
- Unaccompanied youth who may have run away or been kicked out of their homes.
The law applies to children and youths aged 3-22.
Key Protections Provided by the Act:
- Immediate School Enrollment: Students can enroll without the typical proof of residency.
- School Choice: Children can remain in their school of origin for the duration of homelessness.
- Equal Access: Students receive the same educational programs and services as all other students, including special education, gifted programs, and tutoring.
The law requires local school districts to appoint Local Education Liaisons to assist families in navigating these rights and services. This morning, Joe Bunch, the McKinney-Vento educational liaison for Michigan City Schools, spoke about the McKinney-Vento Act in the Michigan City Area Schools.
Mr. Bunch shared some staggering statistics on-air this morning:
- Michigan City Area Schools currently has 155 students enrolled in this program, which translates to roughly six classrooms full of students.
- Over the past four years in his role, he has reached out to numerous partners to support local students experiencing homelessness.
- The goal of his role is to maintain educational stability for these youth.
- While 22 families have moved away that were part of the program, it was suggested that some don’t come forward out of fear of the stigma of experiencing homelessness.
The number of children within our community who are experiencing homelessness was a shocking number to some. Mr. Bunch highlighted the power of partnerships, noting that when school is not in session, partners provide support for food stability over weekends. He emphasized the importance of community partnerships to support these children and their families. Some of the partners mentioned in today’s discussion were:
- The Salvation Army of Michigan City
- Anthony Adams House
- Geminus
- The Township Trustees
- The Home Team- a collaborative group created by The Unity Foundation for support services for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Kristy Hahn of Family Advocates spoke about how the Casa program and the Slicer Champions Mentorship program also serve the community’s youth, whether they are experiencing homelessness, hidden homelessness, or other challenges. She went on to say that these programs provide stability for the children in need of these services and that Casa advocates work in the best interest of the child to support their physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
Executive director, Harrison Holtkamp, illustrated the growing need in our community by stating that between the years 2022 and 2023, there was a 60% rise in families experiencing homelessness and that homeless families are the largest demographic growing within the population experiencing homelessness across the country.
Mr. Bunch went on to say that over the four years he has served Michigan City Area Schools, the need for his program has increased by between 5% and 6% each year, and that staff believe this number may be higher, as not everyone experiencing homelessness has been identified due to the stigma associated with homelessness.
We would like to thank Mr. Joe Bunch and Kristy Hahn for sharing their work with our community and discussing the importance of the McKinney-Vento Act, the vital role of partnerships, and how, together as a community, we can provide stability for children experiencing homelessness.
You can watch the entire episode on WIMS’s Facebook page or by clicking the link here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16WG58fkEc/
