1. The Homeless Education Program’s High School Drop In Centers

2. Believe it or not you probably have homeless students on your campus.
Over 3700 Dallas ISD students experienced homelessness during the academic year. That’s a 20% increase in student homelessness from

3. Sofa Surfing
Couch Hopping

5. Who is homeless?
McKinney-Vento
Homeless Assistance Act
Says:
The term “homeless children and youth” means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

6. And includes --
Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing Economic hardship, or similar reason.

8. Living in motels or hotels.

9. Dallas Ranks Number 3 in the nation for human trafficking!

11. Living in trailer parks or camping grounds due to lack of alternative accommodations. Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned building, bus stations, hotels or motels and substandard housing.

12. Signs of homelessness

13. Changing Schools Frequently

14. Hygiene issues Wearing the same clothing everyday. Hygiene issues
Dirty clothing
Lack of change of clothing
Tired
Irritable
Not doing homework
Stressed out
Change of behavior
Lacking school supplies
Hygiene issues
Wearing the same clothing everyday.

15. Irritable
Stressed

16. Change of Behavior

17. Not doing homework

18. Hungry
Tired

19. Poor Health
Lack of Focus

20. Noticeable change in appearance or attire…

22. What can I do to help!

23. Drop-In Centers
The goal of the High School Drop-In Center is to meet the needs of transient teens in order for them to attend school regularly by providing them with goods, services, and resources they need to survive from day to day. For a multitude of reasons homeless teens frequently do not self-identify. We hope that by having Drop-In Centers on every high school campus in the district we will be able to identify more students who are not living at home so that we can support them in every way possible for them to attend, succeed and graduate from High School.

24. The Drop-In Centers
The first on campus Drop-In Center started December 1, 2012 at North Dallas High School in a collaborative effort with The Church of the Incarnation, North Dallas High School, Promise House and the Homeless Education Program. It was a Friday morning Drop-In from 7:30-9:00 with coffee, hot chocolate, donuts, a hot breakfast and mentoring provided The Church of the Incarnation. From that successful pilot program at North Dallas High School the Homeless Education Program with Focus on Teens has branched out to provide Drop-In Centers at 9 high schools before the first bell rings once a week.

25. Drop-In Centers and Focus on Teens
Through the Drop In Center the Homeless Education Program provides a “one stop shop” to teens who have nowhere else to turn. The Center provides food, clothing, hygiene items, school supplies, and referrals. These referrals work in partnership with the HEP, the Dallas ISD’s Psychological and Social Services Department, campus staff and with Focus on Teens and include resources and referrals to shelters and for medical and psychological needs.

26. The Drop-In Centers
In addition to the basics of food, clothing and shelter, the Drop In Center also provides many important items that are often overlooked. While seemingly small, these items can mean the difference between a homeless teen dropping out of classes and remaining engaged with his/her peers. Recently, through the Center Focus on Teens has been able to provide discretionary bus passes to students for personal use, a prom dress, a yearbook and a cane for a disabled teen

27. Displaying a negative
9th Grade
12043
12th Grade
7717
From 9th to 12th grade we lose about 4300 students. The average population of homeless students nationally is 2%. If we are losing some of these students to housing issues we can assume that there are about students that we are losing over the four years of high school to homelessness and it’s many issues. These are the students we are trying to reach with our Drop-In Centers. Now we need your help.

28. The Homeless Education Program Is:
Mark Pierce
Mahoganie Gaston
Floricel Castaneda
Daisy Esquival
Paula Ramos
Aleyda Suarez
You can reach us at
Or us at