Rights of Homeless Students
Florence Unified School District shall provide an educational environment that treats all students with dignity and respect. Every homeless student shall have access to the same free and appropriate educational opportunities as students who are not homeless. This commitment to the educational rights of homeless children, youth, and unaccompanied youth, applies to all services, programs, and activities provided or made available.

A student may be considered eligible for services as a "Homeless Child or Youth" under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act if he or she, due to hardship,  is presently living:

• in a shelter,
• in a hotel/motel, campground, or similar situation due to lack of alternatives
• at a bus station, park, car, or abandoned building
• where his or her nighttime residence is not fixed, regular, or adequate.

According to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act, eligible students have rights to:

• Immediate enrollment: Documentation and immunization records cannot serve as a barrier to enrollment in school.
• Remain enrolled in his/her selected school for the duration of homelessness, and until the end of the academic year upon which they are permanently housed.
• Participate in programs for which they are eligible, including Title 1, National School Lunch Program, Head Start, etc...
• Transportation Services: A McKinney-Vento eligible student attending his/her School of Origin has a right to transportation to and from the School of Origin.
• Dispute Resolution: If you disagree with school officials about enrollment, transportation, or fair treatment of a homeless child or youth, you may file a complaint with the school district. The school district must respond and attempt to resolve it quickly. During the dispute, the student must be immediately enrolled in the school and provided transportation until the matter is resolved.

For more information, contact Jody Shagena at the Florence Unified School District or Rita Rodriguez, State Homeless Education Program Coordinator, at 602-542-4963, homeless@azed.gov, or at their website.