STONEWALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS

HOMELESS EDUCATION

All students, regardless economic situation or living arrangements, have a right to an education. Stonewall Public Schools believes in providing students in our community with a quality education and we will work with you to ensure that your child has the necessary resources to succeed.

Your school-age children may qualify for certain rights and protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Act if your family lives in any of the following situations:

• A shelter, a motel, or campground due to the lack of an alternative adequate accommodation
• A car, park, abandoned building, or bus or train station
• Doubled up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship

If you believe your children may be eligible, contact us to find out what services and supports may be available. There may also be supports available for your preschool-age children.

All 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.

Local liaisons must ensure that:

• Homeless children and youths are identified by school personnel through outreach and coordination activities with other entities and agencies;
• Homeless children and youths are enrolled in, and have full and equal opportunity to succeed in, the school or schools of the LEA;
• Homeless families and homeless children and youths have access to and receive educational services for which such families, children, and youths are eligible, including services through Head Start programs (including Early Head Start programs), early intervention services under Part C of the IDEA, and other preschool programs administered by the LEA;
• Homeless families and homeless children and youths receive referrals to health, dental, mental health, and substance abuse services, housing services, and other appropriate services;
• Parents or guardians of homeless children and youths are informed of educational and related opportunities available to their children and are provided with meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children;
• Public notice of the educational rights of homeless students is disseminated in locations frequented by parents and guardians of such children and youths, and unaccompanied youths, including schools, shelters, public libraries, and soup kitchens, in a manner and form understandable to the parents and guardians and unaccompanied youths;
• Enrollment disputes are mediated in accordance with the requirements of the McKinney-Vento Act;
• Parents and guardians and unaccompanied youths are fully informed of all transportation services, including transportation to and from the school of origin and are assisted in accessing transportation services;
• School personnel receive professional development and other support; and
• Unaccompanied youths are enrolled in school, have opportunities to meet the same challenging State academic standards as the State establishes for other children and youths, are informed of their status as independent students under section 480 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) (20 U.S.C. 1087vv), and their right to receive verification of this status from the local liaison.

CONTACT US

Reena Barnett                   
Homeless Education Coordinator 

580-265-4241

Contact rbarnett@stonewall.k12.ok.us or call 580-265-4241 for additional information. 

MORE INFORMATION