Homeless Students
Every Student Belongs
Homeless Students
Rights of homeless students under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
Leona Group Schools provides an educational environment that treats all students with dignity and respect. Every homeless student has access to the same free and appropriate educational opportunities as students who are not homeless. This commitment to the educational rights of homeless students, youth, and unaccompanied youth applies to all services, programs, and activities provided or made available.
Who May Qualify
A student may be eligible for services as a “Homeless Student or Youth” under the McKinney-Vento Act if he or she is presently living:
- In a shelter
- In a motel or hotel
- In a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station
- Doubled up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship
- In a campground due to the lack of an alternative accommodation
Eligible Students Have the Right To:
- Receive a free, appropriate public education
- Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment
- Enroll in school and attend classes while the school gathers needed documents
- Enroll in the local school, or continue attending their school of origin, if that is the family’s preference — with a written explanation and the right to appeal if the district disagrees
- Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if requested
- Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students
How to Get Help
If you believe your child(ren) may be eligible, contact the front office at (480) 325-6100 and request McKinney-Vento services and the district liaison’s contact information. Families experiencing housing instability may not be required to provide standard enrollment documentation — please inform the school if this applies to you.
Arizona Department of Education — Homeless Education Program Coordinator: (602) 542-4963 · Homeless@azed.gov
National Center for Homeless Education — 1-800-308-2145 · homeless@serve.org
INFORMATION
FOR PARENTS
INFORMACIÓN
PARA LOS PADRES
IF YOUR FAMILY LIVES IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS:
In a shelter
In a motel or campground due to the lack of an alternative adequate accommodation
In a car, park, abandoned building, or bus or train station
Doubled up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship
Your school-age children may qualify for certain rights and protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Act.
Your eligible children have the right to:
- Receive a free, appropriate public education.
- Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment.
- Enroll in school and attend classes while the school gathers needed documents.
- Enroll in the local school; or continue attending their school of origin (the school they attended when permanently housed or the school in which they were last enrolled), if that is your preference.
- If the school district believes that the school you select is not in the best interest of your children, then the district must provide you with a written explanation of its position and inform you of your right to appeal its decision.
- Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if you request this.
- Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to your children’s needs.
If you believe your children may be eligible, contact the local liaison to find out what services and supports may be available. There also may be supports available for your preschool-age children.
Homeless Education Program Coordinator(602) 542-4963
Homeless@azed.gov
www.azed.gov/homeless
If you need further assistance with your children’s educational needs, contact the
National Center for Homeless Education
1-800-308-2145 ✦ homeless@serve.org ✦ nche.ed.gov
SI SU FAMILIA VIVE EN CUALQUIERA DE LAS SITUACIONES SIGUIENTES:
En un albergue
En un motel o sitio para acampar debido a la falta de una alternativa adecuada
En un auto, un parque, un edificio abandonado, o una estación de trenes o de autobuses
Compartiendo la vivienda de otras personas debido a la pérdida de su casa o a una dificultad económica
Sus hijos de edad escolar podrían calificar para recibir ciertos derechos y protecciones bajo la ley federal McKinney-Vento.
Sus hijos elegibles tienen derecho a:
- Recibir una educación pública gratuita y apropiada.
- Inscribirse en la escuela inmediatamente, aunque falten documentos normalmente requeridos para la inscripción.
- Inscribirse y asistir a clases mientras que la escuela obtiene los documentos necesarios.
- Inscribirse en la escuela local; o continuar asistiendo a la escuela de origen (la escuela a la cual su hijo asistió cuando tenía una residencia permanente, o la última escuela en la cual estaba inscrito), si esto es su preferencia.
- Si el distrito escolar cree que la escuela escogida por usted no es la mejor para sus hijos, el distrito tiene que darle a usted una explicación escrita de su posición e informarle de su derecho de apelar su decisión.
- Recibir transporte a/de la escuela de origen, si usted lo pide.
- Recibir servicios educacionales comparables a los que están provistos para otros estudiantes, según las necesidades de sus hijos.
Si usted cree que sus hijos podrían ser elegibles, contacte al oficial para la educación de los niños y jóvenes sin hogar de su distrito escolar para averiguar los servicios y ayudas que podrían estar disponibles. También puede haber apoyo disponible para sus hijos de edad preescolar.
(480) 325-6100
Arizona Department of Education(602) 542-4963
Homeless@azed.gov
www.azed.gov/homeless
Si usted necesita ayuda adicional con las necesidades educacionales de sus hijos, contacte al
Centro Nacional de Educación para Niños y Jóvenes sin Hogar
1-800-308-2145 ✦ homeless@serve.org ✦ nche.ed.gov