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About COHHIO Course to HOME
COHHIO Course to HOME is an exciting new opportunity for Ohio school districts and educational service centers. The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) received federal formula allocated funds through the American Rescue Plan to provide increased support, and professional development opportunities to districts specifically in meeting the need of the following vulnerable student populations experiencing homelessness:
- rural children and youth
- students of color
- children and youth with disabilities
- English learners
- LGBTQ+ youth
- students in foster care
- justice-involved youth and
- pregnant, parenting, or caregiving students
ODE has teamed up with the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO) to provide communities of practice and other professional development supports, called COHHIO Course to HOME. You can read more about the partnership by reviewing Ohio’s ARP-HCY state plan here. The purpose of COHHIO Course to HOME is to increase resources and coordinate intentional responses for districts in order to meet the need of vulnerable students experiencing homelessness. Additionally, COHHIO Course to HOME provides on-demand technical assistance to help districts respond to the needs of student homelessness. If your district has technical assistance (TA) needs regarding student homelessness resources, you can send an email to homelesseducation@cohhio.org requesting TA at any time. COHHIO Course to HOME does not provide direct services to students and families rather COHHIO Course to Home provides support to districts in order to ensure districts can meet the needs of students and families in an effective manner. Students and families may access the housing information line directly (not associated with COHHIO Course to HOME) here. Students and families seeking affordable housing are encouraged to explore Ohio Housing Finance Agency’s Ohio Housing Locator which maintains a listing of available units throughout the state (not associated with COHHIO Course to HOME). Youth and young adults seeking answers related to housing are encouraged to visit COHHIO’s Youth Initiative here.
Request Technical Assistance
COHHIO’s Course to HOME technical assistance is designed to provide McKinney-Vento and American Rescue Plan-Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) grantees and sub-grantees, schools, districts, and homeless education liaisons in the state of Ohio with the necessary support and resources to better assist students and families experiencing homelessness. These services are provided at no cost to districts. These services are scheduled individually and are intended to provide a resource or consultation on a specific topic to enhance district practices or address a challenge. Technical assistance will be provided by COHHIO staff based on individual request and may be delivered via email exchange, one-on-one video or phone consultation, small group facilitation, etc. Topics may include problem solving, capacity building within the district, system, and community. Lessons learned in technical assistance inform the overall approach of COHHIO Course to HOME. ODE highly encourages districts to engage in technical assistance. COHHIO Course to HOME does not provide direct services to students and families. Instead it provides support to districts in order to ensure districts can meet the needs of students and families in an effective manner.
When requesting general technical assistance districts are encouraged to provide the following information as part of the request:
- Requestors name
- Requestors district role
- County of district
- Explanation of the need or question
When requesting technical assistance for resources and supports regarding a specific student(s) experiencing homelessness or situation districts are also encouraged to provide the following in the request:
- County or current location of the student(s) experiencing homelessness
- A brief overview of the situation and what steps have been taken including community referrals made by the district
- Age(s) of the student(s) and head of household
When requesting technical assistance for resources and supports regarding a specific student(s) experiencing homelessness or situation(s) districts are highly encouraged to have the McKinnney-Vento Liaisons take the lead on making the request. However the district personnel that know the student(s) experiencing homelessness or situation(s) most closely should be included in the request. This can be accomplished by copying (cc-ing) all relevant staff in the email request for technical assistance and/or inviting relevant staff to participate in the video/phone consultation. A team approach to problem solving in the preferred process for technical assistance. For More information on technical assistance view the COHHIO Course to HOME Guide to Understanding Technical Assistance here.
Requesting technical assistance is easy! Simply send an email to homelesseducation@cohhio.org.
