If You Lose Your Home: Don't Lose Your School
- Remain in the school of origin with transportation provided.
- Free Breakfast and Lunch
- Immediate Enrollment into School
- Access to a free and appropriate Education
- To Learn about additional program services and the McKinney Vento act.
Every Child Has the Right to an Education
The Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Education Assistance Act, otherwise known as Title X Part C of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and state law protect the rights of homeless children and youth to receive a free and appropriate public education. Nearly everyone who is between the ages of 5 and 21 on September 1 of the school year and has not been expelled has the right to attend school, even if they:
- Lack fixed, regular, and adequate night time residence
- Share housing (due to loss or hardship)
- Live in hotels, motels, trailer homes, campgrounds, emergency or transitional shelters, abandoned in hospitals
- Are awaiting foster care placement
- Have a primary night time residence not designed or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation
- Live in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, bus or train stations, or similar settings
- Are an unaccompanied youth (youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian)
- Are migratory children who qualify as homeless because or their living situation
School District Responsibilities:
- Schools must keep children in the school of origin (the school that the child or youth attended when permanently housed or last enrolled) to the extent feasible, except where contrary to the wishes of the parent or guardian. The child or youth's right to attend their school or origin extends to the entire duration of homelessness or end of school year.
- Schools must remove any barriers that contribute to exclusion or enrollment delay. This means schools are required to immediately enroll children and youth experiencing homelessness.
- Each school district must identify a Homeless Education Liaison.
- Each school must post public notice of educational rights and youth experiencing homelessness.
- Schools must ensure enrollment with full and equal opportunity to success in school (e.g., Head Start, Even Start, preschool, health care, dental, mental health, etc.).
Other Additional Services:
The FIT Program Staff and Social Workers work very closely together to reach every student in the FIT Program and address issues that may be affecting the student's ability to be successful in school. Other services that are sometimes available are school clothing, school supplies, food, assistance so students can participate in field trips and other school related activities as well as other emergency assistance.
Contact your School Social Worker or FIT office to learn more.
Transportation for FIT students
For Students Living Within School Zone
Students who are considered FIT and living within school zones boundaries inside the walk zone of the school that they are assigned will walk to school. If the student lives within the school zone and is beyond the two mile limit, they will be provided transportation to their zone school via a yellow school bus. The zone school will arrange transportation
For Students Living Outside school zone
- Student identified as FIT who makes a temporary housing move outside of the school zone boundaries may request to continue attending his/her assigned school with extended transportation services.
- If determined feasible, transportation may arrange a yellow school bus to transport the student.
- Transportation may be coordinated with the school district where the homeless student currently resides. Please speak with the Families in Transportation for more information.
Foster children
Foster children who are awaiting a permanent placement may be considered "homeless". Please speak with the Families in Transportation for more information