Homeless Student Information

What Homeless Children need most of all is a home. While they are experiencing homelessness, however, children desperately need to remain in school. School is one of the few stable, secure places in the lives of homeless children and youth, a place where they can acquire the skills need to help them escape poverty.

National Coalition for the Homeless 

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NBISD Homeless Student Policy

The Superintendent shall designate an appropriate staff person as the District liaison for students who are homeless. [See FFC]

The liaison shall receive and provide to appropriate staff members professional development regarding services required by law to identify and meet the needs of students who are homeless. In addition, the liaison shall regularly review with campus admissions personnel the laws and administrative procedures applicable to
students who are homeless.

The District shall not stigmatize or segregate a student who is homeless. The  principal and campus admissions staff shall notify the liaison for homeless students within one school day of admission of a student who is homeless.

In determining the best interest of the student for the purpose of continuing the student’s education in the school of origin, as defined by law, the District shall presume that keeping the student in his or her school of origin is in the student’s best interest, except when doing so is contrary to the request of the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth. The District shall also consider the best interests of the student with regard to the impact of moving schools on the student’s achievement, education, health, and safety, including such relevant factors as:

1. Continuity of instruction;
2. Age and grade placement of the student;
3. Distance of the commute and its impact on the student’s education or special needs;
4. Personal safety of the student;
5. The student’s eligibility and need for any specialized services and supports, such as Section 504, special education and related services, or bilingual or English as a second language services;
6. Length of anticipated stay in a temporary shelter or other temporary location, if applicable;
7. Likely area of the family’s or youth’s future housing;
8. Time remaining in the school year; and
9. School placement of siblings.

Services, including transportation, that the District is required to provide shall not be considered in determining the student’s school of attendance.

The District shall provide transportation to a student who is homeless to and from the school of origin, as provided by law. If such a student ceases to be homeless and if requested by the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth, the District shall continue to provide transportation to and from the school of origin through the end of the school year. [See CNA]

If the District determines that it is not in the student’s best interest to attend the school of origin or the requested school, the District shall provide a written explanation, in a manner and form that is understandable to the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth, of the reasons for the decision, including the right to appeal.

If the student, parent, or guardian has a complaint about eligibility, school selection, or enrollment decisions made by the District, that person shall use the complaint resolution procedures set out in FNG(LOCAL), beginning at Level Two. The District shall expedite local timelines in the District’s complaint process, when possible, for prompt dispute resolution.

Pending final resolution of the dispute, the District shall immediately enroll the homeless student in the school in which enrollment is sought and permit the student to attend classes, receive the requested services, and participate fully in school activities. When the principal becomes aware of a complaint, he or she shall notify the liaison for homeless students within one school day. At all times during the dispute resolution process, the liaison for homeless students or designee shall accompany and assist the student, parent, or guardian.