HOMELESS EDUCATION

Program Purpose & Mission

The McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program is designed to address the problems that homeless children and youth have faced in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school. Under this program, State educational agencies (SEAs) must ensure that each homeless child and youth has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as other children and youth. Homeless children and youth should have access to the educational and other services that they need to enable them to meet the same challenging State student academic achievement standards to which all students are held.

The mission of the Homeless Education Program is to promote the education of homeless children and youth. A liaison has been designated to ensure that children in homeless situations are identified and informed of their educational rights, enrolled in school, and receive appropriate services to meet academic success.

Any child or youth who is homeless and attending any school in the district is automatically eligible for Title I services. Schools must immediately enroll homeless students even if the students are unable to produce the records normally required of non-homeless students for enrollment.

The Alaska Gateway School District is committed to promoting the academic success of all children and youth in the Upper Tanana region. The school district will ensure that all children including children and youth in transition/homeless situation receive a free appropriate opportunities to succeed in our schools.