Dear Homeless
Liaisons and Friends of the Homeless Program,
My name is
Carolyn Paulaitis. As you have heard, I
am taking over the role of State Homeless Coordinator for the Iowa Department
of Education (IDoE), effective August 1, 2017.
Sandy Johnson will continue to work with the homeless program for a
while to assure a smooth transition.
I wish to take
a moment to introduce myself by email and provide you with my contact
information. My previous and current
work at the IDoE includes School Improvement Grants, Title I, and Statewide School
Improvement Team – Differentiated Accountability work. I am enthusiastic about
adding the homeless coordinator position to my responsibilities.
As you begin a
new school year, please remember that current and accurate LEA Homeless Liaison
contact information must be provided in your district’s 2017-2018 Title I
app. If you have received this email, it
means your contact information was provided through the 2016-2017 Title I app,
or by district request. If you have
received this email in error, please respond and provide me with the correct
district Liaison contact information.
A sampling of
informative links and web resources are provided below. Additionally, I have provided a section of helpful
links and web resources for newly appointed Homeless Liaisons. As part of required technical assistance, I
will be sending out periodic, informative emails pertaining to the homeless
program. As additional technical
assistance/training opportunities become available, updates will be emailed.
Please feel
free to email, call, or stop by the Iowa Department of Education, if you have
any questions or just want to touch base.
I look forward to working with you as we all serve the students of Iowa.
Sincerely,
Carolyn Paulaitis
Title I and SIG Consultant
State Homeless Coordinator
Iowa Department of Education
Grimes State Office Building
NOTICE
TO RECIPIENT: This communication and any response to it may constitute a
public record, and therefore, may be available upon request in
accordance with Iowa public records law, Iowa Code Chapter 22.
RESOURCES:
The McKinney-Vento Definition of Homeless:
The Iowa Department of Education Homeless Education Webpage:
Websites Pertaining to Education and Homelessness:
National Center for Homeless
Education (NCHE): The NCHE is funded by the U.S. Department of
Education and operates the Department’s technical assistance center for the
Federal Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Program.
NCHE
Resources by Topic:
National Association for
the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY): A national
membership association dedicated to educational excellence for children and
youth experiencing homelessness.
Videos, Webinars, Tutorials, and Trainings:
NCHE Tutorial Videos, and
other resources:
Products and Publications from NCHE (available to download or order):
Additional Links Pertaining to Homelessness:
Iowa Finance Authority’s
Iowa Council on Homelessness
National Alliance to End
Homelessness:
Iowa Legal Aid:
National Coalition for the
Homeless:
National Law Center on Homelessness
and Poverty:
US Department of Housing
and Urban Development:
United States Interagency
Council on Homelessness:
National Center on Family
Homelessness:
SchoolHouse Connection:
RESOURCES
for the New, Local Homeless Liaison:
NCHE Homeless Liaison
Toolkit/2017 Edition: NCHE's Homeless Liaison Toolkit is a comprehensive
resource that will assist both new and veteran local liaisons in carrying out
their responsibilities. Updated to reflect the requirements of the McKinney-Vento
Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the 2017 edition of
the Homeless
Liaison Toolkit includes requirements of the law, good practices, sample forms,
and links to resources. Sixteen chapters on topics essential to implementing
the McKinney-Vento Act synthesize in an easy-to-read format the essentials that
local liaisons must know in order to carry out their responsibilities.
NCHE Webinars:
…allows you to participate in live, interactive
online trainings with other attendees from around the country.
NCHE Self-Paced Online
Training: …allows
you to review training materials at your own pace and at a time of your
choosing. Many materials used for self-paced training (e.g. training videos)
are the same as those used in live, interactive group training; however in
self-paced training, you review these materials on your own.
NCHE Homeless Education
Issue Briefs: … discuss a
comprehensive array of issues related to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance
Act and its implementation.
NCHE Children and Youth
Experiencing Homelessness: An Introduction to the Issues.
Non-Regulatory
Guidance, Education for Homeless Children and Youths Program.
understanding minds. 
