About the Homeless Project
What is Homelessness?
Many families experience unemployment, job changes, or other circumstances that can cause the loss of a permanent home. Children and youth are considered homeless if they:
- Live in transitional or emergency shelters
- Live in motels, cars, abandoned buildings, or other inadequate accommodations
- Are "doubled up" (two or more families in the same household)
- Are runaways or youth rendered homeless by their parents
What Is Title I?
Title I is a federally funded program designed to meet the needs of students primarily in the areas of language arts, math and higher thinking skills. Homeless children are eligible for these services regardless of where they attend school.
Mission Statement
The Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) Title I Homeless Project shall provide the means, motivation, and encouragement needed for homeless students to reach their potentials as productive members of society in an educational environment that treats all students with dignity and respect.
The Outreach Program
The outreach program has outreach workers who are responsible for all the schools in the district as well as an ever-growing number of public charter schools. Outreach workers assist students and families with enrollment and transportation procedures. As students are enrolled, they are porvided with backpacks, supplies and school uniforms. Schools that do not require uniforms are asked to assist students in visiting the P.T.A. clothing bank for school-appropriate clothing.
Outreach workers are trained to provide a continuum of wraparound services customized according to the specific needs of the student. Health and mental health services are made available through a weekly case review process. Students with these special needs are referred to agencies who assign case workers. Outreach also included after-school tutoring programs, scholarship assistance, and caps and gowns for graduatring seniors. Finally, outreach workers help schools keep track of homeless students who may have irregular attendance. Home visits to families in transitional situations are common.
