Sec. 702. Grants for State and local activities for the education of homeless children and youths

3,596 words·~16 min read·/bill/113/hr/5/ih/section-702

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Section 722 of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 11432 ) is amended— in subsection (a), by striking (g). and inserting (h). ; by striking subsection (b); in subsection (c)— in paragraph (1)(A)— in clause (i), by adding or at the end; in clause (ii), by striking ; or at the end and inserting a period; and by striking clause (iii); and by striking paragraph (3); in subsection (d)— in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking Grants and inserting Grant funds from a grant made to a State ; by amending paragraph

(2)to read as follows: To provide services and activities to improve the identification of homeless children (including preschool-aged homeless children and youths) that enable such children and youths to enroll in, attend, and succeed in school, or, if appropriate, in preschool programs. ; in paragraph (3), by inserting before the period at the end the following: that can sufficiently carry out the duties described in this subtitle ; and by amending paragraph

(5)to read as follows: To develop and implement professional development programs for liaisons designated under subsection (g)(1)(J)(ii) and other local educational agency personnel— to improve their identification of homeless children and youths; and to heighten their awareness of, and capacity to respond to, specific needs in the education of homeless children and youths. ; in subsection (e)— in paragraph (1)— by striking sums and inserting grant funds ; and by inserting a State under subsection

(a)to after each year to ; in paragraph (2), by striking funds made available for State use under this subtitle and inserting the grant funds remaining after the State educational agency distributes subgrants under paragraph

(1); and in paragraph (3)— in subparagraph (C)(iv)(II), by striking sections 1111 and 1116 and inserting section 1111 ; and in subparagraph (F)— in clause (i)— in the matter preceding subclause (I), by striking a report and inserting an annual report ; by striking and at the end of subclause (II); by striking the period at the end of subclause

(III)and inserting ; and ; and by adding at the end the following: the progress the separate schools are making in helping all students meet the State academic standards. ; and in clause (iii), by striking Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2001, the and inserting The ; by amending subsection

(f)to read as follows: The Coordinator for Education of Homeless Children and Youths established in each State shall— gather and make publically available reliable, valid, and comprehensive information on— the number of homeless children and youths identified in the State, posted annually on the State educational agency’s website; the nature and extent of the problems homeless children and youths have in gaining access to public preschool programs and to public elementary schools and secondary schools; the difficulties in identifying the special needs and barriers to the participation and achievement of such children and youths; any progress made by the State educational agency and local educational agencies in the State in addressing such problems and difficulties; and the success of the programs under this subtitle in identifying homeless children and youths and allowing such children and youths to enroll in, attend, and succeed in, school; develop and carry out the State plan described in subsection (g); collect data for and transmit to the Secretary, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require, a report containing information necessary to assess the educational needs of homeless children and youths within the State, including data necessary for the Secretary to fulfill the responsibilities under section 724(h); in order to improve the provision of comprehensive education and related support services to homeless children and youths and their families, coordinate and collaborate with— educators, including teachers, special education personnel, administrators, and child development and preschool program personnel; providers of services to homeless children and youths and their families, including services of public and private child welfare and social services agencies, law enforcement agencies, juvenile and family courts, agencies providing mental health services, domestic violence agencies, child care providers, runaway and homeless youth centers, and providers of services and programs funded under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5701 et seq. ); providers of emergency, transitional, and permanent housing to homeless children and youths, and their families, including public housing agencies, shelter operators, operators of transitional housing facilities, and providers of transitional living programs for homeless youths; local educational agency liaisons designated under subsection (g)(1)(J)(ii) for homeless children and youths; and community organizations and groups representing homeless children and youths and their families; provide technical assistance to local educational agencies, in coordination with local educational agency liaisons designated under subsection (g)(1)(J)(ii), to ensure that local educational agencies comply with the requirements of subsection (e)(3), paragraphs

