How can school districts in Marion County help students experiencing homelessness?

The number of students experiencing homelessness in Indiana is on the rise. Nearly 19,000 children and youth experiencing homelessness were enrolled in Indiana schools in the academic year 2022-2023, according to Brightlane Learning. Marion County consistently has the highest share of unhoused students in the state.

Advocates say children experiencing homelessness face a higher likelihood of mental and physical health issues, according to the report. They also tend to have lower academic performance and graduation rates. 

This explainer is meant to help families understand what support is available for students experiencing homelessness in Indianapolis.

Advocates say unhoused students often face steep barriers, including mental and physical health challenges and lower academic outcomes. But federal law guarantees them rights and resources that schools must provide, if families know to ask.
 

What is student homelessness?

Under federal law, students are considered homeless if they lack a "fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence." That includes living in shelters, transitional housing, hotels or temporarily staying with friends or relatives, sometimes called "couch surfing."

The law doesn't define those terms, but the National Association of Education for Homeless Children and Youth says:

• A fixed residence is one that is stationary and not subject to change.
• A regular residence is one used every night.
• An adequate residence is one that meets basic physical and psychological needs.
   

What rights do homeless students have?

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, signed into law in 1987, is federal law that gives students experiencing homelessness certain rights and resources. All public school districts must have a McKinney-Vento liaison and make resources available to eligible students.

These services can include: free meals, textbooks, transportation to and from school, referrals to community resources, FAFSA verification letters, school supplies and assistance with getting immunization records or birth certificates. 
 

How does the law help students stay in school?

Karen Routt, vice president of program impact at Brightlane Learning, said the purpose of the law is designed to make sure that students can enroll or continue to attend school without interruption.

"Oftentimes, with homelessness, their world is flipped upside down," Routt said. "It's a traumatic event, but at least they can stay with their friends and with their teachers, and that's some consistency.

Getting students to school is often the biggest challenge. From there, staff and community partners can help connect them with support services. That's why transportation is an important resource, especially for transient students that may be staying outside of the district boundaries or not along a regular bus route. 
 

Who qualifies for McKinney-Vento services? 

Students qualify if they do not have a fixed, regular, and adequate place to sleep at night. This includes staying with a friend, in a hotel, or in emergency or transitional shelters.

School social workers work with parents to go through a sort of checklist to determine eligibility. That information is then reported to the school district and the state to track how many students are McKinney-Vento coded. Once identified, the social worker then provides a needs assessment to guide the support the student receives. 
 

How do schools identify students in need?

Families can, and sometimes do, contact the school and let them know they are struggling with housing. In other cases, McKinney-Vento liaisons and social workers train teachers and other staff to watch for warning signs.

That can look like students falling asleep in class because they don't have a consistent place to sleep at night, or hygiene issues from not being able to shower or wash clothes. 

Students generally get coded once a year, so they are able to keep the services provided under the McKinney-Vento law until the end of the school year.
 

What local organizations offer support?

Alicia Baker is chief program officer for Outreach Indiana, an organization that works with homeless youth in Indianapolis. The nonprofit provides in-school support and offers wrap-around services to help people meet basic needs. She says she's seen an increase of youth needing the services. 

"It could be somebody who's couch surfing with a bunch of friends," Baker said. "It could be somebody who is physically, literally homeless, sleeping in a camp, you know, somebody who is trying to just make ends meet, and hopping from like a hotel to a friend's house to wherever." 

Baker said that in the nearly three decades Outreach has existed, they've found that supporting youth to divert them from chronic homelessness has the most impact.
 

Sydney Dauphinais covered Marion County schools for WFYI. Contact WFYI Education Editor Eric Weddle at eweddle@wfyi.org