Policy Analysis
Assumptions
There are many assumptions about the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance policy, most of which center around the "types" of people that it is geared towards assisting. Many people believe that the people that receive the protections and assistance outlined in the policy are living off the system, fiscally irresponsible, or cannot maintain a job. However, the reality of the situation is that homelessness can be caused by a number of things. You can lose your home due to a natural disaster, a lost job or source of income. The stereotypes surrounding homelessness breeds shame in those that are homeless which leads them to not seek out the assistance they so desperately need, especially in a school environment. These stereotypes have also led to the amendment that includes training on how to identify homeless students.
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Values, Benefits, and Teaching
Students are in school the majority of the day and school represents the stability they need and crave. The McKinney-Vento Act recognizes this and responded by ensuring that children not only have the right to attend school, but also the means to do so. The Act also places emphasis on the importance of education by the continued support for programs that assist in homeless student learning.
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The McKinney-Vento Act benefits those that are experiencing homelessness, both long-term and on an emergency basis. The definition outlined in the Act is inclusive to those that do not have their own space to live or steady place to sleep. The one situation not outlined in the definition that should be included is students who are living in a split-family situation where one or more parent or sibling must live separately due to inadequate space. Students who have stable living arrangements are not benefiting from this policy.
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As an educator, I know that there will be assistance for my students when they encounter hardship such as this. So long as parents are transparent about their needs, our school will do what they can to meet the basic and educational needs of the student while in attendance at school.
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