Children who meet the Federal definition of “homeless” will be provided a free appropriate public education in the same manner as all other students in the district.  To that end, homeless students will not be stigmatized or segregated on the basis of their status as homeless and will be assigned to the school serving those non-homeless students residing in the area in which the homeless child is actually living.  Monroe Local Schools has established safeguards that protect homeless students from discrimination on the basis of their homelessness.

Homeless children and youth are defined as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, and include those who meet any of the following criteria:

• Share housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason

• Live in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or due to a lack of alternate adequate accommodations

• Live in emergency or transitional shelters

• Are abandoned in hospitals

• Are awaiting foster care placement

• Have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings
  

• Live in a car, park, public space, abandoned building, substandard housing, bus or train station, or similar setting

Additionally, pursuant to Federal and State law, migratory children who are living in circumstances described above are also considered homeless.  Homeless preschool aged children and their families shall be provided equal access to the educational services for which they are eligible, including preschool programs administered by the district.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting the Liaison for Homeless Children and Youth, Nancy Stratton at nstratton@monroelocalschools.com.