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Region 4 is very diverse in nature. It encompasses urban, suburban, and rural counties with a population of more than 2.3 million. Nine counties are served by Region 4 which encompass 133 school districts and 686 schools. The poverty rate in this region ranges from 9 percent to 18 percent. 96,920 families receive food stamps and 52,945 families have single female heads of households. The geographical area covers 6,940 square miles.

The established Allegheny County Homeless Children’s Initiative has taken a leadership role for Region 4, with the cooperation and collaboration of Westmoreland Intermediate Unit and Intermediate Unit #1. The goal of Pennsylvania' Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program in Region 4 is; to provide educational and enrichment programs that encourage school attendance, reduce disruptions, and to facilitate services that are linked to the challenging state performance standards will now be extended to include all of the homeless children and youth in Region 4.

Some of the Region 4’s activities include the following:

Provide enrichment programs for homeless children and youth, during non-school time.
Train and supervise college students in service learning projects to serve in shelter sites as tutors/homework helpers.
Establish an emergency school fund for school-related items to address the stigma of homeless, (being different from regular students) (ex. school supplies, uniforms, pictures, and fees).
Encourage school attendance on a regular basis through perfect attendance awards and monthly attendance shelter reports.
Provide summer educational enrichment programs through mini-grants to fund family shelters’ summer projects for homeless families.
Provide parent workshops on enrollment, attendance, dress code, rights of homeless students, etc.
Assist local districts to create and/or revise policies and procedures to eliminate barriers for homeless children and youth.
Raise the capacity of local school districts (registrar, school attendance officer, school liaison) to identify homeless students (both sheltered and unsheltered).
Raise the capacity of shelter staff to recognize the importance of immediate school enrollment.
Educate the school transportation departments on the rights of homeless students.
Maintain an emergency fund to assist for the provision of transportation on a short-term basis until transportation can be worked out with the local districts to avoid delay in school attendance.

For additional information on the services provided in Region 4, please contact:

Allegheny Intermediate Unit #3
Nicole Anderson, Regional Coordinator
412-394-5894 | nicole.anderson@aiu3.net

Tracey Finn, Community Liaison
412-394-1351 | tracey.finn@aiu3.net

Region 5 encompasses a 10 county region, including 69 school districts and 20 shelters. The Regional Coordinator for the Pennsylvania's Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program is based out of the Midwestern Intermediate Unit 4 in Grove City, Mercer County. The Region’s Site Coordinator is employed by the Erie School District, based in Erie County. In addition, there are five social work liaisons assigned to assist with the coverage of the territory encompassed by Region 5, based out of the Midwestern Intermediate Unit 4 and the Riverview Intermediate Unit 6.

The primary goal of Region 5's program is to assist homeless children and youth with access to a free, appropriate public education. At times, this takes the form of advocacy, technical assistance, and assistance with the removal of barriers facing homeless students and their families, via the McKinney-Vento Law. The mission of the Homeless Children’s Initiative is to provide as much stability as possible for students who are experiencing the painful issue of homelessness in their lives. School is often the one consistent place for these children, and education is an important step in breaking the cycle of poverty.

The staff assigned to this program understands the federal McKinney-Vento Law, and can assist with interpreting the rights of homeless children. These coordinators can be used as a resource by school district liaisons, community partners, shelter staff, and homeless children and families. The program can assist with:

Enhanced understanding of, and compliance with, the McKinney-Vento Law
School enrollment and placement, pre-K - grade 12
Answering questions related to transportation, child accounting guidelines and Title I set asides
Provision of referrals for clothing, food, shelter and related services
Provision of training to schools and community agencies
Distribution of literature related to homeless children
Increasing public awareness of homelessness in local communities
Provision of contact information for the identified district liaison within each school district
Provision of practical ideas related to identifying and working with homeless children and youth

For additional information on the services provided by Region 5, please contact:

Midwestern Intermediate Unit #4
Wendy Kinnear, Regional Coordinator
724-458-6700 x1289 | wendy.kinnear@miu4.org

Butler, Lawrence, Mercer Counties
Bryda Drumm, Intermediate Unit Liaison
724-458-6700, ext. 1218 | bryda.drumm@miu4.org

Northwest Tri-County IU
Crawford, Erie, Warren Counties
Brad Whitman, Site Coordinator
814-734-8449 | brad_whitman@iu5.org

Riverview IU
Clarion, Forest, Venango Counties
Mary Miller, Intermediate Unit Liaison
814-226-7103 x152 | mmiller@riu6.org

The Bucks County Schools Intermediate Unit (BCIU) is the managing agent for Region 8 for the Pennsylvania's Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program. Region 8 includes the counties of Bucks, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery and Northampton. To cover this region, a collaborative effort has been formed which includes the BCIU, the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit (MCIU) and the Allentown School District (ASD). With 66 school districts, several hundred schools, more than 30 shelters and dozens of agencies, the need for continual training and communication is vital. Every school year also finds staff changes in school districts.

This regional site is built around the federal McKinney-Vento Home less Act and emphasis is placed on ensuring that homeless children and youth are immediately enrolled in school. In addition, priority is given to the barriers outlined in the State Plan in terms of removing or reducing them.

The Site Coordinators serve a variety of purposes intended to manage the project in the most effective and efficient manner. Problem solving, public relations, increasing awareness of how to help homeless children, encouraging homeless parents, outreach visits and mailings, tracking of students and making referrals are some of the key activities.

Placing a “Right to Education” poster in every school, and being available to explain the federal law and BEC 42 U.S.C.§11301 has lead to many students being admitted to school more swiftly. Developing the local network of school district Home less Liaisons has also resulted in smoother and less stressful admissions. We invite any Home less Liaison within Region #8 to contact us at any time.

Placing posters and other literature at key agencies and food pantries has contributed to families knowing about school choice and that residency does not have to be proven. Many have enrolled their children that otherwise would most likely not have put their children in school for fear of child protection services or for thinking they are in trouble because of their homelessness.

When working in a densely populated region with multiple school districts, efforts are taken to keep children in their schools of origin whenever possible. The results are fewer absences, fewer school changes and better academic achievement. We encourage school districts to work together on transportation, and to use existing routes whenever possible.

Speaking to homeless parents allows us to provide referrals, develop strategies, encourage them as to how to best help their children in school, and respond to requests for school supplies and school activity fees.

For additional information on services available in Region 8, please contact:

Bucks County IU
Michelle Connor, Regional Coordinator
215-348-2940, Ext. 1361 | mconnor@bucksiu.org

Kathy Birsa, Site Coordinator
215-348-2940, Ext. 1360 | Kbirsa@bucksiu.org

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Accordion

Region 1 (Philadelphia)

Region 2 (Berks, Chester, Dauphin and Lancaster, Lebanon and Schuylkill counties)

Region 3 (Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, Mifflin, Huntingdon, Juniata, Perry and York counties)

Region 4 (Allegheny, Beaver, Bedford, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland counties)

Region 5 (Butler, Crawford, Clarion, Erie, Forest, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties)

Region 6 (Armstrong, Blair, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Indiana, Jefferson and Potter counties)

Region 7 (Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Montour Northumberland, Pike, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Wayne, and Wyoming counties)

Region 8 (Bucks, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery and Northampton counties)

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Locations and Projects