It thus increases disruption at a very vulnerable time in children's lives. Homeless children thus have the same learning needs and abilities as other children, and are capable of reaching the same academic standards. Data from integrated homeless education programs provide ample evidence of homeless students' ability to succeed in mainstream schools. The standardized test scores for students attending the Pappas school are among the lowest in the state. Such scores would be considered unacceptable if the students were not homeless.
Mainstream schools offer better educational opportunities for homeless children.
Moreover, separate schools simply cannot provide as broad a range of educational programming, opportunities, and resources as the mainstream school system. Most victims of domestic violence are housed, but are not segregated into separate schools. It is not necessary to segregate homeless children in order to protect them. Mainstream schools respond to safety concerns by training school staff on confidentiality laws and policies, helping families to file copies of protective orders with schools, and taking the necessary practical steps to ensure anonymity and safety of children. In so doing, they can address safety concerns and provide equal educational opportunities without causing further disruption in children's lives.