When it comes to working with homeless students and their families, the Medical Lake School District’s mission is a simple one — to have the same free educational opportunities as their classmates.
Kim Headrick, who is the director of teaching and learning and the district’s homeless family liaison, said the work includes conducting a needs assessment with staff in order to make sure homeless students have access to all educational services, activities and school meals as per the McKinney-Vento Act.
“We’ll provide resources such as paying for activity fees and transportation,” Headrick said. “Our charge is to take away any barriers that would not allow them to be successful.”
The district also ensures that homeless students are not stigmatized or segregated because of their status. Headrick noted that homeless is defined “as lacking a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.” This includes children who are staying with other people or in transition shelters because their family lost their home, or are awaiting foster care placement.
“Let’s say, you have a single parent who has to be in a hospital because they had an emergency and they lose their housing because of an unfortunate circumstance,” Headrick said, citing one example of how a student is deemed “homeless.”
Headrick explained that there are about 30-40 students who currently identify as homeless in Medical Lake School District. She said staff has gotten “better at identifying students,” by examining questionnaires, noticing a change in student’s bus route or a referral from a local agency.
“With us, sometimes a new student will say something that gives our secretaries a heads up, like ‘we had to leave the state because of an emergency situation,” Tami Earthman, Hallett Elementary School counselor, said.
In some cases, the district will hear of a situation from a local agency.
“It’s rare that someone comes in to the building and says ‘we’re homeless,’” Headrick said. “Most of the time it comes out in a follow up conversation we’re having with a family.”
Earthman added that some families will decline assistance, but “it doesn’t happen very often.”
There are also some students who are deemed “unaccompanied youth” — meaning they are homeless and not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian. Headrick added that most families are going through a transition period and will stay homeless for 1-3 years.
“It’s not just in Medical Lake, it’s across the West Plains,” Headrick said.
Another resource the district provides for homeless students is transportation to the school they are enrolled in. For example, if a child lives in Spokane and they attend school in Medical Lake, the district will bring them to the city in the morning and Spokane Public Schools will transport the student home.
The district also refers families to additional resources such as Communities in Schools, Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners, Medical Lake Food Bank, Homeless Resource Center and Second Harvest Food Bank.
“By law, we’re not going to pry, but we are going to do what we can to offer support,” Headrick said.
For families who need assistance, contact the Medical Lake School District office at (509) 565-3100.
Al Stover can be reached at al@cheneyfreepress.com.
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