Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness and in Foster Care

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ensures the educational rights and protections for children and youth experiencing homelessness. Durango School District 9-R is committed to ensuring these rights for all children experiencing homelessness.

If you are a family experiencing homelessness, please contact the Student Support Services office at 970-247-5411, ext. 1461 for further information on your rights and how we can assist you with enrollment in school, transportation to school, free lunches and other services. You may also contact the main office of the school your child(ren) are presently attending.

Definition of Homeless Children and Youth

(According to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 2001 – Title X, Part C of the No Child Left Behind Act, Section 725)

The term “homeless children and youths” refers to individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, and includes:

Children and youths who are:
- Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason.
- Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds due to the lack of alternative accommodations.
- Living in emergency or transitional shelters.
- Abandoned in hospitals.
- Awaiting foster care placement.
Children and youths 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 youths living in:
- Cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings.
Migratory children who qualify as homeless under this definition because they are living in one or more of the circumstances listed above.

Rights of Homeless children and youth:

Go to school, no matter where they live or how long they have lived there
Attend either the local school or the school of origin, if this is in their best interest; the school of origin is the school the child attended when he/she was permanently housed or the school which the child was last enrolled
Receive transportation to and from the school of origin
Enroll in school immediately, even if missing records and documents normally required for enrollment such as a birth certificate, proof of residence, previous school records, or immunization/medical records
Enroll, attend classes, and participate fully in all school activities while the school arranges for the transfer of records
Have access to the same programs and services that are available to all other students including transportation and supplemental educational services
Attend school with children not experiencing homelessness; segregation based on a student’s status as homeless is prohibited

Please contact Student Support Services at 970-247-5411, ext. 1461 with questions.

Important Documents

9-R McKinney-Vento Brochure

9-R Folleto McKinney-Vento

E-Reader Accessible Text of 9-R McKinney-Vento Brochure (English)

Definition

Students may qualify for services under the McKinney-Vento act if they do not have a fixed, regular or adequate nighttime residence. Please talk to your school or the school district McKinney-Vento Liaison if you are:

Sharing the housing of others due to the loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason.
Living in emergency or transitional shelters.
Living in motels, trailer parks or camping due to a lack of alternative accommodations.
Living in cars, parks, or other public spaces.
Living in abandoned buildings or substandard housing with no heat, electricity, water, or floors.
Migrant students living in any of the above
Unaccompanied youth not in physical custody of a parent/guardian and living in any of the above, including runaways or youth denied housing by their families

Identification

Upon enrollment or upon change in housing status, please complete the “Notification of Inadequately Housed” Form available at durangoschools.org or at your local school in order to receive services under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
The McKinney-Vento Liaison or delegate will reach out when notification is received , and each year thereafter until permanent housing is received to review you individual situation, eligibility, and available resources.

Appeal

To appeal regarding a McKinney-Vento eligibility determination, enrollment or educational placement decision, please contact the McKinney-Vento Liaison for a copy of the “Dispute Appeal Notification” form

Rights

Students have the right to attend:

• The last school they went to (known as the School of Origin) when becoming homeless.
• The school located in the attendance area where they are currently living (known as the Home School).
• A district school of choice through the Open Enrollment process.

Students in temporary housing have the right to:

• Immediately enroll in school and participate fully in classes and extracurricular activities.
• Enroll in school when not living with a parent or guardian.
• A grace period for providing required enrollment documentation (birth certificates, immunization records, etc).
• Receive free transportation to the School of Origin if eligible and it is feasible.

• Receive free school meals without filling out an application.
• Receive Special Education services immediately if the student has a current IEP (even if the IEP is from another district).

• Stay in the School of Origin until the end of the school year in which they become permanently housed.
• Receive Title I Services even if not attending a Title I school.
• Participate in extracurricular activities.

Services Available

Transportation
Free Lunch
School fees waiver
Backpack Program
Resource and referral

Texto accesible para lectores electrónicos del folleto 9-R McKinney-Vento (español)

Definición

Los estudiantes pueden tener derecho a los servicios previstos en la ley McKinney-Vento si no tienen una residencia nocturna fija, habitual o adecuada. Si se encuentra en alguna de las siguientes situaciones, hable con su escuela o con el enlace McKinney-Vento del distrito escolar:

Comparte la vivienda de otras personas debido a la pérdida de su hogar, dificultades económicas o motivos similares.
Vive en refugios de emergencia o de transición.
Vive en moteles, parques de caravanas o campings debido a la falta de alojamiento alternativo.
Vive en automóviles, parques u otros espacios públicos.
Vive en edificios abandonados o viviendas precarias sin calefacción, electricidad, agua o pisos.
Estudiantes migrantes que viven en cualquiera de las situaciones anteriores.
Jóvenes no acompañados que no están bajo la custodia física de un padre/tutor y viven en cualquiera de las situaciones anteriores, incluidos los fugitivos o los jóvenes a quienes sus familias les han negado la vivienda.

Identificación

Al inscribirse o al cambiar de situación de vivienda, rellene el formulario «Notificación de vivienda inadecuada» disponible en durangoschools.org o en su escuela local para poder recibir los servicios previstos en la Ley McKinney-Vento de Asistencia a Personas sin Hogar.

El enlace o delegado de McKinney-Vento se pondrá en contacto con usted cuando se reciba la notificación y, a partir de entonces, cada año hasta que se consiga una vivienda permanente, para revisar su situación individual, su elegibilidad y los recursos disponibles.

Apelación

Para apelar una decisión sobre la elegibilidad, la inscripción o la asignación educativa en virtud de la Ley McKinney-Vento, póngase en contacto con el enlace de McKinney-Vento para obtener una copia del formulario «Notificación de apelación de disputa».

Derechos

Los estudiantes tienen derecho a asistir a:

• La última escuela a la que asistieron (conocida como la escuela de origen) cuando se quedaron sin hogar.

• La escuela situada en la zona de asistencia donde viven actualmente (conocida como la escuela de origen).

• Una escuela del distrito de su elección a través del proceso de inscripción abierta.

Los estudiantes en viviendas temporales tienen derecho a:

• Inscribirse inmediatamente en la escuela y participar plenamente en las clases y actividades extracurriculares.

• Inscribirse en la escuela cuando no vivan con un padre o tutor.

• Un período de gracia para proporcionar la documentación de inscripción requerida (certificados de nacimiento, registros de vacunación, etc.).

• Recibir transporte gratuito a la escuela de origen si es elegible y es factible.

• Recibir comidas escolares gratuitas sin necesidad de rellenar una solicitud.

• Recibir servicios de educación especial de inmediato si el estudiante tiene un IEP vigente (incluso si el IEP es de otro distrito).

• Permanecer en la escuela de origen hasta el final del año escolar en el que consigan una vivienda permanente.

• Recibir servicios del Título I incluso si no asisten a una escuela del Título I.

• Participar en actividades extracurriculares.

Servicios disponibles

Transporte
Almuerzo gratuito
Exención de las tasas escolares
Programa de mochilas
Recursos y derivaciones