• Homeless Students 

    According to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act: 

    Parents and school-aged youth have the right to enroll in school no matter where they live or how long they have lived there. School aged youth have the right to continue in the school they attended before becoming homeless or the school they last attended. In addition, school-aged youth have the right to enroll in school without giving a permanent address. Schools cannot require proof of residency that might prevent or delay school enrollment. 

    School-aged youth have the right to enroll and attend classes while the school arranges for the transfer of school and immunizations records or any other documents required for enrollment. 

     

    Foster Care Students

    Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 requires that social service agencies and local education agencies collaborate to ensure the educational stability of foster care students [Every Student Succeeds Act, § 1112(c)(5)]. In order to provide for the educational stability of foster care students, local education agencies and county/tribal child welfare agencies must collaborate to:

    • Create and enact a written transportation agreement for the transportation of foster students. The responsibility to initiate the agreement lies with districts and charter schools, as they must provide MDE with an assurance that such an agreement is in place.
    • Ensure transportation for a student in foster care placement outside of the school district they are attending at the time of placement, often referred to as the school of origin, when in the foster students best interests.
    • Ensure the immediate enrollment of the student in another appropriate educational setting if not in the best interest of the foster care student to remain in their school of origin.