Early Childhood Education Programs for Children in Temporary Housing

Transcription

1 Early Childhood Education Programs for Children in Temporary Housing Who we are Administration for Children s Services, Division of Early Care and Education Runs largest publicly-funded childcare system in the country, serving approximately100,000 children Provides quality early care and education services to eligible children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old in center and family child care settings through EarlyLearn NYC Department of Homeless Services, Family Services Provides temporary emergency shelter to families with children and pregnant women Department of Education s Students in Temporary Housing (STH ) Unit within the Office of Safety and Youth Development Provides technical assistance and work directly with schools and students in temporary housing, including those in shelters Provides services students are entitled to under the McKinney Vento Act and Chancellor s Regulation A- 780 NYS-TEACHS Funded by the State Education Department and housed at Advocates for Children Provides technical assistance on homeless education issues. Serves include: Hotline ( ), Website, Webinars, Annual Workshops, and On-Site Trainings 2 1

2 Before we get started 3 Key Takeaways Children who go to quality early childhood education programs are: Better prepared for kindergarten AND More likely to graduate from high school, hold a job, have higher earnings Quality early childhood education programs: EarlyLearn NYC Other Head Start programs Pre-K Programs for children with special needs: Early Intervention Preschool Special Education services You can play a role in making sure parents know about different early childhood education programs 4 2

3 Topics Importance of Participating in Early Childhood Education Programs Today s Topics General Early Childhood Education Programs McKinney-Vento and Preschool Early Childhood Education Programs for Children with Disabilities Resources 5 Quick Guide: Preschool Programs in NYC EarlyLearn 6 weeks-4 yrs old, depends on program Head Start 3-4 yrs old Pre-K 4 yrs old 6 3

4 EarlyLearn NYC Free, high quality early education program for children 6 weeks to 4 years old. Combination of Head Start, Child Care, and Pre-K. Higher standards than other childcare programs All programs offer full-day sessions Pre-K provided to all 4-year olds enrolled in EarlyLearn 7 Who s Eligible for EarlyLearn NYC Head Start: All children in shelters are eligible for Head Start Child Care Subsidy: Families receiving cash assistance Families receiving preventive services or who have an open ACS case Low income families and Parent working or in an educational/training program Parent who needs child care to attend services in response to domestic violence 8 4

5 How to find EarlyLearn programs in your area Call 311 Access the EarlyLearn NYC program directory at arents.shtml If the parent gets cash assistance, ask the local Job Center for more information If the parent doesn t get cash assistance, text EARLYLEARN TO Head Start Other Head Start Centers, in addition to EarlyLearn programs: Open to children ages 3-4 Free 8-hour day programs Many medical, dental, nutritional, and adult educational services to families Eligibility: All children in temporary housing are eligible To Enroll: Call 311 Use the online Head Start Locator:

6 Head Start and children who are homeless 3-4-year old children who are homeless are categorically eligible for Head Start and must be prioritized for enrollment 11 True or False? Children who are homeless are enrolled in pre-k at the same rate as children who are permanently housed. 12 6

7 Children in shelters and participation in pre-k 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 13 % of Four-Year Old Children Participating in Pre-K in NYC Children living in shelters All children Pre-K for All Free, full-day, high-quality pre-k (6 hours and 20 minutes) Located in district schools or NYC Early Education Centers (NYCEECs) Eligibility Open to all 4-year olds born in 2011 To find a program, families can: Call 311 Text prek to Visit Overview of Pre-K for All Enrollment o Single application for district schools and full-day NYCEEC pre-k programs o Families receive a single offer from the NYCDOE o Three ways for families to apply: o Apply online at nyc.gov/prek o Call o Apply at a Family Welcome Center o Application Period March 16 through April

8 How Pre-K for All Enrollment Works How families apply All families complete the Pre-K For All application for district schools and full-day NYCEECs Families rank their choices in order of preference (first choice is the program they want the most), up to 12 programs How children are placed Children are matched to programs according to a priority order called Admissions Priorities. Admissions Priorities: 1. Current students enrolled at the NYCEEC. 2. Siblings of current students enrolled at the NYCEEC. 3. Students whose families currently receive free or subsidized social services from the organization operating the NYCEEC pre-k program. 4. Students with a home language other than English that the NYCEEC specializes in serving (if applicable). 5. All other students. Offers to pre-k programs Families can expect to receive offers in the spring, either to a district school or NYCEEC. Families accept offers and pre-register 15 The McKinney-Vento Act Federal law Enacted in 1987 Reauthorized in 2001 as part of NCLB School Access Academic Success School Stability 16 8

