5 Things Enrollment Personnel Can Do For Students and Families Experiencing Homelessness
 
1. You are the first contact the family may have with the SPPS school district. Be sensitive, patient, calm, and reassuring. YOU can make a difference. 

2. Provide the student and family with confidentiality: take them to a private room to address questions. 

3. Learn to identify the following possible signs of homelessness:
• Chronic hunger or tiredness  
• Erratic attendance at schools
• Attendance at multiple schools
• Poor grooming or clothing that draws attention
• Lack of records, such as birth certificate, immunization record, pre-school physical,
and school records, or incomplete records
• Parent who seems confused when asked about the last school attended
• Low-income motel address on enrollment form
• Statements from family such as: “We’ve been having a hard time lately.” “it’s a
new address. I can’t remember it.”  “We move a lot and are staying with friends
until we find a place.”

4. Assure families that children can enroll if you think that they are experiencing
homelessness. (Mandated by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act, P.L. 107- 110.)
• Enroll the child immediately (even without records). Ask for the name and city of
the last school attended; then call that school and ask to have the records sent.

5. Take the family to a private place to fill out enrollment forms.
 
Adapted from Maryland Department of Education flyer
2007 Statements

Immediate Assistance
• Be familiar with the McKinney-Vento Act.
• Recognize the common characteristics of homeless children.
• Possible signs of homelessness may include a history of attending many schools, erratic
attendance and tardiness, consistent lack of preparation for class, sleeping in class, hostility and
anger or extremes in behavior [shyness, withdrawal, nervousness, depression], needy behavior
(attention-seeking) or withdrawn behavior, poor hygiene and grooming, inadequate or
inappropriate clothing for the weather, hunger and/or hoarding food, resistance to parting with
personal possessions (i.e., not wanting to put coat in a locker). These signs could indicate other
problems. It is worth further exploration and discussion.
• As your school’s homeless contact person, sign off on homeless students’ lunch forms to ensure
they receive free meals without the necessity of additional paperwork.  
• Work with breakfast program staff to ensure that children who arrive late to school (due to
transportation route) get fed.
• If the family can access your school’s transportation given their current location, contact your
school’s transportation coordinator to set up transportation. If the family resides outside of your
school’s transportation boundaries, inform the homeless contact at your school or contact the Project REACH staff to access alternate
transportation for the family. Arranging transportation may take 2-3 days.
• Communicate with the students’ prior school(s) to obtain records and to ensure continuation of
services. The law requires that homeless students be admitted regardless of their ability to
provide prior school records.
• Ensure that homeless students are afforded every opportunity that non-homeless students have.  
Assist in the waiving of fees or securing of materials necessary for activities.
• With the parent/guardian’s permission, talk to the student’s teacher(s) to inform them of the
current living situation and how this may affect the student’s ability to perform academically. For
example, the student may not have access to the necessary materials to complete assignments
such as computers, reference books, etc.
• If possible, inform shelters and/or the Project REACH Home-School Liaison of changes
in school schedules (early release days) and special events (Family Nights, special programs,
conferences etc.).  

• Understand the FASFA rights for students experiencing homelessness.  A link to more information on this can be found athttp://www.naehcy.org/higher_ed.html

•Advocate for alternative consequences for poor behavior- i.e., don’t withhold recess because it may be the only time the children who are homeless get to play and/or play outdoors. 

 
Continuing Care
• Arrange daily or weekly check-in times with the student(s).
• Emphasize that education is a vital component for a child’s success and development.
Remember, homeless parents are focusing on meeting immediate daily needs for food and
shelter; their child’s education may be a secondary concern.
• Communicate with the parents about the student’s performance at school including behavior
always including positive statements, attendance, etc.
• Educate parents about their children’s educational rights.
• Build a trusting and “safe” relationship with homeless students that do not focus on their current
living situation.
• Be assertive in accessing academic assistance for homeless students. Many homeless children
have gaps of non-attendance and will require extra help to “catch up.”
 
 
Outreach
• Know the local community resources so that you may make referrals for such things as food,
housing, transportation and counseling.
 

You Can Support the Success of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness During the School Year

• Be familiar with common characteristics of children who are homeless so you can
recognize them. Common signals are attendance at several schools, poor hygiene,
transportation problems and poor health and nutrition. 

• Verify immunization records and, if needed, refer the student to the local health
department.

• Observe and alert the principal to any serious medical concern.

• Ask about eye glasses; the student may need them but not have a pair.

• Make sure the child enrolls in the free and reduced-price meal programs.

• Assist parents with completion of medical records.

• Remember that sending a sick child “home” may not be a safe or stable place for a child who is experiencing homelessness. Help families determine options for their children, if they get ill during the day.

• Contact Project REACH so that additional services can be coordinated.

• Develop reliable, accessible resources for medical, dental and eye care.

• Sponsor a health night or set up a health display for conference night/day.

• Show that you care about the student!
 

Children experiencing homelessness may have a history of attending many schools and erratic attendance and tardiness.  They may also demonstrate hostility and anger or extremes in behavior or show signs of shyness, withdrawal, nervousness, depression, needy behavior such as attention-seeking or withdrawn behavior.

Homeless children may have inadequate or inappropriate clothing for the weather, and resistance to parting with personal items.

Homelessness and shelter living consists of many “unknowns.” After having settled into a shelter, a family may move without notifying transportation, the school or the Project REACH Home School Liaison. Some shelters provide 30 days of shelter, while some families spend the night in church basements until an opening occurs in a 30 day shelter. People living in transitional shelters may live up to two years in their homes. There are a variety of living situations and a variety of families. 

Because of shelter rules and the general mobility of homeless students, these students move frequently and bus routes change daily.  Flexibility is essential. 

You may be the first contact that the student has with the SPPS. If new to your route, it may be helpful to have the student sit near you on the bus. Depending on the age of the student, they may be nervous and need some reassurance that he/she is on the right bus. Older children may indicate they are embarrassed about being identified as being homeless or riding a bus from a shelter. 

Use patience with the students. Most likely, they are meeting new challenges each day within their living situation. These students often feel they have no control over anything in their life. Every thing they do in their lives is “new” to them. 

You may be the first to learn that a student may be moving.  If you are aware of this, please contact the district transportation departement and they will contact the Project REACH who can confirm or deny this information.  The route will drop after 3 days of the child not riding the bus after you notify the department.

Project REACH staff urges parents to be responsible for calling transportation or their school if the family moves. There are situations when this does not occur. We want you to know that we try our best to encourage smooth transitions.  

Project REACH staff requests parents to call transportation or tell the bus driver if their children will not be riding the bus. Often, this does not occur. We encourage you to give out the transportation phone number when appropriate.  The Project REACH staff can assist if the problem persists. Please contact the transportation department and they will relay the information to the Project REACH team and they will intervene.  
 
 
Bus Garage                     Transportation Department
533 Randolph Ave.         1780 West 7th
St. Paul, MN 55012         St. Paul, MN 55116
651-293-5908                  651-696-9627