Michigan lawmakers can strengthen educational protections for more than 36,500 students experiencing homelessness and ensure that students can stay connected to school despite the barriers created by homelessness.

SB 1185, sponsored by Senator Kevin Hertel, would maintain key protections for students experiencing homelessness in Michigan state law, regardless of potential changes at the federal level.

The Unseen Reality in Michigan

During the 2024–25 school year, Michigan public schools identified 36,555 students experiencing homelessness in communities throughout the state.

Homelessness creates unique barriers to school attendance and success, including frequent school transfers, lack of transportation, lack of a fixed address for enrollment, and the stigma and fear of homelessness. Student homelessness is often hidden, particularly in rural and suburban communities. But the prevalence is statistically identical in rural and urban areas across the state.¹

Without an education, these children and youth are more likely to continue to experience homelessness. A lack of a high school degree or GED is the single greatest risk factor for homelessness as a young adult.

Why Putting Protections Into State Law Matters

Like most states, Michigan relies on the federal McKinney-Vento Act to ensure educational access for students experiencing homelessness. If federal support is scaled back or eliminated, these protections will be at risk unless Michigan puts them into state law.

States are recognizing this risk. In 2026 alone, Washington, Oregon, and Connecticut codified protections aligned with the McKinney-Vento Act into state law, and Minnesota, Hawaii, and Vermont considered similar legislation.

Putting these protections into Michigan law would also provide greater clarity and consistency for local educational agencies and educators across the state.

What SB 1185 Would Do

SB 1185 would establish state-level protections to identify, enroll, and support students experiencing homelessness.

Students would be able to:

• Immediately enroll in school, even when they lack records typically required for enrollment due to their frequent moves; 
• Continue to attend the same school when it’s in their best interest, even when their homelessness forces them to move out of school boundary areas; 
• Receive transportation assistance to ensure that they can attend school regularly; and 
• Receive assistance from a dedicated staff position, the school district homeless liaison, to ensure that they are identified, enrolled, and connected to resources for school success.

SB 1185 would also require local educational agencies to develop, review, and revise policies that may create barriers to the identification, enrollment, retention, and success in school of students experiencing homelessness, including barriers related to transportation, missing records, guardianship, credit transfers, graduation requirements, truancy, discipline, dress codes, outstanding fees or fines, and absences. The bill does not require additional funding.

Take Action: Tell Your Senator to Support SB 1185

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Footnotes

[1]  Chapin Hall, “Missed Opportunities: Youth Homelessness in America” (2017), p.12, https://www.chapinhall.org/wp-content/uploads/ChapinHall_VoYC_NationalReport_Final.pdf.