How many children in Anderson County’s school districts (all five) were identified as homeless under the McKinney-Vento definition of homeless in the school year 2018-2019?
- About 120
- About 750
- About 1000
- About 1500
The correct answer to the quiz is C, about 1000. There were 1090 identified homeless children in Anderson County’s schools in the school year 2018-2019.
McKinney who? McKinney-Vento. This legislation provides access for children without a permanent address to attend public school. More specifically, this legislation provides funding for every school district of every county to ensure that unaccompanied homeless children and youth are identified and enrolled in school and have a full and equal opportunity to succeed in school. Homeless children and youth can remain in their school of origin for the duration of homelessness and the end of the academic year in which they obtain permanent housing. It also ensures that homeless children, youth and families receive referrals to health, dental, mental health, housing, substance abuse, and other appropriate services. And it provides funding for transportation to the school of origin.
Each of our five school districts here in Anderson County has a liaison who helps coordinate all of these resources as well as to advocate for those things the legislation doesn’t include funds but the children. The dedicated and hard-working liaisons are:
- Anderson District One: Amber Monterroyoa, monterroyoa@apps.anderson1.org
- Anderson District Two: Teresa Phillips, tphillips@asd2.org
- Anderson District Three: David Nixon, nixond@acsd3.org
- Anderson District Four: Jeff Burke, jburke@anderson4.org
- Anderson District Five: Lisa Butler, LisaButler@anderson5.net
In addition to District Five, Lisa Butler is the McKinney-Vento liaison for the entire Upstate! Here’s a recent article from the Independent. Needless to say, these amazing people go above and beyond to help those in need in our community. They have varying needs depending on when you ask. If this is something that you’re passionate about, please reach out to them and help them meet a current need. You might be surprised at the requests!