At its Jan. 14 meeting, the School Board of the City of Virginia Beach elected Kathleen Brown as chair and Carolyn Weems as vice chair. Brown has served on the School Board for two years and Weems for 22 years.
Homeless Children and Youth 5-76
School Board of the City of Virginia Beach
Policy 5-76
STUDENTS
Homeless Children and Youth
- Generally
Subtitle B of Title VII of the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act cited in the legal reference to this Policy ensures that children and youth experiencing homelessness have full and equal access to an appropriate public education and that they experience success in school.
- Definition
Homeless children and youth are defined as:
- Children and youth who lack fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including children and youth who are:
- Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason.
- Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of adequate alternative accommodations.
- Living in emergency or transitional shelters.
- Abandoned in hospitals.
- Children and youth 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.
- Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings.
- Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above.
- Children and youth who lack fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including children and youth who are:
- Homeless Liaison Responsibilities
The Superintendent shall designate a person to serve as the School Division's homeless liaison, who is able to carry out his/her legal duties, and whose duties shall ensure that:
- Homeless children and youths are identified by school personnel and through outreach and coordination activities with other entities and agencies;
- Homeless children and youths enroll in, and have a full and equal opportunity to succeed in schools, programs, and services of the local educational agency;
- Homeless families, children, and youths receive educational services for which such families, children, and youths are eligible, including Head Start, early intervention, and preschool programs administered by the local educational agency;
- Homeless families, children, and youths are provided resources to health care services, dental services, mental health services, and other appropriate services;
- The parents or legal guardians of homeless children and youths are informed of the 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 children and youths is disseminated where such children and youths receive services under this Act, such as schools, family shelters, and soup kitchens;
- Enrollment disputes are mediated in accordance with Regulation 5-76.1;
- The parent or legal guardian of a homeless child or youth, and any unaccompanied youth, is fully informed of all transportation services, including transportation to the school of origin and is assisted in accessing transportation to the school that is selected as described in Regulation 5-76.1;
- School personnel providing McKinney-Vento services receive professional development and other support;
- Public Notice of McKinney-Vento rights is disseminated in locations frequented by parents, legal guardians, and unaccompanied youth, in a manner and form understandable to them;
- Unaccompanied youth are enrolled in school and that procedures are implemented to identify and remove barriers that prevent them from receiving credit for full or partial coursework satisfactorily completed at a prior school in accordance with state, local and school policies; and
- Liaisons must participate in professional development and technical assistance as determined appropriate by the State Coordinator.
Legal Reference
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act at Subtitle B of Title VII, 42 US.C. 11431, et seq., as amended.
Elementary and Secondary Education act of 1965 as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, 20 U.S.C. 6301, et seq.
Adopted by School Board: June 15, 1993 (Effective August 14, 1993)
Amended by School Board: September 2, 2003
Amended by School Board: May 12, 2020