Title IX / Homeless / Foster / Migrant

The District is committed to the provision of a free and appropriate education for all students enrolled in the District. Therefore, the District complies with all provisions, regulations, and administrative rules applicable to state and/or federal requirements in order to serve students who are homeless, migrants, at-risk, or in foster care.

The District’s liaison for students who are homeless, migrants or in foster care is the Assistant Superintendent for Operations.

The District will ensure that each child of a homeless individual and each homeless youth has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including public preschool education, as provided to other children and youths. The District will not stigmatize or segregate students on the basis of their status as homeless. The District will, through its homeless liaison, identify and assess the educational needs of homeless children and youths, including removal of barriers to homeless students’ education. The District will provide transportation, at the request of the parent or guardian (or in the case of an unaccompanied youth, the District’s liaison), to and from the school of origin.

Homeless students are those lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

This includes:

1. Children and youths 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; or 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, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and
4. Migratory children who qualify as homeless because the children are living in circumstances described above. Immediately upon identifying a student as homeless, the District will ensure the student is receiving homeless services, comparable to the services offered to other students of the District. 

When a parent/guardian or unaccompanied homeless youth notifies the District’s homeless liaison in writing of their complaint, the homeless liaison serves as the intermediary between the parent/guardian or unaccompanied homeless youth and the school where the child is seeking enrollment. The parent/guardian or unaccompanied homeless youth shall receive a copy of or access to the District’s policies addressing the education of homeless children and youths from the District. The District’s homeless liaison will provide a written resolution of the dispute or a plan of action within five days of the date the written complaint was received. If the dispute is not resolved with the District’s homeless liaison, the parent/guardian or unaccompanied homeless youth can file a complaint in writing to the Superintendent or designee for further review. The District’s superintendent or designee will provide a written resolution of the dispute or a plan of action within five days of the date the written complaint was received by the Superintendent or designee. If the dispute is not resolved at the Superintendent/ designee level, the parent/guardian or unaccompanied homeless youth may file the written complaint before the District’s Board of Education for resolution. The District’s Board of Education will provide a written resolution of the dispute or a plan of action within thirty days of the date the written complaint was received by the Board.

The McKinney-Vento Act guarantees homeless children and youth an education equal to what they would receive if they were not homeless.

According to the McKinney-Vento Act, homeless children and youth include individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This includes the following situations:

• Sharing the housing of others (known as “doubling-up”) due to loss of housing or economic hardship

• Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds

• Living in emergency or transitional shelters

• Abandoned in hospitals

• Living in a nighttime residence that is public or private but not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation

• Living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings

The Act also recognizes unaccompanied youth who are homeless. An unaccompanied youth is a young person not in the physical custody of a parent or legal guardian.

There are two choices for a student in a homeless situation:

• The school of origin, or

• The school of residency.

The school of origin is the school the child attended when permanently housed or the school in which the child was last enrolled.
The school of residency is the school serving the area where the child or youth is currently staying.

When determining the best school placement, a homeless child or youth should remain in the school of origin (to the extent feasible) unless doing so is contrary to the wishes of the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth.

The McKinney-Vento Act requires the immediate enrollment of homeless children and youth.
These students must be allowed to attend school even if they are unable to produce:

• Academic records

• Immunization and medical records

• Proofs of residency

• Birth certificates

• Other normally required documentation

School districts must provide transportation for homeless children and youth to the school of best interest.
Districts must also provide transportation during the resolution of any enrollment or pending disputes.
While disputes over enrollment, school selection, or eligibility are being resolved, students must be transported to the school of choice of the parent or the unaccompanied youth.

Each school district appoints a Homeless Liaison who ensures that children and youth experiencing homelessness are enrolled and succeed in school.
This liaison serves as the link between homeless families and school staff, district personnel, shelter workers, and social service providers.

P.O. Box 480 

Jefferson City, MO 65102-0480