Rockford Public Schools' Homeless Program
Rockford Public Schools' homeless program is provided collaboratively with the Kent Intermediate School District and the State of Michigan. In accordance with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act of 2001, our program strives to eliminate barriers to education for homeless children and youth by addressing and supporting the educational needs of students who find themselves in temporary or transitional housing during the school year.
We work closely with area shelters and housing providers, area community resources providers and agencies, as well as the City of Rockford to help ensure educational stability, support, and encouragement for students and families in short-term, temporary, and transitional housing while they secure permanent housing.
Local Homeless Education Liaison: Jim Ellis, phone number: 616.863.6326
Local liaison's e-mail address: jellis@rockfordschools.org
State Coordinator for Homeless Education: Pamela K. Kies-Lowe, MDE
State Coordinator's phone number: 517.241.1162
Links to other helpful information/websites:
Frequently Asked Questions
Parent information (Parent information in Spanish)
Youth information (Youth information in Spanish)
Families with Special Needs Students
National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE):
http://www.serve.org/nche
NCHE Educational Flyer
U.S. Department of Education, Education for Homeless Children and Youths (ECHY) Program:
http://www.ed.gov/programs/homeless/index.html