Latest news with #McKinney-VentoAct
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Ohio High Schooler Was Actually 24-Year-Old Man Who Overstayed Visa: Police
A 24-year-old Venezuelan man is accused of fraudulently enrolling himself in an Ohio high school as a 16-year-old, which allowed him to stay in the U.S. undetected for over a year until a woman came forward last week, contending that he is the father of her child. Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra was arrested near Toledo on forgery charges Monday and also faces a detainer from Immigration and Customs Enforcement after allegedly overstaying a work visa that expired in 2023, local and federal authorities said. According to police records, Labrador Sierra enrolled himself in Perrysburg High School in late 2023 using a fake birth certificate that listed him as born in Venezuela as Anthony Labrador on Dec. 2, 2007. He allegedly told school officials that he was unhoused and trafficked into the U.S. Under the federal McKinney-Vento Act, passed in 1987, public schools are required to enroll unaccompanied minors without standard enrollment paperwork. He was taken in by a local couple, known for adopting and housing exchange students, who helped him legally obtain an Ohio driver's license and a Social Security card, according to a Perrysburg Police Division incident report obtained by HuffPost. Over the next 16 months, Labrador Sierra attended classes and participated in extracurricular activities, including junior varsity soccer and swimming. He also obtained Temporary Protective Status through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services using a fraudulent birth certificate, Perrysburg Schools said in a statement. 'Our school district—along with state and federal agencies—were misled by an intentional act of fraud,' the school system said. It wasn't until last week, May 14, that a 22-year-old Toledo woman came forward, identifying Labrador Sierra to his local guardians as a 24-year-old man and the father of her child, police said. The woman allegedly shared a photo of an Ohio driver's license and Social Security card showing Labrador Sierra's full name and a birthday of March 27, 2001. She also shared photos from Facebook showing her with him and a small child. Labrador Sierra's guardians immediately alerted his school about the fraud allegations, and the next day, school officials said they confronted him about it. He denied the allegations but was still directed to stay off school property until a district review, the school system said. Later, police said the school system provided authorities with pictures of several Facebook posts by a woman who identified herself as Labrador Sierra's mother. The woman on March 27 posted a photo of him wearing a Perrysburg soccer uniform and wished him a happy birthday. Further investigation found that a vehicle Labrador Sierra owned was registered to Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra under his old Ohio driver's license. Border Patrol accused that same individual of overstaying his work visa in 2023, the same year that he enrolled in the local high school, police said. He was taken into custody during a traffic stop on Monday. Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, celebrated Labrador Sierra's arrest and detainer in a statement, claiming he is 'no longer able to prey on the students of Perrysburg High School.' A police spokesperson told HuffPost on Thursday that the incident remains under investigation. It was not immediately clear whether Labrador Sierra had an attorney. Kid Rock Distances Himself From Nashville Restaurant After It Reportedly Dodged ICE Raid Democratic Rep. McIver Charged With Assault After Skirmish At ICE Center, New Jersey Prosecutor Says Trump Plans To Yank Officers From Ports And Borders To Help Juice Deportation Numbers Stop Comparing ICE To The Gestapo, Homeland Security Says
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The number of homeless students rising fast in Thurston County's urban districts
The number of homeless students attending North Thurston Public Schools, the largest school district in Thurston County, has risen to more than 1,000, nearly twice as many as the district reported in 2021. The increase can be partly attributed to the district doing a better job of identifying students who qualify for services under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, but there's also a too-familiar culprit: the cost of housing and the lack of affordable housing in the area. Amanda Yonker, who works with homeless students as a River Ridge High School student navigator, delivered those sobering comments at a recent joint meeting of the NTPS school board and Lacey City Council. 'There's a lack of affordable housing, and there is a continuous rise in rental prices,' Yonker told those gathered at River Ridge High School last Tuesday. 'So time and time again, we're seeing families, two-income families, that cannot afford the rent because it continues to go up.' Some of those families are still feeling the effects of the pandemic, a time when some families lost their housing, which forced them to double up with others, she said. As a result, their credit took a hit and now some people won't rent to them. Thurston County is an expensive place to live. The median price of a single-family home was $540,000 in April, according to Northwest Multiple Listing Service data, and average rents in the county last year were $1,592, Thurston Regional Planning Council data show. Yonker told those at the meeting that the district has 1,024 homeless students, up from 556 in 2021. Of that larger total, more than 800 students have doubled up to live with someone else, while close to 200 are considered unaccompanied. Although the numbers have increased since 2021, the year-over-year period has been stable, she said. However, the number of homeless high school students has climbed from 136 in 2023 to 351 this year. 