This document answers frequently asked questions on enrollment, school meals, transportation, school choice and more, in light of the response to the widespread displacement of students due to Hurricane Katrina.
Download the document.

This guide from the Alabama State Department of Education details how enrollment personnel should track enrolling student displaced by Hurricane Katrina in the state's electronic student data system. The guide may provide a good model for other states or districts to customize and use.
Download the guide.

This handbook, from the NCHE handbook series entitled Connecting Schools and Displaced Students, explains how the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act applies to students displaced by disaster and how the Act can assist these students and their families. It focuses on issues of enrollment, providing valuable guidance to local liaisons, enrollment stafff, and school district administrators.
Download the handbook. (1.69MB)

This brief, from NCHE's Best Practices in Homeless Education series, identifies the key provisions of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act dealing with the homeless student's right to attend either the school of origin or the local attendance area school. The brief includes a helpful checklist to use when approaching the school selection decision.
Download the brief. (710k)

This manual from the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty informs advocates and families concerned about the educational needs of children and youth displaced from their homes due to a disaster. It includes information about topics such as which students are considered homeless under federal law; methods of advocating for individual students; methods of advocating for system-wide change; securing immediate school enrollments; ensuring stable school placements; and accessing necessary and beneficial services such as transportation and academic assistance.
Download the manual.

This brief series discusses important issues related to enrolling and serving students displaced by disaster.
View the list of brief topics.

This information release from the national partners in homeless education summarizes the main points of federal law as related to the education of students displaced by hurricanes.
Download the release.

This memo from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides specific recommendations regarding immunizations for people displaced by hurricanes.
View the memo in HTML format.
Download the memo in PDF format.

This May 2006 report from the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) discusses the challenges encountered and lessons learned in locating missing children, locating and serving Louisiana’s displaced foster children, and reopening K-12 schools and educating displaced school-aged children after the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes.
Download the report.

This memo, issued by the Louisiana State Coordinator for Homeless Education, gives instructions for how receiving districts can find out information about students from Louisiana that were displaced by Katrina.
Download the memo.
Download the Louisiana student information request form.

This guide from the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) explains how MMSD will respond to the needs of students displaced by Hurricane Katrina that wish to attend school within the district. The guide covers issues such as immediate enrollment, free and reduced lunch, post-trauma intervention services, and more..
Download the guide.

This memo from the Mississippi State Superintendent of Education provides receiving school districts with information on the acquisition of records to aid in the enrollment of students displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
Download the memo.
Download the Mississippi Student Information Request Form.

This statement from the Branch Director of the Mississippi Office of Communicable Diseases explains how other states may access immunization information on students enrolling in other states due to displacement by Hurricane Katrina.
View the statement.