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Grand Prairie ISD provides services to children and youth experiencing homelessness through the Connections Program, which is funded in part by the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act through the Texas Support for Homeless Educaiton Project (TEXSHIP).
Who is Homeless?
(Sec.725 of the McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act)
The term "homeless children and youth" --
(A). means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. . .;
and
(B). includes--
- children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement;
- children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodatin for human beings...
- children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and
- migratory children who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because children are living in circumstances described in clauses 1. -- 3.
The Connections Program provides suplemental educational services to approximately 1,200 homeles students on all district campuses. The program operates year-round and is under the direction of the Connections Coordinator, Christine Gonzalez, with assistance from GPISD social workers. Since the inceptin of the Connections Program in GPISD, Brighter Tomorrows Shelter has also provided services to approximately 300 families.
In GPISD, the Connections Program provides support for students and families. The Connections Program is a joint effort between the City of Grand Prairie and the Grand Prairie ISD to assist residents of Grand Prairie with students in GPISD schools experiencing homeless situations. This may include need for rent assistance, low cost housing, or shelter from abuse.
In order to enhance the opportunity for homeless children and youth to enroll, attend and achieve success in school, Grand Prairie ISD, under the TEXSHEP grant, ensures the following for all identified homeless students in GPISD:
- Eliminate barriers to enrollment for homeless students so they are enrolled within two days of campus application.
- Provide for the physical needs of homeless students, including school supplies, free lunch program participation, and school uniforms (as necessary) so that they are in class upon enrollment.
- Provide abuse intervention as appropriate and report immediately.
- Provide appropriate educational interventions within two weeks of enrollment, including tutoring, after-scool programs, and other special programs as appropriate.
- Paperwork will follow in-district student transfers (when requested and approved) within two days.
- Transportation will be provided as approrpiate within three days of enrollment.
- Provide intervention when approrpriate within seven days of enrollment; GPISD will monitor on a monthly basis.
- Provide information about available school and community services to families within the first day of enrollment.
- Provide translated written GPISD required materials (Student Code of Conduct, school handbooks, etc.) within the first week of enrollment (Spanish materials within the first day).
- Parenting skills classes/consultations will be provided for homeless parents.
- Sensitivity educaiton training for educators, school personnel, shelter staff, and other commuity agencies regarding the needs of children and youth experiencing homelessness and the rights of such children and youth under the McKinney Act.
Christine Gonzalez is the GPISD "Connections Coordinator." Her role as social worker includes working to assist families experiencing homelessness.
For more information on the Connections Program, contact the
Social Worker Hotline: 972-237-5454
Christine Gonzalez, Connections Coordinator
972-522-3220
MaryAnn Cavello, Social Worker Clerk
972-237-5454
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