Administrative Procedure 5010.1 - Homeless Children and Youth - Staff Responsibilities

I. Purpose

To provide guidelines and procedures for PGCPS staff to follow to ensure that homeless children and youth have a barrier-free access to an appropriate public education and services

II. Policy

The Board of Education prioritizes educational equity by removing institutional barriers for students, regardless of socioeconomic status, to access educational opportunities and supports. Board Policy 0101

III. Background

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is designed to
ensure that all homeless children and youth have equal access to the same free and appropriate public education, including preschool education, provided to other children and youth. The Act, as well as State regulations regarding programs for homeless children, provides that homeless children and youth have the right to a free and appropriate public education; to receive services comparable to those offered to non-homeless children and youth, including transportation; to remain in the school of origin or transfer to a school in their current attendance area, and to be immediately enrolled in school despite the lack of a permanent address and to be free of other barriers to enrollment, retention and success in school.

Those barriers include transportation issues, enrollment delays caused by residency requirements, lack of available birth certificates, school records, immunization records, or other documentation, and the lack of guardianship records. The school system is also required to provide homeless children and youth enrolled in Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) with transportation services comparable to the services provided to non-homeless children. This includes transportation for homeless students who are participating in ELO (Extended Learning Opportunities) after school.

Federal and State law regarding homeless education is designed to address the problems that homeless children and youth have faced in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school. Homeless children and youth should have access to the educational and other services that they need to enable them to meet the same challenging State student academic achievement standards to which all students are held.

Please refer to Administrative Procedure 5010 for the process for ensuring homeless children and youth are provided with the school access and educational services to which they are entitled by law.

IV. Procedures

1. School System Staff Responsibilities
   
   The school system will take all reasonable steps to identify and track all school-aged homeless children and youth residing in Prince George’s County, including, but not limited to the following steps:
   
   1. Inquire of every parent/guardian who withdraws a student from or enrolls a student in a school whether the change of school is related to a loss of permanent housing. The person at the school who enrolls and withdraws students must inquire, in a place and manner which ensures privacy and confidentiality, whether the enrollment or withdrawal is related to a loss of permanent housing, and if so, whether the student has not been attending school for any period of time.
      
      The responses to these questions must be recorded on the appropriate enrollment or withdrawal form, and for every student identified as homeless, the school staff must follow the additional procedures outlined below. For every student identified as homeless, a copy of the signed Homeless Student Services Form must be sent, by the school to the Homeless Education Coordinator (HEC), who shall review each form and confirm such review by signing off on the form.
   2. Collaborate with all shelters located in Prince George’s County, including domestic violence programs, with the Department of Social Services (DSS) to identify homeless children and youth and to provide services consistent with this Administrative Procedure and the settlement agreement reached in the Homeless Children class action litigation. If the shelter requires a parental release form in order to cooperate with the school system, the school will request, and assist, the parent/guardian to complete and sign the Parental Permission to Request Information Form.
   3. A student’s records must be immediately transferred to the receiving school. A school is not required to obtain a parental release before providing student records to the school at which the student seeks to enroll.
2. Homeless Education Coordinator
   
   The Homeless Education Coordinator (HEC) shall have the primary responsibility for the mandated identification, tracking, and reporting of the school system’s category of homeless students to the Maryland State Department of Education. Each PGCPS school is primarily responsible for reducing barriers for homeless children who seek to enter the school, receive an appropriate public education and services, or withdraw from school.
   