9 Who is covered under McKinney-Vento? Examples of temporary housing: Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship or other similar reason Living in emergency or transitional shelters Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations Abandoned in hospitals Awaiting foster care placement Living a in public or private place not designed for sleeping Living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, bus or train stations, etc. Migratory living in circumstances described above 17 McKinney-Vento Services Free Meals Transport to School of Origin Free Meals Immediate Enrollment Immediate Enrollment Title I Services Title I Services 18 9

10 DOE s Students in Temporary Housing Program Central Office Office of Safety and Youth Develop citywide STH programs Development Borough Offices Coordinate resources/programs for STH STH Content Experts (10) students Shelters Coordinate transportation, enrollment, STH Family Assistants (approx. 115) etc. School-Based Liaisons (approx. 1, 700) Schools Identify homeless students, connect with Title I services, etc. 19 McKinney-Vento and Pre-K Immediate Enrollment 20 10

11 Enrolling in Pre-k Classroom that is full Pre-K Class-size: Up to 18 children = 2 staff members Contact DOE s Division of Early Childhood Education to see if additional child(ren) can be added to full classroom 21 Transportation Parents can get a Metro-Card to take their child to a pre-k program. To get a Metro-Card, contact: Dep t of Education Family Assistant or STH Content Experts 22 11

12 RECAP Participation in quality early childhood programs can help kids be better prepared for kindergarten and beyond! Children in shelters are categorically eligible for Head Start and should be given priority on all wait lists Parents can get a free MetroCard to take their children to pre-k Help parents sign their children up for EarlyLearn, Head Start and Pre-K programs in the spring! Help parents find programs in the area Let them know about upcoming deadlines Help parents complete applications online 23 Questions? 24 12

13 True or False? Approximately 45% of preschoolers who are homeless have at least one major developmental delay. 25 Young children who are homeless Approximately: 75% - at least one major developmental delay 40% - two or more major developmental delays 35% - emotional or behavioral problems 26 13

14 Children with Disabilities Early Intervention and preschool special education services address delays in one of five areas: Cognitive Communication Physical/Motor Social/Emotional Adaptive/Self-Help 27 Early Intervention Free program for children ages birth 3 run by the Department of Health Examples of services: Occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech Health, nursing, or nutrition services Psychological or social work services Family training, counseling, respite How to apply? Call

15 Preschool Special Education Run by Department of Education for children ages 3-5 Examples of services: Speech and language therapy Occupational therapy Physical therapy Counseling (play therapy) Parent training; School health services SEIT: Special Education Itinerant Teacher Special class in an integrated setting (half-day or full-day) Special class (half-day or full-day) 29 How to access Preschool Special Education Send a letter to the Chairperson of the local Committee on Special Education What to include: Parent wants a preschool special education evaluation Reason for concern; why parent thinks child may need services Any services child received in past (such as Early Intervention) Parent s contact information Parent s signature How to send: Drop it off at the CSE (make sure to keep a copy!) Fax it to the CSE Evaluations After getting the letter, the Committee on Preschool Special Education will send the parent an evaluation packet Parent must arrange the free evaluation with one of the agencies listed in the packet 30 15

16 RECAP: Services for Children with Disabilities Early Intervention Birth 3 years old Call 311 Preschool Special Education 3-5 years old Send a letter to the Committee on Special Education 31 Scenario In April, a family is placed in a shelter. One of the children, Maria, is 2 years, 11 months old. Her mother really wants Maria to attend preschool. Maria s mother thinks that Maria may have a speech and language delay. Which program(s) may Maria be eligible for? Early Intervention EarlyLearn Head Start program Pre-K Preschool special education services 32 16

17 Scenario You just started working with a family who is living in a shelter and has three young children ages 9 months, 2 years old, and 4 years old. The children are not in school. The mother has an open public assistance case and the family receives cash assistance. Which programs are the children eligible for? Head Start Pre-K EarlyLearn All of the above 33 Questions? 34 17

18 FAQ s for Families in Temporary Housing Will my child will be in a safe learning environment? Yes! Pre-k, Head Start, and EarlyLearn programs all have rigorous safety standards and licensing requirements How much do these programs cost? They re free! Can I get transportation to take my child to pre-k? Yes! Parents can get a MetroCard from the DOE s Students in Temporary Housing Program Also, did you know that many of these programs offer comprehensive family support services? 35 FAQ s for Families in Temporary Housing Are full-day programs available? Yes! Pre-k: 6 hours and 20 mins Head Start: 8 hours EarlyLearn: 10 hours How can I find a program? Call 311 Text prek to Visit: nyc.gov/prek (pre-k) (Head Start) (EarlyLearn) 36 18

