2018 Homeless Edition
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ENVISION EQUITY HOMELESS EDUCATION SPECIAL EDITION<br />
DISASTER<br />
RESPONSE TOOL<br />
By Milenia Hernandez<br />
In Jefferson County Public School each school has a McKinney-Vento liaison that can support and connect with families<br />
with needed services. This will allow us to respond to hurricanes and other natural disasters effectively.<br />
School districts that have been impacted heavily by disasters agree that the McKinney-Vento Act was the cornerstone of their<br />
response. The following basic checklist can guide the immediate responses to support displaced students.<br />
Checklist<br />
1. It is crucial to identify homeless children and youth as immediately. Students displaced due to natural disaster are the<br />
McKinney-Vento eligible. a) Have enrollment staff use Residency forms / McKinney-Vento enrollment forms for all enrolling<br />
students. Remember that Residency forms are<br />
available in multiple languages. b) Disseminate<br />
McKinney-Vento Information to displaced families.<br />
c) McKinney-Vento posters that describe student<br />
eligibility and provide local liaison contact<br />
information must be visible to all school visitors.<br />
2. Contact the student Equity and Community<br />
Engagement immediately to ensure the eligible<br />
students are identified in IC and provided with the<br />
services they need including transportation.<br />
3. Enroll homeless students immediately even if<br />
they lack school records, proof of address, birth<br />
certificate, immunization records, and proof of<br />
guardianship.<br />
4. Ensure proper academic placement.<br />
5. Request transportation immediately when needed using the <strong>Homeless</strong> app or by calling the Equity and Community<br />
Engagement Department.<br />
6. Review and revise school policies to remove barriers to the enrollment and retention in school of children and youth<br />
experiencing homelessness.<br />
7. <strong>Homeless</strong> verification must be handled in such a way that it does not violate privacy or jeopardize housing arrangements.<br />
School district’s attempts to verify a student’s eligibility for McKinney-Vento services must be governed by respect, sensitivity,<br />
and reasonable limits. When in doubt, the district staff must always enroll the student immediately and should seek support from<br />
the Coordinator of <strong>Homeless</strong> Education<br />
Additional Resources<br />
What School District Administrators Should Know About the Educational Rights of Children and Youth Displaced by Disasters<br />
https://nche.ed.gov/downloads/briefs/csds_admin.pdf<br />
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