School News – Homeless students a school system concern

Do you know any children or families who are homeless? How would you know if a child is homeless?

A federal law, the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, defines homeless children and youths as ?individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.?

Families living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds due to lack of alternative housing are considered homeless. Children who have been abandoned in hospitals or who are awaiting foster care are homeless. If a child is living in a car, an abandoned building, substandard housing, or a public space, he is homeless. And, children and youth who are sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason are homeless.

According to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty ?up to 2 million people will experience poverty this year, and half of those people will be children and youth.? During the 2005-06 school year, 138 students in Warren County were identified and served under Title X and the McKinney-Vento Act.

The McKinney-Vento Act requires that school systems, including Warren County?s, work to eliminate barriers to school enrollment for homeless children. Because transportation is often cited as the greatest barrier to enrollment, particularly for after-school and summer programs, school system officials are working to include bus transportation as a part of the summer school programming for kindergarten through fourth grade this year. Federal programs funds will be used to pay for the transportation service.

Our school system must also assist in coordination of social services for homeless students.

Sherry Trotman, director of federal programs and Title X Homeless liaison, along with Dr. Jane Allison, director of attendance, and Patti Clarke, director of the Family Resource Center, work closely with local agencies in order to provide services for children and families in need of shelter, food, clothing, and even medical care.

School administrators receive information and guidelines for enrolling students who may not carry or have access to their immunization records, birth certificates, or proof of guardianship in order to decrease the amount of time the child is out of school.

We are very fortunate to have several local organizations that help provide school supplies to help students in need. Backpacks, paper, pencils, glue, scissors, and other items are delivered to schools each fall for those students whose families may not have the financial means to purchase them.

If you have questions or would like more information on the Title X Homeless Education Program or the McKinney-Vento Act, please call Sherry Trotman at 668-4022.

Bonnie Collie is director of professional and community development for the Warren County School System.