Guidelines for Homeless Issues
The McKinney Vento Act is a federal law that gives important educational rights to homeless children and youth and those awaiting foster care placement. Under McKinney-Vento (and Maryland regulations), homeless children must be given equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including preschool education, that is provided to other children and youth. The law imposes important obligations on local systems and provides important protections, such as school choice, transportation, and immediate enrollment rights to homeless students. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, authorized as Title X, Part C of the No Child Left Behind act requires schools to enroll homeless students immediately even if they do not have the documents normally required for enrollment such as school records, medical records, proof of residency, or other. Should you have a problem or difficulty, please call Annette B. White at (410) 396-8904.
BCPSS’ POLICY STATEMENT
All school-aged children including preschoolers, who become homeless residents of Baltimore City or who locate in Baltimore City because of a devastating situation (fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, other disasters, etc.) or relocate to a temporary residence outside Baltimore City after losing permanent housing in Baltimore City must have access to the same free, appropriate public education as provided to other children and youth.
Who is homeless according to the McKinney-Vento Act
Students are considered “homeless” if they are:
- living in a time-limited or emergency shelter or in transitional housing,
- doubled-up with family or friends due to a loss of housing,
- living in a car, campground, motel or hotel due to lack of alternative adequate living arrangements,
- abandoned in hospitals, or
- awaiting foster care placement
Enrollment
- All homeless students must be enrolled immediately (students cannot be denied entry into a school because they do not have documents).
- Pre-K (cap of 20 does not apply to homeless children-see circular # ). Children who are homeless must be enrolled even if the class exceeds 20 children. This is the only automatic criterion for which a class size of 20 children may be exceeded.
- All homeless students may remain or return to their school of origin. If they choose to transfer they must transfer to the school in the attendance zone where they are currently residing.
- IMMUNIZATIONS are not immediately needed for a homeless student to be enrolled. A call to the Health Department to identify needed shots and an appointment to receive needed shots are will be given. If the parent does not keep the appointment than the child is excluded until the shots are received.
BCPSS identify, serve, and report to MSDE the number of homeless students served. In order to identify and serve our homeless population the staff at each school that are request service for homeless students must first enter the names of the homeless students in the homeless application. The homeless application allows us to systemically track the students for positive identification. You may access the homeless application by going to Internet Explorer and on the address line write in http://eweb and then click on homeless and follow the step-by-step procedures.
Transportation
- Students may return to their “school of origin” – transportation must be provided if the school is not in the walk zone (elementary school-1mile, middle/ high school-1.5 miles).
- All transportation (eTR) requests must be made at the school level and entered in the database at the school where the child is attending. The principal, assistant principal, “transportation coordinator”, secretary, social worker, or principal’s designee may enter information in the database.
- Students are assigned to the mode of transportation by our operations department. This process may take between 3-5 days. In the interim parents may carry their children to school using tickets for the children and tokens for the parents which will be issued at the local school site. This distribution of tickets/tokens ends once the student has been placed on a route to receive service. A parent receives two (2) tokens per day from the school designee and adds (.30) for a daylong pass to drop-off and pick-up the children.
Attendance
- Clothing vouchers are issued in crisis situations (fire, evictions, natural disasters, etc). The school completes the form at the school level in conjunction with the parent. The school will fax the form to the Office of Student Support Services (410) 396-8905. The school or parent may pick-up the voucher from the Student Support Office to take to the store to receive clothing.
- Students may receive school supplies and materials if needed.
- All homeless students are automatically eligible for free lunch. The students must receive lunch on the first day of enrollment (no lunch application is required). Complete form, have principal sign the form and return form to the cafeteria manager. Homeless students must receive the same lunch as all other students.
Succeeding in School
- The Helping Hands After School Tutorial and Homework Assistance Project operates in 10 shelters in Baltimore City during the evening hours (2 days per week, 1.5 hours per day). Certified teachers are assigned to reinforce skills using the MD Voluntary State Curriculum.
- New Horizons I/Camp St.Vincent (ages 5-11) Eight week summer camp during the month of June-August. Housed on the grounds of Carroll Park one hundred (100) homeless students from BCPSS who reside at shelters and are selected to participate.
- New Horizons II/YMCA (ages 12-17) Eight week summer program housed at Roland Patterson Academy. A work study program-classroom skills in the a.m. and job placement in the p.m. Stipends are paid every two weeks for seven of the eight weeks. Week 1 is a training week.
Resolution of Disputes
- Parents have the right to dispute a school’s decision. Efforts are always made to resolve all disputes at the school level but, in cases where they cannot be resolved at the school the process is the AAO, CEO, and the state level.
- The form for disputes is contained in the circular with the registration policy.
Literature
- Brochures, folders, flyers, pamphlets and booklets are available for parents, schools and community groups to inform the homeless families of their rights and entitlements.
- Materials may be secured by calling (410) 396-8904.
Forms
Forms are attached to request clothing/uniforms and school supplies for homeless students.
Procedures for Clothing Request for Homeless Students
Request Clothing Form
Request School Supplies Form
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