'We define homelessness as those who are without fixed, adequate or regular nighttime residency,' Yonker said. That is the definition under the federal McKinney-Vento Act. 'This can look like students who are living in tents, or in their cars, or on the street,' she said. 'It can also look like being in an RV, or couch surfing, or living with your family, but perhaps your family is living with another family, and their name is not on the lease. You can also be living with your grandparents or another family member who's raising you, but they are not your legal guardian.' Olympia and Tumwater school districts also have seen dramatic increases in their student homeless population since 2021, according to data shared with The Olympian. Since the 2021-22 school year, the Olympia School District has seen an increase of 85 students experiencing homelessness, with 285 identified for the 2024-25 school year, spokesman Conor Schober said. 'Stigma around being unhoused continues to make self-identification a challenge for many families,' he said. Housing — the cost or availability of it — is among the contributing factors to higher homelessness in Olympia schools, he said. 'There has been a noticeable rise in families relying on motels or hotels when financially possible, as well as a sharp increase in evictions due to unaffordable rent, unpaid balances or occupancy violations,' Schober said. Tumwater, too, has seen a rise in its homeless student population, increasing from 159 in the 2021-22 school year to 225 this school year. 'We have found that lack of affordable housing is a significant factor,' spokeswoman Laurie Wiedenmeyer said. 'We have families with HUD vouchers to help with rent, yet some have had them for two years and are still waiting for housing.' Yonker's comments at Tuesday's meeting prompted Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder to seek an update about a low-income, city-initiated housing project that has been proposed across from Komachin Middle School at College Street and Mullen Road. 'We reached a purchase and sale agreement with the LOTT Clean Water Alliance (the owners of the property), and we're almost complete with the due diligence period,' said Lacey City Manager Rick Walk. Walk said the authorization for the purchase and sale agreement is expected to come before the council in June. 'We've been talking with the Thurston County Housing Authority about doing a multi-generational, low-income type of project there that would serve both low-income seniors as well as low-income families, targeting school-age families,' he said. Once authorized by the council, the next step would be to formulate a memorandum of understanding with whatever partner wants to step up and move that project forward, Walk said. The proposal has called for cottage-style housing that would be developed over two phases, totaling 60-80 units, he said. Despite the challenges of being homeless, a range of services are available to those students, Yonker said. For example, North Thurston has the Family Youth Resource Center, which is near North Thurston High School. It's a place where students can get clothes and hygiene products, touch base with community partners about benefits and health insurance, or take advantage of coordinated entry services to find housing, Yonker said. Tumwater, too, has a similar arrangement. 'We are grateful for our Community Schools Managers that are housed in our schools,' Wiedenmeyer said. 'Each of the CS Managers has a dedicated work area in their assigned school that is stocked with food, hygiene supplies, and more, and students know they are able to stop by any time if they are hungry or need assistance with essential resources.' Yonker said these students do move on and succeed. 'These kids are going to school,' she said. 'They're going to college. They're doing amazing things, which is fantastic because we know that the chance of homelessness rises 4.5% if kids leave high school without a high school diploma or a GED.' Site near Komachin Middle School could get affordable housing. Here's how it would work
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Regional education office, schools partner to pinpoint, provide for Sauk Valley area's homeless students
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways May 7—STERLING — A federal program is working behind the scenes to ensure students experiencing homelessness, including those in the Sauk Valley, do not fall between the cracks. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Program is an initiative designed to support children and youths experiencing homelessness to gain equal access to a free, public education. Students are identified through registration, staff and community outreach; services include academic support, transportation, and necessities such as toiletries and clothing. Deb Sweeney is the Area 2 lead liaison for the program at the Regional Office of Education No. 47 in Sterling, which serves students across Lee, Ogle and Whiteside counties. She said every school is required to ask specific questions during student registration that are designed to help identify students experiencing homelessness or forms of housing instability, such as "couch surfing." "That's why there's training needed for all the district staff, because it may be the bus driver that is seeing something when they're dropping kids off, the nurses need to know the doctor, all of the teaching staff, everybody," Sweeney said. "And some of it's just eyeballs, something's different, and then someone paying attention to that. Other times, it can be the community reaching out to the school." The McKinney-Vento Act requires school districts to post information about the educational rights of homeless children and youths on their websites, registration forms and common areas such as laundromats, public libraries, homeless shelters and soup kitchens. Sweeney said school districts' homeless liaisons undergo yearly training. She also regularly shares updated information and specialized training opportunities with other liaisons and ROEs across the region that can be shared with school