The Board shall make reasonable efforts to identify homeless children and youth of school age within the District, encourage their enrollment, and eliminate existing barriers to their receiving an education, which may exist in District policies or practices.
So that enrollment of homeless children and youth of school age may be facilitated, the following policy areas shall be modified as follows:
RESIDENCY
For purposes of a homeless child or youth, residence for the purpose of attending school shall be where that child actually resides or the child’s District of origin. The deciding factor shall be the welfare of the child.
TRANSPORTATION
Policies or practices regarding transportation of students that might cause a barrier to the attendance of a homeless child or youth may be waived by the Superintendent.
SPECIAL SERVICES
All services that are available to resident students shall be made available to homeless children or youth enrolled in the District. Services include special education, talented and gifted programs, vocational education, English as a Second Language programs, health services, and food and nutrition programs.
SCHOOL RECORDS
For students transferring out of the District, copies of records may be provided directly to the student or the student’s parents. A release of records form will be attached to the records. In addition, students transferring into the District may provide cumulative records directly to the District. The District shall not require that such records be forwarded from another District before that student may enroll. The school shall then request the official records from the sending school.
IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS
Homeless students shall not be denied enrollment for lack of immunization records if:
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They are in the process of being immunized.
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They are a transfer student from another school who has already been immunized.
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They provide an affidavit stating they are unable to afford immunization.
The District shall make a reasonable effort to locate immunization records from the information provided or shall arrange for the student to receive immunizations.
WAIVER OF FEES AND CHARGES
Fees and charges that may present a barrier to the enrollment or transfer of a homeless child or youth may be waived at the discretion of the Superintendent or designee.
ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENTS/PLACEMENTS
Enrollment requirements, which may constitute a barrier to the education of the homeless child or youth, may be waived by the discretion of the Superintendent or designee. If the District is unable to determine the grade level of the student because of missing or incomplete records, the District shall administer tests or utilize other reasonable means to determine the appropriate grade level for the child.
The contents of this policy shall supersede any and all conflicting provisions in District policies dealing with the seven policy areas discussed above.
*Reviewed: 4/8/02
*Reviewed: 1/15/07
*Revised: 12/13/10
*Reviewed: 4/9/12
*Reviewed: 6/12/17
*Revised: 6/13/22