Policies » Section J: Students » JFABD: Admission of Homeless Students

Policy Date: 01/14/2020

ASD File: JFABD

AUBURN SCHOOL DISTRICT
ADMISSION OF HOMELESS STUDENTS

To the extent practical and as required by law, the district will work with homeless students and
their families to provide stability in school attendance and other services. Special attention will
be given to ensuring the enrollment and attendance of homeless students not currently attending
school. Homeless students will be provided district services for which they are eligible, including
Head Start and comparable pre-school programs, Title I, similar state programs, special
education, bilingual education, vocational and technical education programs, gifted and talented
programs and school nutrition programs.

Homeless students are defined as lacking a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence,
including:

1. Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing or economic hardship;

2. Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate
accommodations;

3. Living in emergency or transitional shelters;

4. Are abandoned in hospitals;

5. Living in public or private places not designed for or ordinarily used as regular sleeping
accommodations for human beings;

6. Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing,
transportation stations or similar settings;

7. Are migratory children living in conditions described in previous examples.

The Superintendent and/or designee shall designate an appropriate staff person to be the
district’s liaison for homeless students and their families.

To the extent feasible, homeless students will continue to be enrolled in their school of origin
while they remain homeless or until the end of the academic year in which they obtain
permanent housing. Instead of remaining in the school of origin, parents or guardians of
homeless students may request enrollment in the school in which attendance area the student is
actually living, or other schools.

If there is an enrollment dispute, the student shall be immediately enrolled in the school in which
enrollment is sought, pending resolution of the dispute. The parent or guardian shall be informed
of the district’s decision and their appeal rights in writing. Unaccompanied youth will also be
enrolled pending resolution of the dispute.

Once the enrollment decision is made, the school shall immediately enroll the student, pursuant
to district policies. If the student does not have immediate access to the immunization records,
the student shall be admitted under a personal exception. Students and families should be
encouraged to obtain current immunization records or immunizations as soon as possible, and
the district liaison is directed to assist. Records from the student’s previous school shall be
requested from the previous school pursuant to district policies. Emergency contact information is
required at the time of enrollment consistent with district policies.

Homeless students are entitled to transportation to their school of origin or the school where they
are to be enrolled. If the school of origin is in a different district, or a homeless student is living
in another district but will attend his/her school of origin in this district; the districts will make
reasonable efforts to coordinate the transportation services necessary for the student.

The district’s liaison for homeless students and their families shall coordinate with local social
services agencies that provide services to homeless children and youths and their families; other
school districts on issues of transportation and records transfers; and state and local housing
agencies responsible for comprehensive housing affordability strategies. The district’s liaison will
also review and recommend to the district policies that may act as barriers to the enrollment of
homeless students.

Statutory References:
No Child Left Behind Act, 2002 RSA 193:12, IV (a) (b)

Adopted: December 8, 2003
Revised: January 14, 2020