5003 Homeless Students
The McKinney-Vento Act, which addresses homeless children and youth, requires school districts to serve each child or youth to be assisted under this act, according to the child’s or youth’s best interest.
DEFINITION
Homeless children and youth: As used in this policy, the phrase “homeless children and youth” means students who lack fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence and includes:
1. Children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to 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;
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, buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations or similar settings, and
4. Migratory children (as such term is defined in Section 1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described in clauses 1 through 4.
POLICY STATEMENT
A. The District recognizes and assures that homeless children and youth have the same rights of all students and should not be subject to barriers or impediments to accessing educational services due to homeless status. Those rights include, but are not limited to:
1. Identification: The Homeless Liaison or the Director of Enrollment will determine whether a student is a homeless child or youth for purposes of establishing residency and promptly advise the parent, guardian or person having legal custody of the child of the decision, both orally and in writing, if possible. If there is no such person, the Homeless Liaison will advise the student. The district will enroll each homeless student and permit his or her full participation in all school programs, whether or not the student is accompanied by a parent, guardian or person having custody of the child, and without proof of residence, current immunizations and traditional enrollment documentation, such as school records and medical/immunization records. The district’s homeless liaison may assist the student and school in obtaining those items. A parent, guardian or person having legal custody of the child who disagrees with the Homeless Liaison’s determination may appeal the decision to the Superintendent or designee under the procedure identified in paragraph D, item 3, under Procedure for Resolving Residency Disputes (below). If there is no parent, guardian or person having legal custody of the child available, the student may appeal the decision. (See Union Board Policy 5450.)
2. School Selection: To the extent feasible, the homeless student will continue to be enrolled in their school of origin, except when doing so is contrary to the wishes of the child or youth’s parent or guardian.
3. Disputes: Disputes are to be settled according to the guidelines of the McKinney-Vento Act.
4. Services: Homeless students receive services comparable to services offered to other students in their selected school.
5. Free Meals: Homeless students qualify for free meals and receive child nutrition services comparable to services offered to other students in their selected school.
6. Staff Training: Relevant district personnel participate in annual training on McKinney-Vento Act requirements and procedures.
7. Program Coordination: District Homeless Liaisons collaborate with school personnel and other community agencies to ensure homeless students are identified, enrolled in school, and receive the appropriate services.
8. Preschool Access: District Homeless Liaisons work in collaboration with preschool enrollment administrators, the enrollment center, and schools to ensure homeless preschool students have the opportunity to enroll in preschool.
9. Full or Partial Credit Accrual: School counselors will review course records to ensure homeless students receive full or partial credit as applicable.
10. Dissemination of Educational Rights: Homeless Liaisons inform homeless students and their parents of their rights.
11. Transportation to School of Origin: The district will provide transportation to allow the homeless student to continue to attend the school of origin according to the guidelines of the McKinney-Vento Act.
12. Access to Activities and Opportunities: Homeless children and youth shall have access to academic and extracurricular activities, including summer school, career and technical education, advanced placement, on-line learning, and other programs the district offers as applicable to student grade level and interest.
B. This policy is designed to assure that homeless children and youth are not stigmatized or segregated. Instead, they are to be treated with the same dignity and respect as all students, being included in the educational process with the same opportunities and access afforded to all students.
Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, a form approved by the Oklahoma State Department of Education to identify any student who is a homeless child or youth shall be completed annually at enrollment by the parent or guardian of a student or by the student if he or she is not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian. The district shall report the results of the form-collected data to the Oklahoma State Department of Education by the deadline set by the state each year.
Reference: OKLA. STAT. tit. 70, § 1210.210
Adopted 12/14/2020
Revised 12/12/22
Revised 12/11/23