Homelessness
Homelessness
Homeless Families
If, due to a lack of housing, you must live in a shelter, motel, vehicle, or campground, on the street, in abandoned buildings or trailers, or doubled-up with relatives or friends, then according to the McKinney-Vento Act you are considered homeless.
Your Children have the right to:
Go to school, no matter where you live or how long you have lived there.
Continue in the school they last attended before you became homeless or the school they last attended if that is your choice and feasible.
Receive transportation to the school they last attended before your family became homeless or the school they last attended, if you or a guardian requests such transportation
Attend a school and participate in school programs with children who are not homeless
Enroll in school without giving a permanent address.
Enroll and attend classes while the school arranges for the transfer of school and immunization records or any other documents required for enrollment.
Enroll and attend classes in the school of your choice while the school and you seek to resolve a dispute over enrolling your child.
Receive the same special programs and services, if needed, as provided to all other children served in these programs.
Receive transportation to school and to school programs.
At School, ask about these Special Services:
Free breakfast and lunch programs
Free transportation services
Special transportation for children to remain in their home school
Special Education programs, especially if the student has previously received Special Education services
Tutoring programs
Programs to help children learn English
Gifted or talented programs
Summer school programs
Pre-School programs
After-School programs
For assistance please contact your child's school counselor or Jessie Thorson, Director of Student Services at (715)294-4140 extension 7510.
Homeless Education
In July of 1987 President Ronald Reagan signed into federal law the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act guarantees the educational rights of children and youth who are homeless regardless of whether they are living with parents, guardians or are on their own.
Homeless children and youth in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 2001 are defined as:
Individuals who do not have a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and includes:
children and youth who share the housing of others such as friends or relatives as a result of the loss of their housing, economic hardship or because they cannot find or afford housing.
This includes children and youth living in motels, hotels, temporary trailers or campgrounds, emergency or transitional shelters; have been abandoned in hospitals or are waiting for foster care placement.
Children and youth whose primary nighttime residence is a public or private space that was not designed for or is used as a sleeping accommodation for human beings.
Children and youth who live in cars, parks, public spaces, on the streets, in abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations or similar types of settings.
Some migratory children and youth may qualify as homeless because they are living in the circumstances listed above.
Children and youth who are homeless have the right to:
Go to school. These children must be given the same access to a public education as all other students.
Continue your education in the school you attended before you became homeless or the school you last attended.
Receive transportation to the school last attended before becoming homeless or the school last attended, if transportation is requested.
Go to a school and participate in school programs with other students who are not homeless.
Enroll in a school without providing a permanent address.
Enroll and attend classes while the school is requesting or waiting for records or documents from a previous school.
Enroll and attend classes in the school of your choice while a conflict regarding enrollment is being settled.
If needed receive the same special programs and services provided all other students.
Receive transpiration to school and to school programs.
Each school district is required by the McKinney-Vento Act to designate a homeless liaison. Jessie Thorson has been designated as homeless liaison at The School District of Osceola. Ms. Thorson's office is located in the Intermediate School and she can be reached at 715-294-4140 Ext. 7501 or at thorsonj@osceolak12.org. The homeless liaison's primary responsibility is to identify and immediately enroll any homeless children and youth in the district and then help them to succeed in school. Other homeless liaison responsibilities include:
assist with the enrollment process, including dispute-resolution procedures
share information/educate parents/guardians, unaccompanied youth, staff, school board members and community agencies of the educational rights of homeless children
discuss with parents preschool options for preschool aged children
offer and help arrange transportation
help obtain school supplies when needed by homeless students
make sure homeless students receive free school meals
ensure the same educational services non-homeless students receive
work with agencies in the community to serve homeless students
carry out special responsibilities to support unaccompanied children and youth within the district
Osceola Public School responsibilities include:
Comply with legislative requirements of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (www.serve.org/nche)
Designating a homeless liaison
Remove barriers that would limit a homeless students ability to fully participate at school. Some of those barriers may be; transportation, inability to purchase books, school supplies, clothing and glasses. Remove policy barriers - residential requirements, permanent address verification.
Automatic eligibility for Title 1 services.
Follow specific transportation requirements for homeless children and youth(http://dpi.wi.gov/homeless/transp_legistive.html)
Provide free school meals (http://dpi.wi.giv/homeless/free_reduced.html)
Private schools located within the Osceola School District are not required to comply with the the McKinney-Vento Act. Private schools can choose how they will address homeless families or unaccompanied youth attending or wishing to attend a particular private school
Resources
Click here for ---------> Local Resources
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
125 S. Webster Street
PO Box 7841
Madison WI 53707
800.441.4563
State EHCY Coordinators
Kristine Nadolski
(608) 267-7338
Karen Rice
(608) 267-1284
National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY)
National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE)
PO Box 5367
Greensboro, NC 27435
Helpline:
800.308.2145
homeless@serve.org
National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty (NLCHP)