Students in Transition Empowerment Program (STEP)
“STEP is always there when the world feels like it is collapsing on my shoulders.
I was ready to give up on high school…it was just too much to be an adult and a child while maintaining
a social life. Then STEP came and now school is a breeze.” --Student Testimonial (Read More)
What is STEP?
The current economic climate in the State of Michigan and across the country has raised uncertainties for families. Job losses, buy-outs, rising costs of living, and sudden loss of housing are all having a greater impact on families. Families who were previously managing sufficiently, may now be finding it more challenging financially to make ends meet. If you find yourself in a situation where you are experiencing a loss of housing, your student(s) may be eligible for assistance through TCAPS’ Students in Transition Empowerment Program (STEP).
STEP is a free program offered by Traverse City Area Public Schools that provides supportive education-related services to eligible students who have lost permanent housing due to foreclosure, eviction, or reasons related to economic hardship. The goal of the program is to ensure school stability, remove barriers to full participation in their education, and support academic achievement while children are in residential transition.
In 2008-2009, Traverse City Area Public Schools’ Students in Transition Empowerment Program (STEP) identified over 500
TCAPS students in grades PreK-12 who qualified as “in residential transition” under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
In the first six weeks of the current school year, STEP has served over 200 eligible students throughout the district’s elementary,
middle, and high schools.
Any student who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate overnight residence is eligible. Students may be found living in the following situations:
- In a shelter, motel, vehicle, or campground
- Temporarily sharing the housing of friends or family (“doubled-up”)
- Unaccompanied youth living on their own, without a parent or guardian
- Inadequate/substandard accommodations, abandoned buildings, or on the street
- Students who are couch surfing, living temporarily with friends
- Foster care, less than six months in same placement
Some common signs that a student may be experiencing homelessness are:
- Irregular attendance
- History of attending different schools
- Poor health/nutrition
- Inadequate seasonal clothing
- Poor hygiene
- Not ready for class
- High anxiety, depression, fatigue
In Michigan, adults and children in families account for 52% of the total homeless population. This number may be under reported and not include families who are doubled up or living with friends and relatives due to economic hardship.
Students who do not have a fixed, regular, and adequate overnight residence have the right to:
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Enroll in and attend school, no matter where they live or how long they have lived there.
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Continue in the school attended before experiencing loss of housing, or the school last attended.
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Receive transportation assistance to the school of origin, if feasible.
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Enroll in school, even if proof of a permanent address cannot be provided.
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Enroll in and attend school while the school arranges for the transfer of a birth certificate, or school and immunization records.
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Enroll in and attend school while a dispute over enrollment is being resolved.
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Receive school meal programs and Title I services as needed.
Student achievement remains a top priority for Traverse City Area Public Schools. We want all our families to know about and be able to access programs and services that are available to support your student’s learning and well-being.
Please contact the STEP Coordinator at 933-8991 or 933-8976 for assistance in determining your child’s eligibility for STEP services.
Learn more about the STEP Program by viewing the PowerPoint below: