Social Workers and Psychologists

Homeless/Highly Mobile & Foster Care Information:

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act defines homeless as anyone who lacks "a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence." This includes children and youth living in the following situations:

• shelters or transitional housing programs
• motels, hotels or weekly rate housing
• doubled up with friends or relatives because the family cannot find or afford housing
• abandoned buildings, public space, car or other inadequate accommodation

Students experiencing homelessness have certain rights provided by the McKinney-Vento Act:

• receive a free, appropriate public education
• enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment
• enroll in school and attend classes while the documents are gathered
• enroll in the local school; or continue in the last school attended (school of origin), if that is the guardian's preference and it is feasible
• receive transportation to and from school; if requested, for the duration of their homelessness 
• receive free breakfast and lunch
• have disagreements about school placement decisions resolved quickly
• have support in seeking partial credit to increase credit recovery

*Pre-K sites and feeder schools (ex. grade 5 to 6 and grade 8  to 9) are included as "school of origin" and students have a right to these placements

Contact NEMS Social Workers with any questions:
Alanna Dexter, MSW, LICSW - 612-668-1593, alanna.dexter@mpls.k12.mn.us
Ariana King, MSW, LGSW - 612-668-1485, ariana.king@mpls.k12.mn.us
 

Kong Xiong 

School Psychologist 

Northeast Middle School 

612-668-81519

kong.xiong@mpls.k12.mn.us