Each child of a homeless individual and each homeless youth has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education as provided to other children and youths, including a public pre-school education. A homeless child is defined as provided in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and the Education for Homeless Children Act. The Superintendent or designee shall act as or appoint a Liaison for Homeless Children to coordinate this policy’s implementation. 

A homeless child may attend the District school that the child attended when permanently housed or in which the child was last enrolled. A homeless child living in any District school’s attendance area may attend that school. 

The Superintendent or designee shall review and revise rules or procedures that may act as barriers to the enrollment of homeless children and youths. In reviewing and revising such procedures, consideration shall be given to issues concerning transportation, immunization, residency, birth certificates, school records and other documentation, and guardianship. Transportation shall be provided in accordance with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and State law. The Superintendent or designee shall give special attention to ensuring the enrollment and attendance of homeless children and youths who are not currently attending school. If a child is denied enrollment or transportation under this policy, the Liaison for Homeless Children shall immediately refer the child or his or her parent/guardian to the ombudsperson appointed by the Regional Superintendent and provide the child or his or her parent/guardian with a written explanation for the denial. Whenever a child and his or her parent/guardian who initially share the housing of another person due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar hardship continue to share the housing, the Liaison for Homeless Children shall, after the passage of 18 months and annually thereafter, conduct a review as to whether such hardship continues to exist in accordance with State law. 

LEGAL REF.: 42 U.S.C. §11431 et seq., McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

105 ILCS 45/, Education for Homeless Children Act.

23 Ill.Admin.Code §1.241.

CROSS REF.: 2:260 (Uniform Grievance Procedure), 4:110 (Transportation), 4:140 (Waiver of Student Fees), 7:10 (Equal Educational Opportunities), 7:30 (Student Assignment and Intra-District Transfer), 7:50 (School Admissions and Student Transfers To and From Non-District Schools), 7:60 (Residence), 7:100 (Health, Eye, and Dental Examinations; Immunizations; and Exclusion of Students)

ADMIN. PROC.: 6:140-AP (Education of Homeless Children)

ADOPTED: November 18, 2024