Homeless Education

Procedures For Homeless Students

Contact Personnel:

  • Larry Elliott: Homeless Coordinator, Telephone: 526-2051 or email
  • Transportation Coordinator, 938-6464

Background:

The McKinney-Vento Act is federal legislation, Title X Pact C of the No Child Left Behind Act (2002.) The McKinney-Vento Act ensures educational access and success for children and youth experiencing homelessness. The reauthorization of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 USC 11431 et seq.) added the requirement that all local school districts identify a local homeless education liaison. Every district, whether or not it receives a McKinney-Vento sub-grant, is required to designate an appropriate staff person to serve as the local contact (homeless education liaison) for homeless children and youth. The Kearsarge Regional School District will follow all the laws, rules and procedures provided for in 42 USC 11431.

Liaison Role and Responsibilities:

The local liaison serves as one of the primary contacts between homeless families and school staff, district personnel, shelter workers and other service providers. The liaison coordinates services to ensure that homeless children and youth are identified, enrolled in school, have access to transportation to the school of origin, and have the opportunity to succeed academically.

Information:

A. The Federal and State governments require school districts to identify and provide services for homeless students.

Any student who meets any of the following criteria shall be deemed homeless:

  • Shares the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason;
  • Lives in a motel, hotel, trailer park, or campground due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations;
  • Lives in emergency or transitional housing;
  • Was abandoned in a hospital;
  • Awaits foster care placement;
  • Has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designated for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings; or
  • Lives in a car, park, public space, abandoned building, substandard housing, bus or train station or similar setting.

B. Homeless students shall be provided a free and appropriate public education in the same manner as all other students in the district and shall not be stigmatized or segregated on the basis of their homeless status. Homeless students shall not be denied enrollment based on a lack of medical records, immunization records, school records, proof of residence, or any other records usually required for school enrollment.

  • No School Board committee policy, administrative guideline, or practice shall be interpreted or applied in such a way as to prevent the immediate enrollment or attendance of homeless students or inhibit their potential for school success.
  • A homeless student, including an unaccompanied homeless youth, shall be allowed to enroll in either his/her school of origin ¨C that is, the school he/she attended when he/she became homeless ¨C or in any public school that non-homeless students who live in the attendance area in which the child is actually living are eligible to attend.
  • Students shall be permitted to remain at their school of origin during the entire time they are homeless. Furthermore, they shall be permitted to remain at their school of origin until the end of any academic year during which they move into permanent housing.
  • If a parent/guardian or unaccompanied youth disputes a school placement decision, the district must provide a written response.
  • Transportation shall be provided to and from the school of origin at the request of the parent/guardian or unaccompanied youth in accordance with the provisions of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act.
  • Homeless students are entitled to Title I services such as extended day, preschool and supplemental tutoring instruction, clothing and school supplies. Homeless students qualify for free lunch.

C. Responsibilities of school district personnel:

1. Building Principal:

a. Appoints a professional staff member to be the building homeless liaison and posts student and parent homeless information posters in the office.
b. Provide information about the rights of homeless students and include in student/parent handbooks.
c. Enrolls homeless students without delay.
d. Ensures homeless students participate in New Hampshire State Assessments.

2. Building Secretary:

a. Secretary will revise student registration form to include this question:

i. Have you recently lost your housing and or are you living in a temporary situation?
ii. If the parent or guardian responds yes to either part of this question, the secretary shall immediately refer the parent to the building homeless liaison.
iii. Shall record and update when necessary the student's status in the district's SASSID system.

3. Building Homeless Liaison

a. Make a determination if the student is homeless. Consultation is available from the District Homeless Coordinator as well as the New Hampshire DOE Homeless Consultant.
b. Inform the building principal if the student is homeless.
c. Provide the parent with a copy of his/her rights under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act.
d. Maintain a log of all homeless students including date of entry and exit.
e. Ensure the student receives the benefits under the McKinney-Vento Act.

i. Title I Services: tutoring, clothing, school supplies, after school programs: Contact District Title I Coordinator.
ii. Transportation: Contact Director of Transportation.
iii. Free lunch: Contact Food Service Director.
iv. If the homeless student last attended school in another New Hampshire school district and the parent wishes their child to continue in that school, contact the District Homeless Coordinator who will contact the former school district, arrange for school records to be sent, and for transportation.

f. If you become aware of a homeless student in the Kearsarge Regional School District from another New Hampshire District, and a request is made from that District for transportation or transportation reimbursement, (50% of the cost of the transportation), please complete and submit to the District Homeless Coordinator, Larry Elliott, a New/Initial Request for Homeless Transportation Request Form for approval.

4. District Homeless Coordinator:

a. Provide annual training to all Building Homeless Liaisons.
b. Post informational posters on homelessness in all shelters, food pantries; and welfare offices.
c. Monitor the compliance across all Kearsarge schools.
d. Appeals and Dispute Resolution:

If two school districts cannot agree on the placement decision, the Superintendents shall resolve the dispute. If the Superintendents cannot resolve the dispute in ten days, the Commissioner of Education shall resolve the dispute.

If the student is sent to a school other than the one requested by the parent, a written explanation of that decision will be provided to the parent with the right of appeal to the Superintendent of Schools and the Kearsarge School Board. Parent (s) may file a complaint to the Department of Education contact for homeless education.

Homeless students must be included in the New Hampshire state assessments and their participation shall be reported to the School Assessment Coordinator.