To the extent practical and as required by law, the Brockton Public Schools 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 Brockton Public Schools 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, extracurricular activities, summer programs, and school nutrition programs.
Homeless students are defined as lacking a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, including:
The Superintendent shall designate an appropriate staff person to be the Brockton Public Schools’ liaison for homeless students and their families.
To the extent feasible, homeless students will continue to be enrolled in their school of origin which includes designated receiving schools for all feeder schools 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 the attendance area in which the student is actually living, or other schools. Attendance rights by living in attendance areas, other student assignment policies, or intra and inter-district choice options are available to homeless families on the same terms as families’ resident in the Brockton Public 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. The Brockton Public Schools’ liaison will carry out dispute resolution as provided by state rule. Unaccompanied youth will also be enrolled pending resolution of the dispute.
Once the enrollment decision is made, the Brockton Public Schools shall immediately enroll the student, pursuant to Brockton Public Schools policies. If the student does not have immediate access to 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 Brockton Public Schools liaison is directed to assist. Records from the student's previous school shall be requested from the previous school pursuant to Brockton Public Schools policies. Emergency contact information is required at the time of enrollment consistent with Brockton Public Schools policies, including compliance with the state's address confidentiality program when necessary.
Homeless students are entitled to transportation to their school of origin or the Brockton Public Schools 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 or her school of origin in Brockton Public Schools, the districts will coordinate the transportation services necessary for the student, or will divide the costs equally through the end of the year in which the student becomes housed.
Homeless student living arrangements are protected student education record and not deemed to be directory information or released without parent consent. The Brockton Public School's liaison for homeless students and their families shall coordinate with local social service 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. This coordination includes providing public notice of the educational rights of homeless students in schools, family shelters and soup kitchens. The Brockton Public School’s liaison will also review and recommend amendments to district policies that may act as barriers to the enrollment of homeless students.
APPROVED: June 4, 2019
LEGAL REFS.: The McKinney-Vento Act and Title I, Part A, as Amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015
Title I, Part C
No Child Left Behind Act, 2002