McCracken County Service-Learning Project Seeks to Give Back
The McCracken County Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) recently completed an inspiring service-learning project that will make a significant impact for the district’s McKinney-Vento program, which supports elementary-age children who experience homelessness. The FCCLA's latest project showcases their dedication and creativity.
As part of their "Project Lead the Way" program, FCCLA students worked on a heartwarming mission to create handmade bears for young students experiencing homelessness. These bears are designed to be included in the initial bags of resources given to children when staff first contact their parents or guardians. The goal is to provide these handmade bears as a source of comfort to these young students during a challenging time in their lives.
We invite you to see the amazing work done by McCracken’s FCCLA students. Check out the student-created video submitted to the Kentucky Department of Education. The video explains the project and showcases their efforts.
Join us in recognizing the new local liaison Jessie Vasseur, and the students and staff at McCracken County. Their deep commitment ensures that students experiencing homelessness feel welcomed and supported in school.
Kentucky’s School Report Card Data: Now Available Online
The new Kentucky School Report Card dashboards were made public in late December and have gone through a series of updates to improve performance, accessibility and mobile functionality. If you have not reviewed this data, we recommend doing so when possible.
Kentucky state coordinator for homeless education, Zach Stumbo is available for a technical assistance call to assist in reviewing SRC data for students experiencing homelessness. If you are interested in scheduling a call, please contact him to arrange a time and date. Recommended topics to discuss include graduation rates, academic performance and number of homeless students in the district.
Reviewing SRC data is one recommended way to identify areas for future growth. By analyzing this data, liaisons can pinpoint achievement gaps, attendance issues and other challenges faced by students experiencing homelessness. This information helps develop targeted interventions and support services to improve academic outcomes. Additionally, reviewing Kentucky School Report Card data ensures that homeless students receive equitable access to educational resources and opportunities.
Data Spotlights for Students Experiencing Homelessness in Kentucky
With the publication of the Kentucky School Report Card dashboards, it is now possible to share some exciting data points regarding Kentucky’s students experiencing homelessness. We are happy to report that improved efforts in identifying students experiencing homelessness have led to a more accurate count reflecting numbers that may been previously underreported before the pandemic.
During the 2023-2024 school year, the homeless student graduation rate reached a five-year high of 87.6%. This graduation rate is 2.5% higher than pre-pandemic numbers, and it is 7% higher than the 2020-2021 graduation rate.
SchoolHouse Connections shared data with state coordinator Zach Stumbo showing that the number of Kentucky Unaccompanied Homeless Youth who completed the FAFSA rose by almost 34% between 2021-2023.
Human Trafficking Resources
Written by Judi Vanderhaar and Blake Kenny (Kentucky Department of Education)
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) recently launched two new resources to help address human trafficking. On KDE's Human Trafficking webpage, liaisons will find downloadable posters that include additional options for Spanish language speakers and older students.
These posters are intended for students to see in schools. KRS 156.095. requires posters to be displayed in all Kentucky schools containing the National Human Trafficking Hotline contact information. The webpage also features an updated one-page protocol designed to help all school staff recognize and respond to signs of trafficking.
While these resources were developed for schools, they also may be used in any spaces where youth are typically present.
We also recommend reviewing statewide data on trafficking in Kentucky; check out the latest Kentucky report. It shows a persistent increase in investigations of minors being trafficked. These figures represent cases reported and investigated in Kentucky. Liaisons can help by raising awareness about resources and data related to human trafficking.
|