(3)through

(7)of subsection (g), and subsection (h); provide professional development opportunities for local educational agency personnel and the homeless liaison designated under subsection (g)(1)(J)(ii) to assist such personnel in meeting the needs of homeless children and youths; and respond to inquiries from parents and guardians of homeless children and youths and unaccompanied youths to ensure that each child or youth who is the subject of such an inquiry receives the full protections and services provided by this subtitle. ; by amending subsection

(g)to read as follows: In order to be eligible to receive a grant under this section, each State educational agency shall submit to the Secretary a plan to provide for the education of homeless children and youths within the State that includes the following: A description of how such children and youths are (or will be) given the opportunity to meet the same State academic standards that all students are expected to meet. A description of the procedures the State educational agency will use to identify such children and youths in the State and to assess their needs. A description of procedures for the prompt resolution of disputes regarding the educational placement of homeless children and youths. A description of programs for school personnel (including liaisons, school leaders, attendance officers, teachers, enrollment personnel, and specialized instructional support personnel) to heighten the awareness of such personnel of the specific needs of homeless adolescents, including runaway and homeless youths. A description of procedures that ensure that homeless children and youths who meet the relevant eligibility criteria are able to participate in Federal, State, or local nutrition programs. A description of procedures that ensure that— homeless children have equal access to public preschool programs, administered by the State educational agency or local educational agency, as provided to other children in the State; homeless youths and youths separated from public schools are identified and accorded equal access to appropriate secondary education and support services; and homeless children and youth who meet the relevant eligibility criteria are able to participate in Federal, State, or local education programs. Strategies to address problems identified in the report provided to the Secretary under subsection (f)(3). Strategies to address other problems with respect to the education of homeless children and youths, including problems resulting from enrollment delays that are caused by— immunization and other health records requirements; residency requirements; lack of birth certificates, school records, or other documentation; guardianship issues; or uniform or dress code requirements. A demonstration that the State educational agency and local educational agencies in the State have developed, and shall review and revise, policies to remove barriers to the identification, enrollment, and retention of homeless children and youths in schools in the State. Assurances that the following will be carried out: The State educational agency and local educational agencies in the State will adopt policies and practices to ensure that homeless children and youths are not stigmatized or segregated on the basis of their status as homeless. Local educational agencies will designate an appropriate staff person, who may also be a coordinator for other Federal programs, as a local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youths, to carry out the duties described in paragraph (6)(A). The State and its local educational agencies will adopt policies and practices to ensure that transportation is provided, at the request of the parent or guardian (or in the case of an unaccompanied youth, the liaison), to and from the school of origin, as determined in paragraph (3)(A), in accordance with the following, as applicable: If the child or youth continues to live in the area served by the local educational agency in which the school of origin is located, the child's or youth's transportation to and from the school of origin shall be provided or arranged by the local educational agency in which the school of origin is located. If the child’s or youth’s living arrangements in the area served by the local educational agency of origin terminate and the child or youth, though continuing his or her education in the school of origin, begins living in an area served by another local educational agency, the local educational agency of origin and the local educational agency in which the child or youth is living shall agree upon a method to apportion the responsibility and costs for providing the child with transportation to and from the school of origin. If the local educational agencies are unable to agree upon such method, the responsibility and costs for transportation shall be shared equally. Each plan adopted under this subsection shall also describe how the State will ensure that local educational agencies in the State will comply with the requirements of paragraphs

(3)through (7). Such plan shall indicate what technical assistance the State will furnish to local educational agencies and how compliance efforts will be coordinated with the local educational agency liaisons designated under paragraph (1)(J)(ii). The local educational agency serving each child or youth to be assisted under this subtitle shall, according to the child's or youth's best interest— continue the child's or youth's education in the school of origin for the duration of homelessness— in any case in which a family becomes homeless between academic years or during an academic year; or for the remainder of the academic year, if the child or youth becomes permanently housed during an academic year; or enroll the child or youth in any public school that nonhomeless students who live in the attendance area in which the child or youth is actually living are eligible to attend. In determining the best interest of the child or youth under subparagraph (A), the local educational agency shall— presume that keeping the child or youth in the school of origin is in the child or youth’s best interest, except when doing so is contrary to the wishes of the child's or youth's parent or guardian, or the unaccompanied youth; consider student-centered factors related to the child’s or youth’s best interest, including factors related to the impact of mobility on achievement, education, health, and safety of homeless children and youth, giving priority to the wishes of the homeless child’s or youth’s parent of guardian or the unaccompanied youth involved; if, after conducting the best interest determination based on consideration of the presumption in clause

