Rights of Homeless Students

Apache Junction Public Schools shall provide an educational environment that treats all students with dignity and respect. Every homeless student shall have access to the same free and appropriate educational opportunities as students who are not homeless. This commitment to the educational rights of homeless children, youth, and unaccompanied youth, applies to all services, programs, and activities provided or made available.

Section 725(2) of the McKinney-Vento Act defines "homeless children and youths" as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. The term includes:

• Children and youths who are:
  
  • sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason (sometimes referred to as "doubled-up");
  • living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations;
  • living in emergency or transitional shelters; or
  • abadoned in hospitals;
• Children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;
• Chlidren and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and 
• Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above.

According to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act, eligible students have rights to:

Immediate enrollment: Documentation and immunization records cannot serve as a barrier to the enrollment in school.

Remain enrolled in his/her selected school for the duration of homelessness, and until the end of the academic year upon which they are permanently housed.

Participate in programs for which they are eligible, including Title 1, National School Lunch Program, Head Start, etc...

Transportation Services: A McKinney-Vento eligible student attending his/her School of Origin has a right to transportation to and from the School of Origin.

Dispute Resolution: If you disagree with school officials about enrollment, transportation, or fair treatment of a homeless child or youth, you may file a complaint with the school district. The school district must respond and attempt to resolve it quickly. During the dispute, the student must be immediately enrolled in the school and provided transportation until the matter is resolved.

For more information, contact the Robyn Gonzales at 480.982.1110 Ext. 2039 or rgonzale@goaj.org

Alexis Clermont, State Coordinator for Homeless & Refugee Education at the ADE website listed below.