19 Tips for shelter-based staff Build a community that encourages preschool enrollment! Identify Pre-K and EarlyLearn Programs in the area Have shelter-wide Pre-K enrollment week/month Encourage staff to help parents enroll their children in pre-k in March Online for pre-k if the parent has an address or At the Family Welcome Center Invite representatives from preschool programs to present to parents at the shelter Encourage parents to participate in open-house events at local preschool programs Share information with parents about the importance of preschool to counter any anxiety they may have about sending their children 37 Quick Guide General Early Childhood Education Programs EarlyLearn 6 weeks-4 yrs old, depends on program Call 311 Head Start 3-4 yrs old Call 311 Pre-K 4 yrs old (born in 2011 start in Sept) Apply online, at Family Welcome Center, or at community-based organization Early Childhood Programs for Children with Disabilities Early Intervention Birth-3 yrs old Call 311 Preschool Special Education 3-5 yrs old Write to CSE Chair to request evaluation 38 19

20 Where to get help? 39 Students in Temporary Housing Content Experts Office of Youth Development Borough Center Location Bronx 1 Fordham Plz, Rm 821A Bronx, NY Brooklyn 131 Livingston Street Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn South 1780 Ocean Ave., Rm 1B Brooklyn, NY Manhattan 333 7th Avenue, 12th Fl New York, NY Queens Queens Plaza N LIC, NY Special Education 400 First Ave, Rm 113 New York, NY Districts 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 23, 32 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 31 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 STH Content Expert Name Stephanie Dyer Bak Harris Jean Regnier Wayne Harris Charlene Mitchell Edonine Castor Cecilio (Bo) Diaz Iris Gersten Winnie Tjioe Stephanie Goldstein Office Number sdyer@schools.nyc.gov bharris6@schools.nyc.gov jregnier@schools.nyc.gov wharris22@schools.nyc.gov cmitchell4@schools.nyc.gov ecastor@schools.nyc.gov cdiaz@schools.nyc.gov igersten@schools.nyc.gov wtjioe@schools.nyc.gov sgoldstein17@schools.nyc.gov 75 Michele Marcel mmarcel@schools.nyc.gov NYS- 40 TEACHS - (800)

21 CSE DISTRICT ADDRESS PHONE/FAX CONTACT One Fordham Plaza,7th floor Phone: (718) ,9,10 Bronx, NY Fax: (718) /7929 Steven Birkeland 3450 East Tremont Ave., 2 nd fl Phone: (718) ,11,12 Bronx, NY Español: (718) Fax: (718) Tricia DeVito 25, Linden Place Phone: (718) Flushing, NY Fax: (718) Esther Morell Sutphin Boulevard Phone: (718) , 29 Jamaica, NY Fax: (718) /2510 Esther Morell 24, ,23, ,18,22 20, CSE Contact Information Queens Plaza N., 5 th fl Phone: (718) Long Island City, NY Fax: (718) Chris Cinicola Rockaway Blvd. 2nd fl Phone: (718) Ozone Park, NY Fax: (718) Chris Cinicola 1665 St. Marks Avenue Phone: (718) /3558 Brooklyn, NY Fax: (718) Geraldine Beauvil 5619 Flatlands Avenue Brooklyn, NY Phone: (718) Fax: (718) Arlene Rosenstock th Street Phone: (718) Brooklyn, NY Fax: (718) Amine Haddad 715 Ocean Terrace, Building A Phone: (718) Staten Island, NY Fax: (718) Amine Haddad 41 8 Brooklyn, NY ,14,15, Livingston Street, 4th fl Fax (718) Phone: (718) Cherry Kang 9 1,2,4 New York, NY Fax: (917) th Avenue, 4 th fl Phone: (917) Jennifer Lozano 10 3,5,6 388 West 125 th Street Phone: (212) New York, NY Fax: (212) Jane O'Connor Charter One Fordham Plaza,7th floor Phone: (718) All Districts Schools Bronx, NY Fax: (718) /7929 Mariama Sandi Free brochures are available in English and in Spanish Free posters in 9 languages Toll-free hotline Resources from NYS-TEACHS Website,

22 Other Resources Change the First Five Years and You Change Everything from Ounce of Prevention Fund: Raises awareness about the importance of quality early childhood programs The Early Childhood Self-Assessment Tool for Family Shelters from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Helps shelter staff create shelters that are safe and developmentally appropriate for young children Developmental Milestones from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention From birth to 5 years, children should reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, act, and move. These handouts can help parents track their children s development and act early if they have a concern Thank You! NYC Department of Education Montgomery Smith, Students in Temporary Housing: msmith66@schools.nyc.gov Brian Fritsch, Pre-K For All: bfritsch@schools.nyc.gov NYC Department of Homeless Services Franca N. Okeya, Family Services: (212) /91, fokeya@dhs.nyc.gov Susana Vilardell, Director of Educational Services: svilardell@dhs.nyc.gov NYC Administration for Children s Services Division of Early Care and Education Shari Gruber: (212) , shari.gruber@acs.nyc.gov NYS-TEACHS Jennifer Pringle: (212) , jpringle@afcnyc.org Hotline: (800) Website: