When families experience homelessness, school can become a lifeline. The Sacramento County Office of Education’s Project Teach (SCOE) works to protect that connection by making sure students have the support they need to stay enrolled, engaged, and on track.
Project Teach promotes the educational success of children and youth experiencing homelessness throughout Sacramento County. The program raises awareness about the education rights guaranteed under the McKinney-Vento Act, connects families to school district liaisons, and helps students access services like transportation and early learning programs. They also partner with shelters and community organizations to make sure families receive coordinated support across systems.
Lifting Up the Youngest Learners
Through its Shelter Outreach Program, SCOE focuses on identifying and supporting young children living in shelters, who are often overlooked in traditional systems. Children ages 0 to 5 are some of the most prevalent in the shelter system, yet the hardest to reach. During the pandemic, many of these children were disconnected from school and early education. In the past few years, SCOE has worked to reverse that trend, increasing their identification rate for this group by 134 percent. These efforts are helping connect more young children to early education programs that improve long-term development and support school success.
Helping Families Move Forward
The College Initiative Program, a partnership between SCOE and Lutheran Social Services (LSS), funded by the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program, helps pregnant and parenting college students access housing and education support. One participant, a single mother, shared concerns about her toddler’s speech development. Over nearly a year, SCOE staff provided referrals that led to an autism diagnosis. Her son is now enrolled in a special education preschool and receives weekly speech therapy. The family also received temporary housing through the program and is preparing to move into permanent supportive housing. Recently, she began working full-time as an outreach navigator, a role that supports other families facing similar challenges.
Built on Collaboration
SCOE is widely recognized as one of the most effective homeless education programs in California. The program’s impact is driven by a highly experienced team with backgrounds in early childhood education, adult education, and more than two decades of leadership in homeless education. The team is present in shelters, schools, and housing networks throughout the county, working wherever families and systems of care intersect.
The program also plays an active role in the Sacramento Continuum of Care. Project Teach’s coordinator has held the education board seat since the CoC’s formation and currently serves as Secretary on the Executive Committee. The team dedicates significant staff time to the homeless response system, contributing to funding efforts and policy planning focused on children, youth, and families.
How You Can Get Involved
SCOE invites community partners to help raise awareness. In the education system, homelessness includes more than shelter stays. Families who are doubled up or temporarily living with others may also qualify for support. Sharing this information can help families understand their rights and access resources they may not have realized were available.
Need help connecting a student to school? Every district has a Homeless Liaison who can help. Find local contacts here.
Not obtaining a high school diploma is one of the strongest predictors of future homelessness. Students who do not graduate are more than three times as likely to experience homelessness as adults. Education is a powerful tool, and Project Teach is helping ensure that every child and youth has a chance to succeed.