Meeting the Challenge: Educating Homeless Children in Pennsylvania

October 14-15, 2010
Radisson Valley Forge, Valley Forge, PA

Plan now to attend this statewide conference in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania on Thursday, October 14 through Friday, October 15, 2010. This one and one-half day professional development event is sponsored and funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and coordinated by the Center for Schools and Communities.

Conference topics will include the scope of homelessness across the nation and in Pennsylvania as well as legal and best practice guidelines to support the effective use of school and community resources to remove barriers to learning caused or exacerbated by homeless situations. The conference will provide valuable information for educators, homeless liaisons, shelter personnel, pupil services personnel, guidance counselors and other professionals working with the homeless population.

Registration will be available soon.

If you have any questions, contact the Center for Schools and Communities at 717-763-1661, ext.156 or llong@csc.csiu.org.

Now Online! Statewide Directory for Pennsylvania School Liaisons for Homeless Students and Statewide Shelter Directory

We are pleased to announce that the Statewide Directory for Pennsylvania School Liaisons for Homeless Students and Statewide Shelter Directory are now available online.

Click here to locate the designated homeless liaison for your district or to find a shelter in a specific geographical area within Pennsylvania. This online availability provides instantaneous access for you as well as the general public to current liaison and shelter contact information.


New resource to ensure appropriate services for students experiencing homelessness

The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare now maintains a list of education liaisons that are available to help coordinate services and ensure an appropriate education for homeless students.

Click here to see the attached list (Word format) for the person/s identified in your county.


Homeless Basic Education Circular (BEC) Revision

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is announcing a revised Education for Homeless BEC 42 USCA 11421 et seq. Date of issue is February 3, 2010.

The revised BEC may be found on the PDE website by clicking here.

For more information about the Pennsylvania Homeless Children's Initiative you may contact Sheldon Winnick, State Coordinator at (717) 783-6468.

Harvard University announces that undergraduate students from low-income families will pay no tuition!

If you know of a family earning less than $60,000 a year with an honor student graduating from high school soon, Harvard University wants to pay the tuition.  The prestigious university recently announced that from now on undergraduate students from low-income families can go to Harvard for free... no tuition and no student loans!  To find out more about Harvard offering free tuition for families making less than $60,000 a year, visit Harvard's financial aid website at: http://www.fao.fas.harvard.edu/ or call the school's financial aid office at (617) 495-1581.