(i)and the student-centered factors in clause (ii), the local educational agency determines that it is not in the child's or youth's best interest to attend the school of origin or the school requested by the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth, provide the child's or youth's parent or guardian or the unaccompanied youth with a written explanation of the reasons for its determination, in a manner and form understandable to such parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth, including information regarding the right to appeal under subparagraph (E); and in the case of an unaccompanied youth, ensure that the homeless liaison designated under paragraph (1)(J)(ii) assists in placement or enrollment decisions under this subparagraph, gives priority to the views of such unaccompanied youth, and provides notice to such youth of the right to appeal under subparagraph (E). The school selected in accordance with this paragraph shall immediately enroll the homeless child or youth, even if the child or youth— is unable to produce records normally required for enrollment, such as previous academic records, records of immunization and other required health records, proof of residency, or other documentation; or has missed application or enrollment deadlines during any period of homelessness. The enrolling school shall immediately contact the school last attended by the child or youth to obtain relevant academic and other records. If the child or youth needs to obtain immunizations or other required health records, the enrolling school shall immediately refer the parent or guardian of the child or youth, or the unaccompanied child or youth, to the local educational agency liaison designated under paragraph (1)(J)(ii), who shall assist in obtaining necessary immunizations or screenings, or immunization or other required health records, in accordance with subparagraph (D). Any record ordinarily kept by the school, including immunization or other required health records, academic records, birth certificates, guardianship records, and evaluations for special services or programs, regarding each homeless child or youth shall be maintained— so that the records involved are available, in a timely fashion, when a child or youth enters a new school or school district; and in a manner consistent with section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g). If a dispute arises over school selection or enrollment in a school— the child or youth shall be immediately enrolled in the school in which enrollment is sought, pending final resolution of the dispute, including all available appeals; the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth shall be provided with a written explanation of any decisions made by the school, the local educational agency, or the State educational agency involved, including the rights of the parent, guardian, or youth to appeal such decisions; the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth shall be referred to the local educational agency liaison designated under paragraph (1)(J)(ii), who shall carry out the dispute resolution process as described in paragraph (1)(C) as expeditiously as possible after receiving notice of the dispute; and in the case of an unaccompanied youth, the liaison shall ensure that the youth is immediately enrolled in school in which the youth seeks enrollment pending resolution of such dispute. The choice regarding placement shall be made regardless of whether the child or youth lives with the homeless parents or has been temporarily placed elsewhere. In this paragraph, the term school of origin means the school that a child or youth attended when permanently housed or the school in which the child or youth was last enrolled. When the child or youth completes the final grade level served by the school of origin, as described in clause (i), the term “school of origin” shall include the designated receiving school at the next grade level for all feeder schools. Nothing in this subtitle shall prohibit a local educational agency from requiring a parent or guardian of a homeless child to submit contact information. Information about a homeless child's or youth's living situation shall be treated as a student education record under section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act ( 20 U.S.C. 1232g ) and shall not be released to housing providers, employers, law enforcement personnel, or other persons or agencies not authorized to have such information under section 99.31 of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations. The school selected in accordance with this paragraph shall ensure that homeless children and youth have opportunities to meet the same State academic standards to which other students are held. Each homeless child or youth to be assisted under this subtitle shall be provided services comparable to services offered to other students in the school selected under paragraph (3), including the following: Transportation services. Educational services for which the child or youth meets the eligibility criteria, such as services provided under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq. ) or similar State or local programs, educational programs for children with disabilities, and educational programs for English learners. Programs in career and technical education. Programs for gifted and talented students. School nutrition programs. Each local educational agency serving homeless children and youths that receives assistance under this subtitle shall coordinate— the provision of services under this subtitle with local social services agencies and other agencies or entities providing services to homeless children and youths and their families, including services and programs funded under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5701 et seq. ); and transportation, transfer of school records, and other interdistrict activities, with other local educational agencies. If applicable, each State educational agency and local educational agency that receives assistance under this subtitle shall coordinate with State and local housing agencies responsible for developing the comprehensive housing affordability strategy described in section 105 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act ( 42 U.S.C. 12705 ) to minimize educational disruption for children and youths who become homeless. The coordination required under subparagraphs

