Additional Guidance for TSDS PEIMS Crisis Coding and McKinney-Vento Homeless Coding
December 7, 2017 ACTION REQUIRED
TO THE ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED (TAA):
Subject: Additional Guidance for TSDS PEIMS Crisis Coding and McKinney-Vento Homeless Coding
To ensure local education agencies (LEAs) are accurately coding all students impacted by Hurricane Harvey, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has created the following presentation with more detailed guidance on coding students with a Texas Student Data System (TSDS) PEIMS Crisis Code and coding students as McKinney-Vento Homeless. This presentation also includes guidance on coding students homeless when parents decline homeless support services, as well as reviewing how living situations specific to Hurricane Harvey qualify a student to be coded homeless (even when those situations do not seem to meet a typical definition of homeless)
There appears to be significant underreporting of students, to date, that were impacted by Hurricane Harvey and captured through TSDS PEIMS Crisis Codes 5A, 5B, and 5C. Similarly, TEA estimates there is a significant underreporting of students who meet the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act definition of homeless, as a result of Hurricane Harvey.
Inaccurate crisis and homeless coding is problematic and does not provide a clear picture of the impact Hurricane Harvey has had on Texas schools, communities, and students.
Specifically, the underreporting of McKinney-Vento eligible students, as a result of the hurricane, may hinder an LEA’s opportunity to receive additional funds, should they become available.
Due to Hurricane Harvey, many more students and families are living in settings that meet the federal definition of homeless. LEAs are required to identify and code all students in these circumstances as homeless in TSDS PEIMS. The homeless designation of each enrolled student is assessed annually and does not carry forward from year-to-year.
In order for LEAs and the agency to determine the total number of students who are homeless because of Hurricane Harvey, these students must be reported in TSDS PEIMS as both homeless and with the appropriate crisis code (5A,5B,5C). (Homeless and Crisis Coding Chart)
Additionally, TEA’s Hurricane Harvey Crisis Code FAQ has been updated with a section on McKinney-Vento to clarify appropriate identification and coding of students who meet the federal definition of homeless, as a result of Hurricane Harvey. (Crisis Code FAQ)
A sample questionnaire that may be used or adapted to assist LEAs with identification of students who are McKinney-Vento eligible is included. (SRQ Sample)
Please submit questions regarding the TSDS PEIMS submission requirements to the TSDS Incident Management System (TIMS), which is available within the TSDS portal.
Please direct questions regarding McKinney-Vento Homeless reporting requirements to Texas McKinney-Vento State Coordinator, Cal Lopez at 512-463-9414 or homelesseducation@tea.texas.gov or Texas Homeless Education Office (THEO) at 1-800-446-3142.
Melody Parrish Penny Schwinn
Deputy Commissioner, Technology Deputy Commissioner, Academics