28 homeless attend school

OXFORD HILLS — Last year, SAD 17 identified 28 homeless students who attended school in Oxford Hills, according to Assistant Superintendent Patrick Hartnett.

During Monday's school board meeting, Hartnett described the issue of student homelessness and explained what responsibilities the district had under federal law to mitigate the negative academic and social effects resulting from homelessness.

Hartnett reported that 18 homeless Oxford Hills students were in high school. Eight were in elementary school and two in middle school.

He cautioned the board that the numbers only represented those who were reported and identified –  there could be other homeless students living in the district who remain unidentified.

Homelessness – lacking a fixed, adequate and regular nighttime residence – may lead to frequently switching schools and can have serious repercussions on education, Hartnett reported.

Even enrolling homeless students in school is difficult if they do not have a fixed address or access to school or immunization records.

Students who frequently switch schools have lower test scores and may be less likely to graduate than stable students, Hartnett told the board.

Moreover, Hartnett explained, high mobility students often do not feel the same connection to the school and community and are less likely to participate in extracurricular activities.

Hartnett told the board that the McKinney-Vento Act, part of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act, was enacted to mitigate the impact of homelessness on students' education.

Hartnett told the board that mobility resulting from homelessness could mean a family was forced to move out of the district, even though their child had been going to school there for years.

The law requires the district try and keep a student in their "school of origin," if it is feasible, for the school year.

The district, in consultation with the parents, takes into consideration the student's age, safety, impact of commute on education, siblings' school placement, likely area of resettlement and time left in the school year, to determine if staying in their school of origin is the right decision.

If a student has only moved a short distance away, the district usually allows them to remain, but if they move across the state or country, keeping them in their school of origin often is not the best option.

According to Hartnett, SAD 17's transportation costs for homeless students was $10,000 last year – higher than in years previous. The transportation funding comes from the district's federal Title I funding.

Although law requires the district to make sure the student is going to the most appropriate school and there is some funding for emergency school supplies and clothing, there is no requirement for the district to find accommodation for homeless students.

In fact, Superintendent Rick Colpitts reported, the McKinney-Vento Act prevents the district from providing housing for students, although it can reach out to the community to find a solution.