The main objective of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvement Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-110. Subtitle B) is to make sure homeless youth have access to appropriate education while removing barriers that homeless children face. Its goal is to minimize interruptions to the education of homeless youth. The Forest City Regional School District is committed to working collaboratively with families and local agencies to support homeless youth in our school community.
Forest City Regional School District Superintendent:
Dr. Daniel Gilroy
100 Susquehanna Street
Forest City, PA 18421
570-785-2403
The Homeless Liaison of the Forest City Regional School District:
Mrs. Darlene Hamlyn
100 Susquehanna Street
Forest City, PA 18421
570-785-2469
Regional Coordinator for Education of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness:
Mr. Jeff Zimmerman
368 Tioga Avenue
Kingston, PA 18704
570-718-4613
The Forest City Regional School District recognizes its obligation to ensure that homeless students have access to the same educational programs and services provided to other district students. The Forest City Regional School District shall take all steps possible to identify homeless children within the district, ensure enrollment and eliminate any barriers that may prevent their attendance and education in compliance with federal and state law and regulations.
Homelessness is defined as any individual lacking a fixed, regular and nighttime residence which includes:
- Sharing the house of other persons due to loss of housing or economic hardship
- Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks or camping grounds due to a lack of alternative or adequate accommodations
- Living in emergency, transitional or domestic violence shelters
- A primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, regular sleeping accommodations for human beings
- Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, transportation stations or similar settings.
- Migratory children living in conditions described in previous examples.
Unaccompanied youth refers to a homeless child or youth who is not in physical custody of a parent/guardian unless court placed.
Students shall not be discriminated against, segregated nor stigmatized based on their status as homeless or unaccompanied youth.
Enrollment
As required by law, the district must make placement determination on the basis of the best interest of the homeless child or unaccompanied youth. This includes:
- In accordance with the student’s best interest, continue to enroll the student in his/her school or origin (the school that the student attended when permanently housed or was last enrolled) while he/she remains homeless or until the end of the academic year
- Enroll the child or unaccompanied youth in any public school that non-homeless students who live in the attendance area in which the child is actually living are eligible to attend.
The selected school shall immediately enroll the student and begin instruction, even if the student is unable to produce records normally required for enrollment per district policy.
If the student’s grade level is unable to be determined due to missing or incomplete records, the district shall administer tests or utilize appropriate means to determine the student’s placement.
If a dispute arises over school selection or enrollment, the student shall be immediately enrolled in the school in which enrollment is sought, pending resolution of the dispute. The parents/guardians shall be provided with a written explanation of the district’s decision, their right to appeal and the procedures to use for the appeal.
Services
Homeless or unaccompanied youth shall be provided the same services comparable to those offered to other district students including, but not limited to, transportation, nutrition programs, vocational programs, technical education, preschool programs, ESL programs, programs for students with disabilities and gifted students.
Transportation
The district shall provide transportation for homeless or unaccompanied youth students to their school of origin or the school they choose to attend within the district. If the school of origin is outside the district boundaries or in another district but will attend their school of origin in this district, the districts shall agree upon a method to apportion the responsibility and costs of transportation.
Dispute Resolution Process
The following procedures shall govern the resolution of disputes regarding enrollment, school selection, homeless status and complaints of non-compliance with legal requirements pertaining to the education of homeless students:
- The parent/guardian or unaccompanied youth shall be referred to the district’s liaison for homeless students.
- The liaison shall ensure that the child or unaccompanied youth is immediately enrolled, explain the dispute resolution process.
- Parents/guardians will be provided with Procedural Safeguards Notice form, which explains the complaint process and their right to appeal the school’s decision.
- Complaints can be made in writing or verbally over the phone.
- Appeals should be directed to the McKinney-Vento Regional Coordinator or the Pennsylvania State Coordinator. Their information can be found at: https://directory.center-school.org/homeless/liaison
For more information please contact the Forest City Regional School District, Homeless Liaison, Darlene Hamlyn at dhamlyn@fcrsd.org or 570.785.2469.
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