FILE:  JBCBB

 

HOMELESS STUDENTS

 

 

The Rapides Parish School Board shall provide to each child of a homeless individual and each homeless youth equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as provided to other children and youths.  There shall be no barriers to enrollment, transportation, attendance, and success in school for homeless children and youth.

 

For the purpose of this policy, the term homeless children and youths mean individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and include:

 

  1. Children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to the loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement;

  2. Children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;

  3. Children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and

  4. Migratory children who qualify as homeless because the children are living in circumstances described above.

 

The term does not include any individual confined by the state, private or local entity for a criminal offense for the purpose of pending imprisonment or adjudication or expelled or suspended from any school system, including Rapides.

 

The Rapides Parish School Board shall, according to the child or youth’s best interest:

 

  1. Continue the child’s or youth’s education in the school of origin for the duration of homelessness:

 

    1. in any case in which a family becomes homeless between academic years or during an academic year; or

    2. for the remainder of the academic year, if the child or youth becomes permanently housed during an academic year; or

 

  1. Enroll the child or youth in any public school that nonhomeless students who live in the attendance area in which the child or youth is actually living are eligible to attend.

 

Children in Foster Care

 

The School Board shall ensure that a student who is in foster care pursuant to placement through the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services shall be allowed to remain enrolled in the public school in which the child was enrolled at the time he/she entered foster care for the duration of the child’s stay in the custody of the state or until he/she completes the highest grade offered at the school if the Department of Children and Family Services determines that remaining in that school is in the best interest of the child.

 

If foster care placement is outside the jurisdictional boundaries of the public school in which the student is enrolled, the School Board shall be responsible for providing free transportation for the student to and from a designated location which is within that school district and is located nearest to the child’s residence and is determined to be appropriate by the School Board and the Department of Children and Family Services.

 

BEST INTEREST

 

In determining the best interest of the child or youth, the School Board shall:

 

  1. To the extent feasible, keep a homeless child or youth in the school of origin, except when doing so is contrary to the wishes of the child’s or youth’s parent or guardian;

  2. Provide a written explanation, including a statement regarding the right to appeal, to the homeless child’s or youth’s parent or guardian, if the School Board sends such child or youth to a school other than the school of origin or a school requested by the parent or guardian; and

  3. In the case of an unaccompanied youth, ensure that the School Board’s homeless liaison assists in placement or enrollment decisions, considers the views of such unaccompanied youth, and provides notice to such youth of the right to appeal.  The term unaccompanied youth includes a youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.

 

ENROLLMENT

 

The school selected shall immediately enroll the homeless child or youth, even if the child or youth is unable to produce records normally required for enrollment, such as previous academic records, medical records, proof of residency, or other documentation.

 

The enrolling school shall immediately contact the school last attended by the child or youth to obtain relevant academic and other records.

 

If the child or youth needs to obtain immunizations, or immunization or medical records, the enrolling school shall immediately refer the parent or guardian of the child or youth to the School Board’s homeless liaison, who shall assist in obtaining necessary immunizations, or immunization or medical records.

 

RECORDS

 

Any record ordinarily kept by the school, including immunization or medical records, academic records, birth certificates, guardianship records, and evaluations for special services or programs, regarding each homeless child or youth shall be maintained:

 

  1. So that the records are available, in a timely fashion, when a child or youth enters a new school or school district; and

  2. In a manner consistent with section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 USC 1232 g).

 

ENROLLMENT DISPUTES

 

If a dispute arises over school selection or enrollment in a school:

 

  1. The child or youth shall be immediately admitted to the school in which enrollment is sought, pending resolution of the dispute;

  2. The parent or guardian of the child or youth shall be provided with a written explanation of the school’s decision regarding school selection or enrollment, including the rights of the parent, guardian, or youth to appeal the decision;

  3. The child, youth, parent, or guardian shall be referred to the School Board’s homeless liaison, who shall carry out the dispute resolution process as expeditiously as possible after receiving notice of the dispute; and

  4. In the case of an unaccompanied youth, the homeless liaison shall ensure that the youth is immediately enrolled in school pending resolution of the dispute.

 

PLACEMENT CHOICE

 

The choice regarding placement shall be made regardless of whether the child or youth lives with the homeless parents or has been temporarily placed elsewhere.

 

SCHOOL OF ORIGIN DEFINED

 

The term school of origin means the school that the child or youth attended when permanently housed or the school in which the child or youth was last enrolled.

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

 

The School Board may require a parent or guardian of a homeless child to submit contact information, such as medical emergency information, and how to contact the parent, guardian or caregiver.

 

COMPARABLE SERVICES

 

Each homeless child or youth to be assisted shall be provided services comparable to services offered to other students in the school selected including the following:

 

  1. Transportation services.

  2. Educational services for which the child or youth meets the eligibility criteria, educational programs for disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, and educational programs for students with limited English proficiency.

  3. Programs in vocational and technical education.

  4. Programs for gifted and talented students.

  5. School nutrition programs.

 

COORDINATION

 

  1. In general the Rapides Parish School Board, in serving homeless children and youths shall coordinate:

 

    1. The provision of services with local social services agencies and other agencies or programs providing services to homeless children and youths and their families, including services and programs funded under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 USC 5701 et seq.); and

    2. With other School Boards on interdistrict issues, such as transportation or transfer of school records.

 

  1. Housing Assistance

    If applicable, the School Board shall coordinate with State and local housing agencies responsible for developing the comprehensive housing affordability strategy described in section 105 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 USC 12705) to minimize educational disruption for children and youths who become homeless.

  2. Coordination purpose

    The coordination required under subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall be designed to:

 

    1. Ensure that homeless children and youths have access and reasonable proximity to available education and related support services; and

    2. Raise the awareness of school personnel and service providers of the effects of short-term stays in a shelter and other challenges associated with homelessness.

 

LIAISON

 

One individual shall be appointed by the School Board to act as the School Board’s homeless liaison, who shall be responsible for coordinating all services rendered homeless students and to serve as the homeless advocate for unaccompanied homeless students.

 

New policy:  August, 2008

Revised:  December, 2012

 

 

Ref:    42 USC 11431 et seq. (Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act)

34 CFR Part 200 (Title I - Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged)

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 17:151.3, 17:221, 17:221.2, 17:222, 17:235.1, 17:238, 17:416

Plyler v. Doe, 457 US 202 (1982)

Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, Louisiana Department of Education

Board minutes, 12-2-08, 2-5-13

 

Rapides Parish School Board