Homeless Services

The federal definition of homelessness used by all public schools in the United States includes children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This definition specifically includes children and youth living in shelters, transitional housing, cars, campgrounds, motels, and sharing the housing of others temporarily due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reasons. This is the same definition of homelessness used by Head Start, special education, child nutrition, and other federal family and youth programs.

Students who meet the definition of "Homeless" and are identified or identify themselves as such have the right to the following:

• Receive a free, appropriate public education;
• Enroll in school immediately, even if they lack documents normally required for enrollment (i.e. birth certificates, transcripts, vaccinations, etc.);
• Enroll in school and attend classes while the school works with the family/student to gather the needed documents;  
• Enroll in the local school; or continue attending the school they last attended, if that is their preference and is possible.  If the district believes that the school chosen is not in the student's best interest, a written explanation will be provided and the student has the right to appeal this decision;
• Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if requested; and,
• Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to the student's needs.

At Ada City Schools, students are primarily identified during enrollment or through the School Counselor. Families or students who believe that they are homeless, can identify themselves as such to the School Counselor or call the District Homeless Liaison.

Ada City Schools is required to identify a person to act as a Homeless Liaison.  This person's duties involve training school staff in identification procedures, serving as an advocate for homeless students, arranging for services and arbitrating disputes that may arise.  Ada City School's Homeless Liaison:  Shonna Self, 580-310-7345.

If a dispute arises over school enrollment, the established district dispute process shall be followed (Policy DAA, DAA-P, DAA-E).