Transition / Homeless Program

The Sault Area Public Schools are committed to helping all students who are in transition achieve their educational goals.

The Federal Homeless Assistance Act / McKinney-Vento, ensures educational rights and protections for children and youth experiencing homelessness. Students are considered homeless or in transition, if they meet the criteria set in the McKinney-Vento Act; "a child or youth does not have a fixed, regular, and adequate place to sleep at night..."

Sault Homeless Form

Potential Warning Signs of Homelessness

Attendance issues
Poor health and nutrition
Lack of continuity in education
Transportation issues
Poor hygiene
Social and behavioral concerns
Mistaken diagnosis of abilities
Chronic hunger and/or chronic fatigue
Unmet medical and/or dental needs
Lack of basic school and/or health supplies

Who is homeless?

A homeless individual is someone who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This includes anyone who, due to a lack of housing, lives:

In emergency or transitional shelters
In motels, hotels and/or trailer parks
In campgrounds, abandoned in hospitals, awaiting foster care
In cars, parks, public places, bus or train stations, abandoned buildings
Doubled up with relatives or friends
Migratory children living in these conditions

The McKinney-Vento Act gives children and youth in homeless situations the right to:

Stay in their school even if they move
Enroll in a new school without proof of residency, immunizations, school records or other papers
Get transportation to school
Go to preschool programs
Get the school services they need
Have disagreements with schools settled quickly
Go to the school they choose while disagreements are settled
Access to school meal programs
Access to special education and other programs for students with disabilities
Programs for language minority students
Before and after school programs

Addressing Needs of Students Experiencing Homelessness

School Responsibilities

Enroll students in free lunch programs
Ensure access to instructional supports/resources, including gifted programs and special education programs
Conduct educational assessments
Provide homeless awareness training to all staff, especially those responsible for enrollment
Alert teachers of student's living situations, while respecting their privacy

What Can I Do?

Recognize stressful environments outside of school, and provide accommodations as needed
Encourage supportive relationships
Have high expectations
Provide necessary supplies
Donate

Clothes
Books,
Household goods
Supplies for healthcare bags

Shampoo
Conditioner
Toothpaste

Supplies for school bags

Crayons
Pencils
Erasers

Provide in-kind services or materials
Copying
Printing
Transportation
Marketing assistance
Building materials
Maintenance services