The statistics are troubling. In the United States:

• 1,350,000 children are likely to experience homelessness in a given year. (National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, 2004, www.nlchp.org)
• 3.5 million people will experience homelessness over the course of a year. Families seeking shelter represent nearly half of that population. (National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness, 2007, www.studentsagainsthunger.org)
• Over 907,000 homeless students were reported enrolled by Local Education Authorities in 2005-06. (Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program)

As we, as a society, grapple with how to address homelessness, educators are bound--by duty and by law--to ensure that homeless students have equal access to the education other students receive.

"Schools need to understand the laws that apply to homeless families," says Melissa Rutenberg, Learning Specialist for ESOL and Family Services, Horry County (South Carolina) School District. Every state, for example, is required to have a coordinator for the education of homeless children and youth, according to McKinney-Vento Act, and every school district is required to have a liaison for homeless students.

Horry County has 700 registered homeless students, and there are probably more, Rutenberg notes. Keeping track of these students is a challenge, in part because homeless families are so transient. Parents may also be reluctant to publicly reveal the family's homeless status.

Still, despite the obstacles, Rutenberg has found several strategies that have helped her better reach homeless families:

• Establish a relationship with shelters in your community. "I show up in person to talk with the director of each shelter," Rutenberg says. Shelter directors must understand their roles in helping ensure a homeless family receives proper schooling. It's also helpful for shelter directors to know who to call if they have questions.
• Use state department resources. School districts are supported in their effort to reach homeless students by the education departments in their states. Rutenberg is given a supply of informational posters, for example. "These posters are hung in every school. They provide information about the services available to homeless families," she says.
• Provide each school with community assistance/shelter directory. As Rutenberg notes, "The last thing a homeless mother needs to hear is, Well, I'm not sure who should help you."

For more information on the McKinney-Vento provisions, go to http://www.serve.org/nche/downloads/briefs/summary.pdf.

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