(A)and

(B)shall be designed to— ensure that all homeless children and youths are promptly identified; ensure that homeless children and youths have access to, and are in reasonable proximity to, available education and related support services; and raise the awareness of school personnel and service providers of the effects of short-term stays in a shelter and other challenges associated with homelessness. For children and youth who are to be assisted both under this subtitle, and under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ( 20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq. ) or section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ( 29 U.S.C. 794 ), each local educational agency shall coordinate the provision of services under this subtitle with the provision of programs for children with disabilities served by that local educational agency and other involved local educational agencies. Each local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youths, designated under paragraph (1)(J)(ii), shall ensure that— homeless children and youths are identified by school personnel through outreach and coordination activities with other entities and agencies; homeless children and youths are enrolled in, and have a full and equal opportunity to succeed in, schools of that local educational agency; homeless families, children, and youths have access to and receive educational services for which such families, children, and youths are eligible, including services through Head Start, Early Head Start, early intervention, and preschool programs administered by the local educational agency; homeless families, children, and youths receive referrals to health care services, dental services, mental health and substances abuse services, housing services, and other appropriate services; the parents or guardians of homeless children and youths are informed of the educational and related opportunities available to their children and are provided with meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children; public notice of the educational rights of homeless children and youths is disseminated in locations frequented by parents or guardians of such children and youths, and unaccompanied youths, including schools, shelters, public libraries, and soup kitchens in a manner and form understandable to the parents and guardians of homeless children and youths, and unaccompanied youths; enrollment disputes are mediated in accordance with paragraph (3)(E); the parent or guardian of a homeless child or youth, and any unaccompanied youth, is fully informed of all transportation services, including transportation to the school of origin, as described in paragraph (1)(J)(iii), and is assisted in accessing transportation to the school that is selected under paragraph (3)(A); school personnel providing services under this subtitle receive professional development and other support; and unaccompanied youths— are enrolled in school; have opportunities to meet the same State academic standards to which other students are held, including through implementation of the policies and practices required by paragraph (1)(F)(ii); and are informed of their status as independent students under section 480 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1087vv ) and receive verification of such status for purposes of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid described in section 483 of such Act ( 20 U.S.C. 1090 ). State coordinators established under subsection (d)(3) and local educational agencies shall inform school personnel, service providers, advocates working with homeless families, parents and guardians of homeless children and youths, and homeless children and youths of the duties of the local educational agency liaisons, including publishing an annually updated list of the liaisons on the State educational agency’s website. Local educational agency liaisons for homeless children and youths shall, as a part of their duties, coordinate and collaborate with State coordinators and community and school personnel responsible for the provision of education and related services to homeless children and youths. Such coordination shall include collecting and providing to the State Coordinator the reliable, valid, and comprehensive data needed to meet the requirements of paragraphs

(1)and

(3)of subsection (f). Each State educational agency and local educational agency that receives assistance under this subtitle shall review and revise any policies that may act as barriers to the enrollment of homeless children and youths in schools that are selected under paragraph (3). In reviewing and revising such policies, consideration shall be given to issues concerning transportation, immunization, residency, birth certificates, school records and other documentation, and guardianship. Special attention shall be given to ensuring the enrollment and attendance of homeless children and youths who are not currently attending school. ; in subsection (h)(1)(A), by striking fiscal year 2009, and inserting fiscal years 2014 through 2019, ; and in subsection (h)(4), by striking fiscal year 2009 and inserting fiscal years 2014 through 2019 .

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