Information for Educators

Every Child Has the Right to a Free and Appropriate Public Education. The Schoolhouse Link Program is a partnership between the Sarasota Family YMCA and the Sarasota County School Board. The program serves as the District’s Official McKinney-Vento Homeless Liaison and provides services to help families and youth that are homeless and in transition. The program’s goal is to ensure that students in transition are able to enroll, attend and succeed in school. Schoolhouse Link supports each student by helping create educational stability and by removing any barriers limiting their success.

Meanwhile, support for the whole family is provided by linking them with essential service providers and community resources. Schoolhouse Link also helps to build strong literacy skills by providing children and adults with education tutorial sessions, supplemental literacy material, and referrals.

Homeless Liaisons Contact Information

Sarasota, Schoolhouse Link, (941) 951-1588

Manatee, Project Heart, (941) 753-0958 ext. 206

Charlotte, Education for the Homeless Project, (941) 255-7480

DeSoto, Homeless Education Program, (863) 494-4222 ext. 132

Florida State Coordinator, Lorraine Allen, (850) 245-0668

State of Florida

Florida State Statutes pertaining to homeless education www.fldoe.org

Enrollment Information

www.serve.org/nche/downloads/briefs/enrollment.pdf

www.serve.org/nche/downloads/briefs/det_elig.pdf

Video - servepres.serve.org/p68021561/

Department of Education’s McKinney Vento FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about McKinney Vento

www.naehcy.org/faq.html

Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness

www.suncoastpartnership.com

National Center for Homeless Education

Information by Topic

 www.suncoastpartnership.com/html/links_of_interest.html

Student Dispute Process

For information about the Student Dispute Process and a Dispute Resolution form, click here.