Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 281 - Education Department › Title V - Nontraditional Students › Chapter 33 - Educating Homeless Children and Youth › Rule 281-33.2 - Responsibilities of School Districts

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
A public school district (district) shall do all of the
				  following:
(1) The district will
				locate and identify homeless children or youth within the district, whether or
				not they are enrolled in school.
(2) The district will post, at community
				shelters and other locations in the district where services or assistance is
				provided to the homeless, information regarding the educational rights of
				homeless children and youth and encouraging homeless children and youth to
				enroll in the public school.
(3)
				The district will examine and revise, if necessary, existing school policies or
				rules that create barriers to the enrollment of homeless children or youth,
				consistent with these rules. Examination and revision include identifying and
				removing barriers that prevent such children and youth from receiving
				appropriate credit for full or partial coursework satisfactorily completed
				while attending a prior school, in accordance with state, local, and school
				policies. Examination and revision also include ensuring that homeless children
				and youth who meet the relevant eligibility criteria do not face barriers to
				accessing academic and extracurricular activities, including magnet school,
				summer school, career and technical education, advanced placement, online
				learning, and charter school programs, if such programs are available at the
				state and local levels. School districts are encouraged to cooperate with
				agencies and organizations for the homeless to explore comprehensive,
				equivalent alternative educational programs and support services for homeless
				children and youth when necessary to implement the intent of these
				rules.
(4) The district will enact
				a policy prohibiting the segregation of a homeless child or youth from other
				students enrolled in the public school district.
(5) The district immediately will enroll a
				homeless child or youth, pending resolution of any dispute regarding in which
				school the child or youth should be enrolled.
(6) The district will determine school
				placement based on the best interests of a homeless child or youth. The
				district, to the extent feasible, will 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. If the child or youth becomes permanently housed
				during an academic year, enrollment continues in the school of origin for the
				remainder of that academic year unless the parent or guardian agrees
				otherwise.
(7) The district will
				designate as the district's local educational agency liaison for homeless
				children and youth an appropriate staff person who is able to and has been
				trained to carry out the duties specified in
				42 U.S.C. §
										11432(g)(6) and coordinates
				and collaborates with state coordinators and community and school personnel
				responsible for the provision of education and related services to homeless
				children and youth.