In spite of limited resources, school districts throughout Texas are finding ways to support their students who are struggling with homelessness, provide them with high-quality educational services, and prepare them for a brighter future. The three districts spotlighted in this article have little in common other than their success-centered attitudes and their unique approaches to ensuring that their students who are suffering homelessness have the best possible chance for a fulfilling life.

Nestled between the Texas Rockies and the Chihuahuan Desert, Alpine, Texas is a small but remarkable town. Not only is it a center for arts and recreation, Alpine boasts a negligible crime rate and moderate temperatures year round. Perhaps owing to its location far from urban centers, its small population (approximately 6000), or the city’s vigilant peacekeeping force, few of Alpine’s residents are homeless. The town’s only shelter is for victims of domestic abuse; the closest homeless shelter is in Odessa, 143 miles away. While annual household incomes are low, so is the area’s unemployment rate. On the whole, the citizens of Alpine live modest but secure lives, although poverty is a real threat for many families.

With a total student population of just over 1000, Alpine Independent School District (AISD) has relatively few homeless students: at present, 14 are enrolled. According to Amy Grigsby, Federal Programs Director and the district’s homeless liaison, many area students must tolerate meager housing situations. While the families of most of these students are not by definition homeless, the struggle to make ends meet and keep a roof overhead is ongoing. A small but notable number of area families succumb to homelessness; as a result, Amy must find ways to help their children stay in school and continue their education. Although Alpine does receive a Support for Homeless Education Program (SHEP) grant, the money is routinely set aside to fund summer programs; consequently, Amy must find ways to stretch the district’s Title I funds to meet the day-to-day needs of the homeless student population. Fortunately, she also receives community assistance. While some supplies are covered by Title I funding, most support for Alpine’s student homeless population comes from local funds and/or donations from citizens.

Each month, representatives from local agencies assemble to discuss the needs of area homeless students and their families. The Community Resources Coordination Group (CRCG) is composed of representatives from a variety of private and public agencies, including High Sky Children’s Ranch, the Stay Together Program, the Family Crisis Center, Frontier CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates), Big Bend Community MHMR, the Texas Juvenile Probation Department, and a representative of the Alpine school district (i.e., Amy). The focus of the monthly meeting is to find the best way to assist a family or individual in need. “We meet with individuals in need of assistance,” Amy explains, “and try to pool our resources to see what exactly we can do to help.” Sometimes, the best solution is monetary; in many cases, however, the student and/or family simply needs help accessing third-party resources, such as counseling programs, Medicaid, HUD, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and so on. Even with limited funds, Amy and the Alpine community succeed at meeting the needs of students experiencing homelessness and their families. Speaking not only for the Community Resources Coordination Group but also for AISD, Amy asserts that the community’s goals are not only to ensure that its citizens’ needs are met, but also to “keep the children in school to the point of graduation.” By assisting families enduring difficult circumstances and helping students to graduate, the district contributes to the community’s sense of unity and reminds them that everyone has the potential for success.

Little Cypress-Mauriceville Consolidated Independent School District (LC-MCISD), located just outside the northwest city limits of Orange, Texas, is a modest-sized district with six campuses spread out over 102 square miles not far from the Louisiana border. Bigger than Alpine and less remote, Orange understandably has a larger homeless population. A local shelter, the House of Refuge, reports having assisted 565 homeless individuals in 2004, 112 of which were children. Several organizations in Orange and nearby communities offer basic needs such as meals, clothing, and lodging. In nearby Mauriceville, Serenity Oaks Ministries offers a wide range of services for the homeless.

According to Jeanna Ridout, State and Federal Programs Coordinator at LC-MCISD, each school year 15 or 20 of the district’s 3,727 students are identified as being homeless. In most cases, these students are doubled up with friends or relatives. At present, there are no runaway or unaccompanied youth enrolled in the district; however, Jeanna has in the past referred students with no available housing to the local shelter.

LC-MCISD assists students in homeless situations through Title I funding, community support, and other subsidies. School supplies, paid for with Title I money, and free meals are available to students in need. The district provides its homeless students transportation to and from school and, in some cases, to and from the school of origin—the school the child was attending before becoming homeless or where he or she was last enrolled. Clothing items are regularly donated by the community for students whose families cannot otherwise afford them. Because Little Cypress-Mauriceville is able to meet the educational needs of its homeless students with Title I money and other resources, the district has no immediate plans to apply for a McKinney-Vento grant.

Like other Texas school districts, Abilene ISD (AISD) serves its homeless student population without the help of McKinney-Vento grant money. While preparations are under way to submit a grant proposal for the 2006-7 school year, AISD currently relies on Title I funding, the support of local citizens, and sheer determination to meet the needs of the district’s 502 students in homeless situations.

Mike Murphy, the district’s first full-time homeless liaison, joined AISD in August of 2004 after a long career in law enforcement and private security. His experience in dealing with troubled youth, knowledge of human nature, and dedication to helping those in need make him a logical choice for the position. For Mike, success depends on a positive attitude and unwavering commitment in the face of challenging circumstances: keeping a homeless student in school and on the road to success can be a formidable challenge.

To meet that challenge, AISD has implemented a two-prong outreach program to ensure that students in homeless situations are identified and properly served. First, each of the district’s 16,900 students is given a residency questionnaire at the beginning of the school year. Parents must complete and sign the form, which the student then returns to the school. This process allows school personnel to evaluate each student’s living circumstances; those who meet the definition of homeless are then eligible for special educational programs and services. Throughout the semester, each new/transfer student is similarly assessed during the enrollment, transfer, and withdrawal processes. Based on the successful program used at Victoria ISD, Abilene ISD employs a “One School, One Child, One Year” philosophy and has trained school personnel in the importance of this approach. The second prong involves the ongoing education of school personnel on issues and guidelines related to homelessness and school enrollment. Regular workshops and discussions not only keep teachers and administrators aware of the academic and personal challenges that students in homeless situations struggle with, they provide tools for identifying and assisting these students. The program has also helped AISD maximize its transportation resources. At present, all students in homeless situations have access to bus transportation, including 87 who are conveyed daily to their schools of origin.

Mike also oversees Hangers of Hope, a corporate-sponsored program that provides parents of homeless students with clothing to give to their children at Christmas time. The program is jointly underwritten by the Abilene Mall and Clear Channel Communications. While such an enterprise may not be directly related to classes or curriculum, the needs of these students and their parents undeniably extend beyond the school’s boundaries.

If the application succeeds, Mike anticipates that the 2006-07 McKinney-Vento grant will enable AISD to offer more services to its homeless student population. He is also enthusiastic about the $67 million bond recently passed by the city of Abilene that will allow AISD to upgrade and expand current facilities and purchase computers to better serve the student population. Guiding students who are experiencing homelessness toward a positive future is not only Mike’s vision, it’s one shared by the district’s teachers and administrators and by the community itself. “Every member of this district is committed to do what it takes to reduce the mobility rate among this population.”

These districts and many others throughout the state are dedicated to providing their homeless student populations with every available resource to guarantee that they obtain a quality education in spite of the formidable impediments caused by their circumstances. While Title I funds are usually adequate for basic needs such as school supplies, tutoring programs, and supplemental transportation, many districts enjoy the added financial, material, and social support of the community. Homelessness is an unfortunate by-product of our society’s economic instability, and many students who fall victim to it can be rescued through education and vocational training, the dedication of teachers and administrators, and the compassion and generosity of the community in which they live. As these few districts have shown, it isn’t how much money we spend that makes a lasting difference in the lives of homeless students, it’s how we invest our time, our efforts, and our humanity.

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