   1. The HEC shall have the following responsibilities:
      
      1. Compliance: Ensure that the McKinney-Vento Act, MSDE regulations, Board policies concerning the education of homeless children and youth, and the terms of the settlement agreement reached in the Homeless Children class action litigation are followed by school staff.
      2. Record keeping:
         
         1. Maintain a list of each school’s contact person for homeless education issues.
         2. Maintain complete and confidential information concerning homeless children and youth in Prince George’s County, and report such information to MSDE in a timely manner.
         3. Maintain a complete and accurate record of the identity of all persons or entities to whom homeless flyers or brochures and posters are sent, when they were sent, and the number of flyers distributed to each entity; and a complete and accurate record of the identity of all persons or entities to whom copies of Appeals forms were sent.
         4. Establish and maintain a confidential central repository of files organized by student name. In each file shall be kept a copy of the online Homeless Student Services Form completed either by school personnel, with the parent or unaccompanied homeless youth regarding each episode of homelessness experienced by the student; and any other written communication to or from the HEC related to an individual student’s homelessness, or related to services requested by or provided to a homeless student.
      3. c. Training:
         
         1. Shelter Staff:
            
            Coordinate and plan twice yearly visits by trained and knowledgeable PGCPS staff to each homeless shelter in Prince George’s County which serves homeless children and youth, including domestic violence programs to offer training to all shelter staff on the school system’s obligations and the rights of students under the McKinney-Vento Act, MSDE regulations, Board policy, and the settlement agreement reached in the Homeless Children class action litigation; the role of shelter staff in collaborating with the school system to fulfill its obligations; and the proper use and disposition of all school system forms regarding the education of homeless children and youth.
            
            The HEC shall maintain a complete and accurate record of each visit, including, but not limited to, the date of the visit, the person(s) who participated from the shelter, and any follow-up resulting from the visit.
         2. Parents and Guardians:
            
            Coordinate and plan four-times yearly visits by trained and knowledgeable PGCPS staff to each homeless shelter in Prince George’s County which serves homeless children and youth, including domestic violence programs, to offer information and advice to all resident parents concerning the educational rights of homeless children and youth and the school system’s obligations under the McKinney-Vento Act, MSDE regulations, Board policy, and the settlement agreement reached in the Homeless Children class action litigation; the services available to homeless children and youth through the school system; how to access those services; and the importance of telling someone at school if a student loses permanent housing.
            
            The HEC shall maintain a complete and accurate record of each visit, including, but not limited to, the date of the visit, the shelter residents who participated, documentation concerning any newly identified homeless children and youth, and any follow-up resulting from the visit.
         3. DSS:
            
            Coordinate and plan twice yearly training sessions to DSS staff and to the staff of DSS-contracted agencies or entities identified to the school system by DSS, which serve homeless children and youth or their families. The school system will coordinate with DSS and its contracting agencies to ensure that all efforts are made to provide training to all staff that might have contact with homeless children and families.
            
            The training shall include, but not be limited to, the school system’s obligations and the rights of students under the McKinney-Vento Act, MSDE regulations, Board policy, and the settlement agreement reached in the Homeless Children class action litigation; how DSS and DSS-contracted agencies and the school system will collaborate to identify and provide services to homeless children and youth; and the proper use and disposition of all school system forms regarding the education of homeless children and youth.
            
            The HEC shall maintain a complete and accurate record of each training, including, but not limited to, the date of the training, the persons who participated from DSS or DSScontracted entities and their job titles, and any follow-up resulting from the training.
      4. Participate actively and regularly in the Prince George’s County Homeless Services Partnership, and maintain a complete and accurate record of all such participation including, but not limited to, the dates of all meetings attended and the substance of all discussion and activities carried out.
      5. Assist parent(s)/guardian(s) or unaccompanied youth, if requested, in obtaining fee waivers.
      6. Notify the Compliance Monitor, in writing, of any identified instances of non-compliance with the McKinney-Vento Act, MSDE regulations, this Administrative Procedure, or the Consent Decree in the Homeless Students class action litigation.
      7. Ensure that homeless students are referred for free and reduced meals once the online Homeless Student Services Form has been completed.
   2. The HEC, or his/her designee, shall review all forms, confirm such review by signing off on the forms, take any and all action as required by the McKinney-Vento Act, MSDE regulations, Board policy and the settlement agreement reached in the Homeless Children class action litigation; keep a written record of all such action taken and the dates on which such action was taken, and file all forms in a single central repository organized by student name. In the case of requests regarding school enrollment, all necessary action shall be taken on the date of receipt in order to accomplish immediate enrollment.
      
