Homeless Student Services

New! Fax Number: 595-0245

 

Homeless Student Services

The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children and youth as individuals who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.  Including but not limited to:

• Children and youth sharing housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship or similar reason
• Children and youth living in motels, hotels, trailer parks or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative accommodations
• Children and youth living in emergency or transitional shelters
• Children and youth abandoned in hospitals
• Children and youth whose primary nighttime residence is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings
• Children and youth living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations or similar settings
• Migratory children and youth living in any of the above situations

 

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act grants homeless students the following rights:

• The right to access the same free and appropriate public education as provided to all other children. 
• The right to enroll in school immediately, even if lacking enrollment documentation
• The right to enroll in school and attend classes while gathering enrollment documents
• The right to enroll in the school of origin (the school attended when permanently housed or the last school enrolled)
• The right to transportation to and from the school of origin when requested
• The right to educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to the child’s needs
• The right to go to school with children who are not homeless

 

The Homeless Liaison is committed to serving homeless families through:

• Assisting with school registration, records transfers, immunizations, free school meals and school bus transportation
• Working with other entities and agencies to ensure homeless students are identified by school personnel 
• Ensuring that homeless students enroll in, and have equal opportunity to succeed in school
• Ensuring that homeless students receive the services for which they are entitled
• Ensuring unaccompanied youths are enrolled in school and receive support to accrue credits and access to higher education
• Providing referrals for critical needs such as food, clothing, housing and health services
• Informing parents of the educational rights of homeless children and youth, including attendance to the school of origin and school bus transportation
• Facilitating the display public notice of the educational rights of homeless children
• Mediating in school enrollment disputes
• Ensuring school personnel providing McKinney-Vento services receive professional development and other support

Escambia County School District
Homeless Liaison
Melissa Hyde
Resource Teacher
850-595-6915 ext. 267
mhyde@ecsdfl.us

The Homeless Advocate is available to assist homeless families through:

• Helping procure school enrollment documents such as birth certificates and immunizations
• Providing referrals for critical needs such as food, clothing, housing and health services
• Collaborating with schools and agencies to identify homeless students
• Providing translation assistance and services to Spanish-speaking families

Opening Doors Northwest Florida
Homeless Advocate

Agustin Rodriguez

850-439-3009 ext. 103

Resources

• Street Survival Guide
   
• Students in Transition Survey (English)
   
• Students in Transition Survey (Spanish)
   
• Homeless Student Rights Poster (English)
   
• Homeless Student Rights Poster (Spanish)
   
• District Liaison Letter to Schools
   
• Checklist for School Counselors
   
• Information for Teachers