Attendance Services
Homeless Services
Phone: (417) 523-0064
Fax: (417) 523-0099
E-mail: nquinn@spsmail.org
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In accordance with the Missouri State Plan for the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, every school district has designated a Homeless Coordinator. This person works with homeless families to assure that children and youth have the best opportunities to continue their education. The coordinator makes sure that homeless children and youth are enrolled in any special programs for which they qualify.
RESOURCES:
Who are the Homeless?
A homeless individual is one who:
- Lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence or;
- Has a primary nighttime residence in a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter for temporary accommodation (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill); an institution providing temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; or a public or private place not designated for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.
Homeless individuals or families include those living in shelters, sleeping in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, barns and other places not ordinarily used to accommodate human beings.
The homeless may include individuals or families who have moved in with other individuals or families on a temporary basis after losing their homes.
The homeless also may include children or youth who have run away from home because they are unsafe (physically or emotionally) at home or because parents have told the youth they may no longer live at home.
What are the Barriers to Education of Homeless Children and Youth?
In 1993, shelter providers and school district personnel were asked to identify barriers to education of homeless children and youth. The barriers identified as most severe were:
- Family moves frequently
- Family is unstable
- Lack of encouragement from parents
- Children’s lack of self-confidence
- Parents keep children from school
- Children are unhappy
School district personnel identified additional areas where school policies seem to present barriers to homeless children and families. These include:
- Residency requirements
- Parents lack knowledge about procedures
- Missing or incomplete student records
- Lack of immunization or records
Shelters workers identified the educational needs of homeless children:
- Family support of education
- Day care/preschool
- Assistance with homework
- Better communication with school
- Health services
- School supplies
What does Springfield Public School do to Meet the Educational Needs of Homeless Children and Youth?
- Identify homeless school-age children and youth for school enrollment.
- Facilitates the process that allows each homeless child to attend the school that is in his or her best interest.
- Designates a Homeless Coordinator who advocates for homeless children and establishes a relationship with homeless parents.
- Established and implemented board approved policies to remove barriers to education and ensures that homeless children are not isolated or stigmatized.
- Ensures that lack of proof of residence, immunization, previous school records and arrangements for transportation do not delay enrollment in school.
- Ensures that student confidentiality is respected and that students are not subjected to embarrassment, harassment or danger because of their homelessness.
- Conducts training programs that help school personnel be aware of the sensitive to the needs of homeless children.
- Ensures that homeless children receive services and enroll in all programs for which they are eligible.
- Devises a way to provide necessary school materials to homeless children.
- Ensures that homeless children have access to free or reduced-price meals, transportation, health services and counseling services offered at school.
- Works with shelter providers to actively encourage the parents of homeless students to become involved in school activities.
- Coordinate efforts with other agencies that provide services to homeless children and their families.
- Transfer all school records of homeless children immediately.