staff, such as nurses and social workers. The program is funded through a state grant that helps provide students with items from laptops and school supplies to shoes and incidentals. "People so often just think of the paper, pencil part, and that's usually the easy part to say to a local church, 'Hey, could you get us five book bags,'" Sweeney said. "But that's just the basics. They need to have laundry soap so their clothes could be clean. They need transportation help, oftentimes, to get from where they're living to where they want to go to school. So, it's much bigger than paper, pencils." The program also aims to assist a special segment of the student homeless population — "unaccompanied youths." "These are kids that are not living with a parent or a legal guardian, and some are living with good, stable adults," Sweeney said. "Most are having a tendency to be couch surfing. So, two weeks here, one week there. The best we can do for those kids is to help them feel that there's someone safe at the school that they can talk to. Other counseling support may be needed, helping them with getting applied for a medical card for themselves, food stamps, or if they're going to be in college, the FAFSA." Kris Smith, the McKinney-Vento liaison for Rock Falls Township High School, reported the school currently has 20 identified McKinney-Vento-eligible students, most of whom are an unaccompanied youth. Assistant Superintendent of Dixon Public Schools Doug Stansford said DPS currently has 36 students who are classified as homeless. "The district has been using a grant to purchase needed items for students," Stansford said. "This may include gift cards for meals, gas, clothing, etc. The district has also used grant funds to cover short-term temporary hotel stays for families waiting to get housing." Sweeney said parents have the final say in decisions affecting their child's education in the program. "Our goal as the educating society side of it is to make sure that the family is understanding what all their rights are," Sweeney said. One of the most important decisions involves school placement. Under McKinney-Vento, students experiencing homelessness have the right to stay at their "school of origin" — the school they attended before their housing situation changed — or enroll in the "school of residence," which is based on where they are currently living. "Maybe now they're living in a different community, and so the child would have the right to continue where they had been going," Sweeney explained, adding that most families prefer to keep their children in the school they are familiar with, a choice schools typically support. "It's transportation that's usually the biggest problem," Sweeney said. "So, then we have to be creative." If a student's housing situation improves mid-year, they still qualify for support under the program through the end of the school year. This continued support remains even if a family signs a lease and moves into permanent housing. The reason, Sweeney explained, is rooted in national data. "Unfortunately, three times a year, these children statistically, nationwide, will become homeless again," Sweeney said. "So you do not take them off the supports just because they have reached that." There is also no limit to how long a student can be considered in transition. Each school year begins with a re-evaluation to determine if the family qualifies. "And unfortunately, many times it's yes, they do," Sweeney added. Program support does not end at high school. As students transition into higher education, McKinney-Vento liaisons help connect them with designated contacts at colleges and universities. For more information on the program or to get started, contact the school your child is attending or call Sweeney at 815-266-1221.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
APS students ‘Spring Into Action' through district-wide food drive
(KRQE) – APS students sprang into action on Saturday morning to help the nearly 4,000 students in need of food within the district through a food drive. APS students are showing up for their fellow classmates to answer a call to action for those who fall under the McKinney-Vento Act. From sunrise to sunset, students are collecting ready-to-eat, non-perishable items for unhoused students. The McKinney-Vento Program offers services to homeless children and their families, including: referrals for housing, school supplies, and nutritious meals. 'It feels cool that we're all united and trying to just be here for the same cause,' shared senior Highland High School student Kaylin Gonzalez. Family of Albuquerque Public Schools student who was pepper sprayed on campus sues district 'They called and said, 'Our shelves are low, can we restock them?'' said Leslie Coe, APS Activities Manager. 'So, we reached out to our 13 high schools who help with the drive every year, and they said, absolutely, we're busy with proms and graduations, but we're gonna make it work because these kids need to eat, and our students recognize helping their peers is the biggest importance.' With as many as 4,000 APS students across grades K through 12 in need of support, APS called out to the community for a helping hand. 'Every school in APS has at least one McKinney-Vento student who needs our help. So, it is a school-wide effort, a district-wide effort, and now an Albuquerque-wide effort because the community can come out and donate to us on Saturday,' said Coe. Graduation rate increases for Albuquerque Public Schools 'I don't think there's any shame in having to ask for help because we're all human. We're never perfect. It's okay to always ask for a hand,' said Highland High School senior Kaylin Gonzalez. Normally, the APS activity board hosts a fall food drive, but because of the increased need this spring, the district decided to host an additional drive to bolster support. 'It's like a very small way to give back. It doesn't take much out of you, and I think it's just really important to help out our community in any way that we can,' said a senior Highland High School student. APS was able to collect over two van loads of food for McKinney-Vento students. For those unable to attend, the program is always looking for donations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Washington schools see record number of homeless students in recent years
