Homeless kids steered into regular schools

Everyone agrees it is of paramount importance that the nearly 1 million homeless children in the United States have access to public schooling.

But when it comes to the question of what kind of school they should attend, consensus disappears.

Homeless students are best served by schools designed to meet their particular needs, some advocates insist. No, others argue, they will be happier and perform better if integrated into mainstream schools.

At least for the moment, those who urge mainstreaming appear to have won. Last month's reauthorization of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act includes a provision that requires homeless children to be placed in mainstream schools; it also cuts off federal aid to schools created especially for the homeless.

Mainstreaming is the only way to ensure equal treatment, say those who favor the new law.

"It's a civil rights issue," says Diana Bowman, director of the National Center for Homeless Education at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro. "Every time a subgroup is separated from the mainstream they end up not having resources that are as good and they don't perform as well."

But for those associated with the 41 schools across the nation that specifically serve the homeless, the decision is devastating.

"It's a crime," says Sandra Dowling, school superintendent in Arizona's Maricopa County and founder of the Thomas J. Pappas School for homeless children in Phoenix. "Our kids can't understand what this fight is about. They say, 'We love this school.' "

The Pappas School is perhaps the best known school for the homeless in the US and is one of six in Arizona and California that at the last moment received a White House-recommended exemption from the new law. The school is supported by state and private contributions, plus federal aid that will now continue because of the exemption.

President Bush is said to have been greatly impressed by the Pappas School when he toured it several years ago, and to have remained an advocate for it. Even many of those who argue that homeless children should be mainstreamed agree that the school provides useful services.

Among its special features are shower facilities, clothing, and hygiene items for children who need them. Dental and medical care and psychological counseling are available for the children, while their parents are also eligible for counseling, advice, and assistance in contacting aid agencies.

The school arranges birthday parties and gifts for students who might not otherwise be able to celebrate, and it loans library books without the typical requirement of a home address.

Page: 1 | 2