Documents
Guide to Understanding Community of Practice
Guide to Understanding Technical Assistance
2022-2024 COHHIO Course to HOME Community of Practice Calendar
2022-2024 Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Calendar
2022-2024 HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Calendar
Community of Practice
COHHIO Course to HOME offers communities of practice to Ohio school districts and ESC’s. The Ohio Department of Education highly encourages districts to engage in community of practice. Having a common understanding of community of practice is a foundation of participating. We use a widely understood definition of community of practice that comes from Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner, who helped articulate the concept in 1991 – Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly. The motivation for convening a community of practice at the most fundamental level, is a group of people coming together driven by a shared learning need, in this case student homelessness with an emphasis on vulnerable groups. By engaging each other, over time, in collective learning, we develop a bond that in turn fuels the production of resources to influence our own practices. The combination of a shared field/area of expertise, community, and practice lie at the heart of a community of practice. For More information on community practice view the COHHIO Course to HOME Guide to Understanding Community of Practice here. For a 2022-2024 Calendar of community of practice view the COHHIO Course to HOME Community of Practice Calendar here.
Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice
The Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice is a quarterly peer learning opportunity organized by sessions. The intended audience of the Ohio McKinney Vento Community of Practice is McKinney-Vento liaisons, ARP-HCY I sub-grantees, ARP-HCY II sub-grantees, McKinney-Vento sub-grantees, ESC Liaisons, and public-school staff who are striving to increase knowledge and response for students at-risk of or experiencing homelessness in an Ohio school district or region. Each session is a time to join at your leisure (join if/when you can, leave when you want) and receive virtual training, discussion, and sharing of resources with a focus on meeting the needs of vulnerable youth at risk of or experiencing homelessness. All session are recorded and content is collected and made available below. View the 2022-2024 Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Calendar here.
Materials
- 2022-2024 Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Calendar
- Slide deck for session one Introduction to Homelessness for the Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice that took place on 3/30/2022
- Recording for session one Introduction to Homelessness for the Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice that took place on 3/30/2022
- Notes for session one Introduction to Homelessness for the Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice that took place on 3/30/2022
- Slide deck for session two Identifying and Meeting the Unique Needs of Students Experiencing Homelessness in Rural Ohio for the McKinney-Vento Community of Practice that took place on 5/18/2022
- Recording for session two Identifying and Meeting the Unique Needs of Students Experiencing Homelessness in Rural Ohio for the McKinney-Vento Community of Practice that took place on 5/18/2022
- Notes for session two Identifying and Meeting the Unique Needs of Students Experiencing Homelessness in Rural Ohio for the McKinney-Vento Community of Practice that took place on 5/18/2022
- Slide deck for session three Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Special Population Students Experiencing Homelessness: A Focus on Unaccompanied Youth and English Learners that took place on 9/14/2022
- Recording for session three Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Special Population Students Experiencing Homelessness: A Focus on Unaccompanied Youth and English Learners that took place on 9/14/2022
- Notes for session three Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Special Population Students Experiencing Homelessness: A Focus on Unaccompanied Youth and English Learners that took place on 9/14/2022
- Slide deck for session four Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Special Population Students Experiencing Homelessness; A Focus on Students in Foster Care and Justice-Involved Youth that took place on 11/02/2022
- Recording for session four Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Special Population Students Experiencing Homelessness; A Focus on Students in Foster Care and Justice-Involved Youth that took place on 11/02/2022
- Notes for session four Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Special Population Students Experiencing Homelessness; A Focus on Students in Foster Care and Justice-Involved Youth that took place on 11/02/2022
- Slide deck for session five Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Special Population Students Experiencing Homelessness; A Focus on Pregnant, Parenting, or Caregiving Students that took place on 3/15/2023
- Recording for session five Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Special Population Students Experiencing Homelessness; A Focus on Pregnant, Parenting, or Caregiving Students that took place on 3/15/2023
- Notes for session five Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Special Population Students Experiencing Homelessness; A Focus on Pregnant, Parenting, or Caregiving Students that took place on 3/15/2023
- Slide deck for session 6 Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Special Population Students Experiencing Homelessness; A Focus on Children and Youth with Disabilities that took place on 5/17/2023
- Recording for session 6 Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Special Population Students Experiencing Homelessness; A Focus on Children and Youth with Disabilities that took place on 5/17/2023
- Notes for session 6 Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Special Population Students Experiencing Homelessness; A Focus on Children and Youth with Disabilities that took place on 5/17/2023
HomeRoom Network Community of Practice
The HomeRoom Network Community of Practice is a bi-monthly interactive, workshopping experience organized by sessions. The intended audience of HomeRoom Network Community of Practice is ARP-HCY I sub-grantees, McKinney-Vento sub-grantees, and ESC liaisons striving to increase knowledge and response for students at-risk of or experiencing homelessness in an Ohio school district/region. Each session is a time to join at your leisure (join if/when you can, leave when you want) and participate in virtual learning, discussion, workshopping and sharing of resources with a focus on meeting the needs of vulnerable youth at risk of or experiencing homelessness. All session are recorded and content is collected and made available here. View the 2022-2024 HomeRoom Community of Practice Calendar here.
