Source: https://www.bps101.net/policy/s6/p6140/6140ap1/
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 08:36:07+00:00

Document:
Upon recommendation of the Superintendent, determine whether to expend transportation funds to provide financial homeless prevention assistance to the parents/guardians (or persons who enroll students) of children who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, in accordance with the provisions of 105 ILCS 5/29-5 (amended by P.A. 100-332); 105 ILCS 45/1-17 (added by P.A.100-332). See duties of the Liaison for Homeless Children below for specific eligibility requirements.
Serve as or designate an appropriate staff person, who may also be a coordinator for other federal programs, to serve as a Liaison for Homeless Children. 42 U.S.C. §11432 (g)(1)(J)(ii).
Under the McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. §11434a), “homeless children” means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (within the meaning of 42 U.S.C. Section 11302(a)(1)). The term includes: 42 U.S.C. §11434a.
4. Migratory children (Sec. 1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) who qualify as homeless under this subtitle because the children are living in clauses (1) through (3) above.
1. An individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime place of abode.
c. A public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.
www.2.ed.gov/programs/homeless/legislation.html for the U.S. Dept. of Education’s information about federal requirements.
Ensure that homeless children and youths are identified by school personnel and through coordinated activities with other entities and agencies. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(6)(A)(i).
Ensure that homeless children and youths enroll in, and have full and equal opportunity to succeed in District programs. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(6)(A)(ii).
Ensure that homeless families, children and youths receive educational services for which they are eligible and make referrals to health care, mental health, dental, and other appropriate services. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(6)(A)(iii).
Inform parent(s)/guardian(s) of educational and related opportunities available to their child or ward, and provide them with meaningful opportunities to participate in their child or ward’s education. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(6)(A)(iv).
Disseminate public notice of the educational rights of homeless children and youths in the location where they receive services (such as schools, family shelters, and soup kitchens). 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(6)(A)(v).
d. In the case of an unaccompanied youth, ensure that the youth is immediately enrolled in school pending resolution of the dispute.
Fully inform the parent/guardian of a homeless child/youth, and any unaccompanied youth, of all transportation services and assist in accessing transportation services. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(6)(A)(vii). Convene a meeting with the parent/guardian and teacher of the child if the travel time to a homeless child’s school of origin is longer than one hour each way or if the travel time is shorter, but the District wishes to evaluate whether such travel is in the best interest of the child’s development and education. 105 ILCS 45/1-15.
Assist unaccompanied youth in placement/enrollment decisions, consider the youth’s wishes in those decisions, and provide notice to the youth of the right to appeal such decisions. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(B)(iv).
Assist children/youth who do not have immunizations or medical records in obtaining necessary immunizations and/or medical records. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(C)(iii).
If needed, verify children’s homeless status so they may obtain free copies of their birth certificates, in accordance with procedures established by the State Registrar of Vital Records. 410 ILCS 535/25.3, amended by P.A. 100-506, eff. 1-1-18.
Collaborate with State and local social service agencies that provide services to the homeless as well as with community and school personnel responsible for the provision of education and related services to homeless children and youths. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(5)(A) and (g)(6)(C).
Conduct a hardship review whenever a child and his or her parent/guardian who initially share the housing of another person due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar hardship continue to share the housing; a hardship review should be performed after the passage of 18 months and annually thereafter. 105 ILCS 45/1-25(a-5).
Make a recommendation to the Superintendent regarding whether the Board should authorize financial homeless prevention assistance for families with children who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. 105 ILCS 45/1-17.
In those cases where the parties agree it is in the best interest of the child and District to do so, prepare a written housing plan (Plan) to provide financial assistance in an amount that will allow a child who is homeless or at risk of being homeless to remain permanently in his/her home or obtain new housing. Financial assistance may include: (1) mortgage or rental assistance that will allow a child to remain permanently in his/her living situation or obtain a new living situation and/or (2) assistance with unpaid bills, loans or other financial debts that result in housing being inadequate.
The District has attempted to provide the financial assistance through its local homeless assistance agency that is part of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Acts continuum of care. 105 ILCS 45/1-17(b).
Refer the child or his or her parent/guardian to the ombudsperson appointed by the Regional Superintendent whenever a school denies a homeless child enrollment or transportation, and provide the child or his or her parent/guardian with a written statement of the basis for the denial. 105 ILCS 45/1-25(a).
Enrolling the child in any school that non-homeless students who live in the attendance area in which the child or youth is actually living are eligible to attend.
The term “school of origin” means the school that the student attended when permanently housed or the school in which the student was last enrolled. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(I) and 105 ILCS 45/1-5.
If the child is attending his/her school of origin, make a good faith effort to provide or arrange for transportation to and from the school or origin, including authorizing relatives, friends or a program for homeless persons to provide the child with transportation.
Shall immediately enroll the homeless child/youth, even if the child/youth is unable to produce records normally required for enrollment, e.g., previous academic records, medical records, proof of residency, or other documentation. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(C)(i) and 105 ILCS 45/1-20.
Shall immediately contact the school last attended by the child/youth to obtain relevant academic and other records. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(C)(ii) and 105 ILCS 45/1-20.
If the child/youth needs to obtain immunizations, or immunization or medical records, shall immediately refer the child/youth’s parent/guardian to the Liaison for Homeless Children. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(C)(iii) and 105 ILCS 45/1-20.
Maintain records for the homeless child/youth that are ordinarily kept for students according to District policy and procedure on student school records. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(D).
Ensure each homeless student is provided services comparable to services offered to other students including the following: 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(4).
Shall require a parent/guardian of a homeless child/youth, if available, to submit contact information. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(H) and 105 ILCS 45/1-20.
Ensure transportation is provided to a homeless child/youth, at the request of the parent/guardian (or in the case of an unaccompanied youth, the Liaison), to and from the school of origin. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(1)(J)(iii); State law, found at 105 ILCS 45/1-15, is superseded by federal law. The term “school of origin” means the school that the student attended when permanently housed or the school in which the student was last enrolled. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(I). Transportation shall be arranged as follows: 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(1)(J)(iii).
1. If the homeless child/youth continues to live in the area served by the school district in which the school of origin is located, the student’s transportation to and from the school of origin shall be provided or arranged by the district in which the school of origin is located.
2. If the homeless child/youth’s living arrangements in the area served by the district of origin terminate and the child/youth, though continuing his or her education in the school of origin, begins living in an area served by another school district, the district of origin and the district in which the homeless child/youth is living shall agree upon a method to apportion the responsibility and costs for providing the child/youth with transportation to and from the school of origin. If the local educational agencies are unable to agree upon such method, the responsibility and costs for transportation shall be shared equally.
Superintendent or Designee Dispute If a dispute arises, shall inform the homeless child/youth’s parent(s)/guardian(s) of the availability of an investigator, sources for low-cost or free legal assistance, and other advocacy services in the community.
Each Regional Superintendent appoints an ombudsperson to provide resource information and resolve disputes at schools within his or her jurisdiction relating to the rights of homeless children under this Act. 105 ILCS 45/1-25. The Homeless Family Placement Act governs shelter placement. 310 ILCS 85/1 et seq.

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