3145
EDUCATION FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN
AND UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH
Educators play a vital role in providing an environment that supports all children's physical, emotional, and social development. In recognition of the fact that homelessness can greatly impede students' academic, social, and emotional growth, procedures have been developed in the Bellingham School District to address these issues and to alleviate the potentially harmful impact of homelessness on students' enrollment, attendance, and school success.
It shall be the policy of the Board of Directors of the Bellingham School District to provide each child of a homeless individual and each homeless youth an opportunity for equal access to the same free, appropriate public education as provided to their permanently housed peers. Homeless children will not be separated from the mainstream school environment solely because of their homeless condition. These children and youth, through access to education and other services in the classroom, will have the opportunity to meet the same challenging state student performance standards. Homeless students will also have the same opportunity to access all programs including preschool, vocational, early intervention, special education, extended day, transportation, and state and local food programs.
The Board directs the superintendent to develop procedures to support this policy and provide support to homeless students and unaccompanied youth.
Legal References: McKinney-Vento Act of 2001
RCW 28A.225.215 Enrollment of children without
legal residences
Adopted: June 26, 2003