Materials
- 2022-2024 HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Calendar
- April-December 2022 HomeRoom Network Schedule At A Glance
- Slide deck for session one Introduction to Community of Practice for HomeRoom Network that took place on 3/16/2022
- Recording for session one Introduction to Community of Practice for HomeRoom Network that took place on 3/16/2022
- Notes for session one of Introduction to Community of Practice HomeRoom Network that took place on 3/16/2022
- Slide deck for session two Establishing a Solid Collaboration with the Local Homelessness Response System that took place on 4/12/2022
- Recording for session two Establishing a Solid Collaboration with the Local Homelessness Response System that took place on 4/12/2022
- Notes for session two Establishing a Solid Collaboration with the Local Homelessness Response System that took place on 4/12/2022
- Slide deck for session three Providing Culturally Responsive Care and Resources; a Focus on LGBTQ+ and BIPOC Youth that took place on 6/14/2022
- Recording for session three Providing Culturally Responsive Care and Resources; a Focus on LGBTQ+ and BIPOC Youth that took place 6/14/2022
- Notes for session three Providing Culturally Responsive Care and Resources; a Focus on LGBTQ+ and BIPOC Youth that took place on 6/14/2022
- Slide deck for session four Increasing and Sustaining McKinney-Vento Awareness, Outreach, and Professional Development that took place on 8/9/2022
- Recording for session four Increasing and Sustaining McKinney-Vento Awareness, Outreach, and Professional Development that took place on 8/9/2022
- Notes for session four Increasing and Sustaining McKinney-Vento Awareness, Outreach, and Professional Development that took place on 8/9/2022
- Slide deck for session five Meeting the Needs of Students Experiencing Homelessness; a Focus on Unaccompanied Youth that took place on 10/11/2022
- Recording for session five Meeting the Needs of Students Experiencing Homelessness; a Focus on Unaccompanied Youth that took place on 10/11/2022
- Notes for session five Meeting the Needs of Students Experiencing Homelessness; a Focus on Unaccompanied Youth that took place on 10/11/2022
- Slide deck for session 6 Developing, Maintaining, and Sustaining Transportation for Vulnerable Youth Experiencing Homelessness that took place on 12/6/2022
- Recording for session 6 Developing, Maintaining, and Sustaining Transportation for Vulnerable Youth Experiencing Homelessness that took place on 12/6/2022
- Notes for session 6 Developing, Maintaining, and Sustaining Transportation for Vulnerable Youth Experiencing Homelessness that took place on 12/6/2022
- Slide deck for session 7 Establishing and Sustaining Nutrition Efforts for Students Experiencing Homelessness that took place on 2/14/2023
- Recording for session 7 Establishing and Sustaining Nutrition Efforts for Students Experiencing Homelessness that took place on 2/14/2023
- Notes for session 7 Establishing and Sustaining Nutrition Efforts for Students Experiencing Homelessness that took place on 2/14/2023
- Slide deck for session 8 Supporting Vulnerable Youth Experiencing Homelessness: A Focus on Attendance & Enrollment that took place on 4/18/2023
- Recording for session 8 Supporting Vulnerable Youth Experiencing Homelessness: A Focus on Attendance & Enrollment that took place on 4/18/2023
- Notes for session 8 Supporting Vulnerable Youth Experiencing Homelessness: A Focus on Attendance & Enrollment that took place on 4/18/2023
Listserv Messages
HomeRoom Network Messages
- Home Room Network Community of Practice Introduction & Mailing List Test 02/25/2022
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Upcoming Session 1 Announcement 02/28/2022
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Upcoming Session 1 Announcement Flyer 02/28/2022
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Upcoming Session 1 Reminder 03/8/2022
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Upcoming Session 2 Announcement 03/22/2022
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Session 2 Follow-Up Materials 04/19/2022
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Upcoming Session 3 Announcement 5/19/2022
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Session 3 Follow-Up Materials 6/16/2022
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Upcoming Session 4 Announcement 7/13/2022
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Upcoming Session 4 Reminder 8/2/2022
