A Parent's Guide to the Rights of Children
and Youth Experiencing Homelessness

The Rights of Homeless Parents and Their Children

Your child has the right to:

• Go to school, no matter where you live or how long you have lived there;
• Stay in the school that he or she was attending before becoming homeless or the school he or she last attended if that is your choice and it is feasible;
• Enroll in school immediately, even if you do not have all the paperwork, such as your child's school or medical records;
• Access the same special programs and services that are provided to other children, including special education, migrant education, and vocational education;
• Receive the same public education that is provided to other children, including preschool. (Your child cannot be separated from the mainstream school enviroment because he or she is homeless. He or she cannot be segregated in a separate school, separate programs within a school or separate settings within a school).

If your child is assigned to a school not of your choosing, the school district must explain its decision in writing.

You have the right to appeal the district's decision regarding the school to which your child has been assigned. Your child has the right to go to the school of your choice while the dispute is being resolved.

If You Move, You Should:

• Contact the school district's local liaison for homeless education for help in enrolling your child in a new school or arranging for your child to continue in his or her former school;
• Contact the school and provide any information you think will assist the teachers in helping your child adjust to the new situation;
• Tell the school the date you are leaving and start the transfer of your records;
• Ask for a copy of your child's school records, including:
  • An updated transcript;
  • The grade your child is in;
  • Any important medical information about your child's needs;
  • Scores your child made on any standardized tests;
  • If possible, allow your child to say goodbye to friends and teachers.

How You Can Help Your Child:

• Make sure your child attends school every day;
• Read to your child; even a few minutes a day makes a difference;
• Make education a family priority;
• Help your child develop good study habits;
• Meet with your child's teachers and other school personnel.

McKinney-Vento Program

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Children and Youth Program was designed to make sure all homeless children and youth have equal access to the same free and appropriate public education as children and youth who are not homeless. This includes preschool education.

State and local educational agencies are required to develop, review and revise policies to remove barriers to the enrollment, attendance and success in schoo that homeless children and youth may experience.

Local educational agencies also must provide homeless children and youth with the opportunity to meet the same challenging state content and state student performnace standards to which all students are held.

Information and Resources

Coalition on Homelessness and Housing (COHHIO)
http://www.cohhio.org/
Phone: (614) 280 - 1984

LAU Resource Center for English as a Second Language (ESL) Bilingual and Multicultural Education
http://www.ode.state.oh.us
Keyword: Limited English Proficient Students
Phone: (614) 752 - 1323

National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY)
http://www.naehcy.org/
Phone: (763) 545 - 0064

Ohio Parent Information and Resource Center (Ohio PIRC)
http://www.ohiopirc.org/
Phone: (888) OHPIRC9 (Toll-Free)

National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty (NLCHP)
http://www.nlchp.org/FA_Education/
Phone: (202) 638 - 2535

SERVE Improving Learning through Research and Development
http://www.serve.org/nche/
Phone: (800) 308 - 2145 (Toll-Free)

U.S. Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/index.html
Phone: (800) USA - LEARN
Phone: (800) 872 - 5327 (Toll-Free)

Ohio Department of Education

Tom Dannis
Ohio Department of Education
Center for School Improvement
Office of Federal Programs
25 S. Front St, Mail Stop 404
Columbus, OH 43215-4183
Phone: (614) 466 - 4161
Fax: (614) 752 - 1622
Toll-Free: (877) 644 - 6338
TTY: (614) 387 - 0970

Email: tom.dannis@ode.state.oh.us

Website: http://www.ode.state.oh.us/
Keyword: Homeless Students