In recent years, Washington has recorded a record number of students experiencing homelessness, according to data from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Pierce County school districts represent some of the largest populations of students experiencing housing instability. According to some of the most recent data available from the OSPI, Washington recorded 42,436 homeless students in 2023, more than double the amount the state recorded more than a decade before in 2010. According to a report from Building Changes, a Washington-based homeless advocacy group, Washington ranks sixth in the nation among states with the most students experiencing homelessness and fifth in the nation for percentage of students experiencing homelessness. According to the report, 3.8% of the total student population in Washington experienced homelessness during the 2022-23 school year. The report defines homelessness as living in a shelter, unsheltered, a motel or hotel, or 'doubled-up,' meaning they share housing with relatives, friends, or other people. Roughly three quarters of students experiencing homelessness in Washington during the 2022-2023 school year were considered to be 'doubling-up,' according to the report. Roughly 11% were living in shelters, 6% in hotels and motels and 7% percent were considered to be unsheltered. Unsheltered is defined in the report as 'living in abandoned buildings, campgrounds, vehicles, trailer parks, Federal Emergency Management Agency shelters, bus or train stations, substandard or inadequate housing, on the 'streets,' or in similar situations.' Tacoma Public Schools (TPS) has been recognized to have the highest number of McKinney-Vento students in the state. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is a federal law to protect students experiencing housing instability, and it ensures that homeless children and youth have access to a public education. The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children as 'individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.' According to TPS spokesperson Kathryn McCarthy, the district was serving 2,685 students through McKinney-Vento programming during the 2023-2024 school year. Of those, 414 were considered 'unaccompanied youth.' McCarthy told The News Tribune the district recorded 2,389 students who were experiencing homelessness or considered 'unaccompanied youth' during the 2024-2025 school year. Additionally, she said there are 202 students in foster care. According to the report from Building Changes, students experiencing homelessness in Washington in 2023 had a 48 percent attendance rate. Housed students recorded a 71 percent attendance rate during the same year. In 2023, less than one-quarter of students experiencing homelessness were proficient in English Language Arts, according to the report. This was 29 percentage points lower than the rate for housed students and 12 points lower than the rate for housed low-income students. Only 15% of students experiencing homelessness were considered to be proficient in math, while 41% of housed students met this standard. Students experiencing homelessness were suspended from schools at more than double the rate of their housed peers. In 2023, 63% of students experiencing homelessness graduated within four years, according to the statewide report. This was considerably lower than the 86% rate for all housed students and the 80% rate among housed low-income students. According to McCarthy, Tacoma Public Schools recorded an 83.2% on-time graduation rate for students experiencing homelessness in 2024, just 10% less than the on-time graduation rate for non-homeless students. Tacoma Public Schools has a team of support staff focused on McKinney-Vento students. McCarthy said the team includes: two family liaisons who provide direct support to McKinney-Vento students and families to address immediate needs and school-related concerns; a housing navigator who works to assist families in locating stable housing and navigate housing-related resources; a McKinney-Vento coordinator who oversees program implementation, compliance, and systemic support; and a staff member who focuses on graduation support, post-secondary planning, and removing barriers to academic success for McKinney-Vento students. 'Our McKinney-Vento team focuses on removing barriers within the K–12 public education system to ensure McKinney-Vento and foster care students have equitable access to the same opportunities as their housed peers,' McCarthy told The News Tribune. 'Support is individualized based on student needs and often coordinated in partnership with community organizations.' McCarthy said housing instability can create a number of barriers to student success, including disruptions that impact attendance rates and create educational gaps and create limits to basic needs like food, clothing and healthcare. She also said housing instability can subject students to trauma and chronic stress that impacts mental health and social development. In the 2022-23 school year, 46 grants totaling approximately $2.3 million in funding were given to 38 districts to support students experiencing homelessness through either the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act or the state Homeless Student Stability Education Program, according to the report. Clover Park School District, Sumner-Bonney Lake School District, and Tacoma Public Schools were among the districts that received funding. According to the report from Building Changes, the 38 districts collectively enrolled just less than half of the students experiencing homelessness in the state while the other half of students resided in districts that did not receive grant funds specifically for homelessness efforts.