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Session 4 Follow-Up Materials 8/10/2022
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Upcoming Session 5 Announcement 9/14/2022
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Upcoming Session 5 Reminder 10/4/2022
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Session 5 Follow-Up Materials 10/13/2022
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Upcoming Session 6 Announcement 11/8/2022
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Upcoming Session 6 Reminder 11/29/2022
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Session 6 Follow-Up Materials 12/6/2022
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Upcoming Session 7 Announcement 1/17/2023
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Upcoming Session 7 Reminder 2/7/2023
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Session 7 Follow-Up Materials 2/15/2023
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Upcoming Session Eight Announcement 3/20/2023
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Upcoming Session Eight Reminder 4/11/2023
- HomeRoom Network Community of Practice Session Eight Follow-Up Materials 4/19/2023
Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Messages
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Introduction & Mailing List Test 03/09/2022
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Upcoming Session 1 Announcement 03/10/2022
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Upcoming Session 1 Announcement Flyer 03/10/2022
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Upcoming Session 1 Reminder 03/22/2022
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Session 1 Follow-Up Materials 4/13/2022
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Upcoming Session 2 Announcement 04/18/2022
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Upcoming Session 2 Reminder 5/11/2022
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Session 2 Follow-Up Materials 5/19/2022
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Upcoming Session 3 Announcement 8/18/2022
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Upcoming Session 3 Reminder 9/7/2022
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Session 3 Follow-Up Materials 9/19/2022
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Upcoming Session 4 Announcement 10/12/2022
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Upcoming Session 4 Reminder 10/26/2022
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Session 4 Follow-Up Materials 11/2/2022
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Upcoming Session 5 Announcement 2/16/2023
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Upcoming Session 5 Reminder 3/14/2023
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Session 5 Follow-Up Materials 3/16/2023
- Ohio McKinney-Vento Community of Practice Upcoming Session 6 Announcement 4/20/2023
Newsletters
Contact
Contact the COHHIO Course to Home team by sending an email to homelesseducation@cohhio.org or call us at 614.280.1984 ext. 143.
Resources for Districts
Red Tree House Community Resource Guide — Supporting the well-being of families and children with challenges, disabilities, and health care needs. Find tools, organizations, and events in your community to meet your needs.
Guide to Using the Resource Guide — Learn how to best use the resource guides and make supported referrals to community partners.
Ohio Department of Education Students Experiencing Homelessness
Ohio Department of Education American Rescue Plan Homeless II Funds
Ohio Department of Education Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness with ESSER and ARP Funds
Ohio Department of Education Local School District Liaison Duties, Roles and Responsibilities
COHHIO Emergency Rental Assistance
COHHIO Youth Housing Initiative
COHHIO On-Demand Recorded Trainings
COHHIO Housing Now for Homeless Families
COHHIO Homeless System Resource Map
School House Connection
National Center for Homeless Education
Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center ESC Family & Community Partnership
Ohio Bridges Program
Child and Family Health Collaborative of Ohio
Ohio Reach
Ohio Domestic Violence Network
The Center for Family Safety and Healing
HUD Exchange Connecting Housing and Education
National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments
Health and Human Services Runaway and Homeless Youth
Improving School Climate for Transgender and Nonbinary Youth
Hope in a Box
Family Acceptance Project