      The HEC’s (or designee) signature on the forms shall be certification that the forms are properly completed and the action taken complies with the McKinney-Vento Act, MSDE regulations, Board policy and the settlement agreement reached in the Homeless Children class action litigation.
3. PGCPS Staff Training
   
   1. Training and in-service activities shall be provided to all employees who have contact with students and/or parents regarding a student’s education, and to all personnel who have responsibility for programs involving education of homeless students. Principals shall ensure that school-based staff receives appropriate training and in-service. The CEO’s Designee shall ensure that non-school-based staff receive such training and in-service.
   2. There will be at least two specially trained staff persons at each school designated as the contact persons for homeless education issues at that school. Unless otherwise designated by the Principal of the school, those individuals should be the Registrar and the Professional School Counselor assigned to the student’s grade level. The identity of the contact persons shall be made known to all staff at the school, to every homeless student enrolled at the school, to the homeless students’ parents/guardians, and to the HEC.
      
      The contact person should function as a resource for all school staff and the HEC, as well as for homeless students, and their parents/guardians, on matters regarding the provision of educational services to homeless students. The Principal and the contact person, along with the HEC, shall be responsible for ensuring that the McKinney-Vento Act, the Maryland State Department of Education regulations, this Administrative Procedure, and all other school system procedures and policies regarding homeless children and youth are followed by all school staff.

V. Monitoring and Compliance

The Compliance Monitor is responsible for ensuring that the school system is in compliance with its legal obligations towards homeless students. The CEO shall designate the Compliance Monitor and that individual’s name and contact information shall be disseminated to school system personnel and the community. When the Compliance Monitor is advised of an allegation of non-compliance, the following steps shall be taken:

1. The allegation shall be fully investigated.
2. The Compliance Monitor shall direct the HEC to ensure that all necessary steps are taken promptly to address the immediate needs of the homeless student. The Compliance Monitor shall, within fourteen (14) days of receiving the report of non-compliance, provide the results of the investigation to the school or party alleged to have failed to comply with the Administrative Procedure. This document shall be identified as a “Letter of Findings.” The Letter of Findings shall include student specific and/or school-wide corrective actions, as appropriate. The Letter of Findings shall also include a timeline for the completion of the corrective actions, and shall be forwarded to the High School Consortium or Area Office and the HEC.
3. The party or school receiving responsibility for completing the corrective actions shall submit documentation that such actions have been completed within the timeframe established in the Letter of Findings. The response shall include a remedial plan to ensure that any violation cited does not recur in the future. A copy of the response and plan shall be provided the High School Consortium or Area Office and the HEC.
4. If the Compliance Monitor determined that an identified noncompliance problem involves more than one school or is systemic to the entire school system, the Compliance Monitor shall notify the HEC of this finding and the HEC shall develop and implement a corrective action plan.
5. The Compliance Monitor and the HEC shall, within thirty (30) days of the issuance of the Evaluation of the Homeless Education Program respond in writing to the Evaluation’s recommendations with a plan to address those recommendations.

VI. Related Policies and Procedures

• Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act: Title VII B of Public Law
  100-77.
• Maryland State Department of Education: COMAR 13A.05.09.
• AP 5010.1 - Homeless Children and Youth - Staff Responsibilities
• AP 5110.3 - Student Transfers
• AP 5111 - Registration and Withdrawal of Students
• Administrative Procedure 5118.2, Tuition Waivers for Nonresident
  Students
• AP 5161 - Immunizations

VII. Maintenance and Update of these Procedures

These procedures will be maintained and updated by the Division of Student Services and the Department of Pupil Accounting and School Boundaries, as appropriate.

VIII. Cancellations and Supersedures

This version cancels and supersedes the version dated September 28, 2018.

IX. Effective Date

Last Revised: February 1, 2021

Documents

• Administrative Procedure 5010.1 - Homeless Children and Youth - Staff Responsibilities.pdf
• Procedimiento Administrativo 5010.1 - Niños Y Jóvenes Sin Hogar - Responsabilidades Del Personal.pdf
• Attachments