What does it mean to be Homeless?
Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (per Title IX, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act) defines homeless as follows:
The term “homeless children and youths”–
(A) means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (within the meaning of section 103(a)(1)); and
(B) includes–
(i) children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; or are abandoned in hospitals;*
(ii) children and youths who 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 (within the meaning of section 103(a)(2)(C));
(iii) children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and
(iv) migratory children (as such term is defined in section 1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described in clauses (i) through (iii).
Under the McKinney-Vento Act homeless students have certain rights including the following:
- * Attend their school of origin or school of current residence
- * Remain in their chosen school for the duration of homelessness or the remainder of the academic year if they become permanently housed during an academic year
- * Immediate enrollment
- * Transportation to the school of choice
- * Immediate access to educational services for which the student is eligible (e.g. Title I, special education, before- and after-school programs, vocational and technical education or gifted and talented programs).
- * Free meals provided by the district through federal, state or local food programs.
- * Appeal educational placement decisions made by the district and remain the school of choice pending resolution.
District team members can support and help students in homeless situations in many ways. Please see contact information below:
SWASD County Caseworker (K-12th)
Sharon Tallent
570-326-2684 ext. 3011
High School Counselor (9th-12th)
Reanna Peritz
570-326-2684 ext. 4446
Middle School Counselor (6th-8th)
Alyson Reed
570-326-2684 ext. 4447
Elementary School Counselor (K-5th)
Johnna Harper
570-323-3694 ext. 4496
Our staff may assist families with the following:
- * Make sure students are enrolled in school immediately, even if they do not have the papers they would normally need.
- * Help families and youth get immunizations, immunization records or other medical records, if a student needs them.
- * Tell parents and youth about all transportation services and help set up transportation.
- * Make sure students get all the school services they need.
- * Tell parents and guardians about all the programs and services the school has for their children.
Rights of Students Experiencing Homelessness
https://www.liu18.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ecyeh_students_experiencing_homelessness.pdf
Unaccompanied Youth Definition and Rights
https://nche.ed.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/youth.pdf
Board Policy #251
https://go.boarddocs.com/pa/swil/Board.nsf/Public?open&id=policies#
Homeless Basic Education Circular
Regional Map
FAQ Homeless Youth
General Guide to PA Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness
General Guide to PA Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness
Homeless Directory
Homeless Dispute Resolution Process
South Williamsport Area School District Homeless Liaison
Dr. Eric Briggs
515 West Central Avenue
South WIlliasmport, PA 177702
570-327-1581
Regional Homeless Liaison
Jeff Zimmerman
ECYEH/Foster Region 7 Coordinator
368 Tioga Avenue
Kingston, PA 18704
570-718-4613
jzimmerman@liu18.org