THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY VULAKOVICH, BISHOP, D. COSTA, CREIGHTON, EVERETT, FREEMAN, HARKINS, HENNESSEY, KNOWLES, MATZIE, MICOZZIE, MILLER, MURT, PAYTON, STURLA AND YOUNGBLOOD, MARCH 26, 2012

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 26, 2012  

AN ACT

Establishing a task force within the Department of Education;

and providing for its powers and duties and for

administrative support.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Task force on homeless children's education.

(a)  Establishment.--There is established within the

Department of Education a task force on homeless children's

education.

(b)  Composition.--The task force shall be composed of the

following members:

(1)  The Secretary of Education, who shall act as

chairperson of the task force.

(2)  The Secretary of Public Welfare or a designee.

(3)  The Secretary of Health or a designee.

(4)  The chair of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency

or a designee.

(5)  Fifteen members to be appointed by the Secretary of

Education within 30 days of the effective date of this act,

to include:

(i)  Five representatives of local agencies assisting

homeless children and families, one each from

southwestern, northwestern, central, southeastern and

northeastern Pennsylvania.

(ii)  Four representatives of Commonwealth school

districts representing urban, suburban and rural areas of

Pennsylvania.

(iii)  Three representatives from Pennsylvania

intermediate units.

(iv)  Three representatives from Pennsylvania social

services organizations with experience working with

homeless children and education issues.

(c)  Objectives.--The overall goal of the task force is to

examine the educational needs and status of homeless children in

this Commonwealth in order to develop and recommend a Statewide

proposal to provide a strong educational foundation for homeless

children.

(d)  Statewide study.--The task force shall examine and

assess the landscape of the homeless-child population on a

Statewide level, including the demographics and barriers to

educational success. The study shall include:

(1)  A demographic survey of homeless parents and

homeless youth that includes, but is not limited to:

(i)  length of homelessness;

(ii)  number of episodes of homelessness;

(iii)  highest educational level attained;

(iv)  living situation of homeless students;

(v)  ages and grade levels of homeless students;

(vi)  school attendance rates and gaps in enrollment;

(vii)  average number of school changes;

(viii)  access to remedial services;

(ix)  access to and use of Title I funds to support

homeless students;

(x)  drop-out rates of homeless students;

(xi)  standardized test scores; and

(xii)  causes and signs of homelessness.

(2)  The successes and limitations in helping homeless

children receive a quality education from the perspective of

teachers, school districts, parents, students, shelter staff

and others involved in providing services to homeless

children.

(3)  Assessment of what is working to serve homeless

children during and after school, including summer.

(4)  Knowledge by parents, students and others of

educational rights of students.

(5)  Assessment of the relationship between homeless

shelters and school personnel and effective protocols that

ensure school success for homeless students.

(6)  Benchmarks of other states for best practices.

(7)  Assessment of methods for identifying and counting

homeless students across this Commonwealth and effective data

collection systems.

(e)  Report to the General Assembly.--The task force shall

issue a report of its findings and recommendations to the

Governor, the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Minority

Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of

Representatives, the Minority Leader of the House of

Representatives, the chairman and minority chairman of the

Education Committee of the Senate and the chairman and minority

chairman of the Education Committee of the House of

Representatives. This report shall be submitted within one year

after the first meeting of the task force and distributed to

those State and local agencies that work with homeless children,

as well as to all Pennsylvania school districts.

(f)  Meetings.--The task force shall meet at least once each

quarter and shall hold its first meeting within 60 days of the

effective date of this act.

(g)  Compensation.--Task force members shall receive no

compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for all

necessary travel and other reasonable expenses incurred in

connection with the performance of their duties as members.

(h)  Duties of department.--The Department of Education shall

provide administrative support, office space and any other

technical assistance required by the task force to carry out its

duties under this section, including access to all reports and

data required by the Federal Government to comply with Title I

of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Public

Law 89-10, 20 U.S.C. § 6301, et seq.) and the McKinney-Vento

Homeless Assistance Act of 1986 (Public Law 100-77, 42 U.S.C. §

11301, et seq.).

Section 2.  Effective date.

This act shall take effect in 60 days.