Homeless Resources

Under federal law, a student may not be excluded from participation in or denied the benefits of any school program or activity based on his/her national origin, language proficiency, homeless, immigrant, or migrant status. Pike Road Schools is committed to ensuring that all students receive a free and appropriate education.

The following procedures assure that all homeless students receive the same benefits as other students in the schools of this system: 

All eligible students of the appropriate age will be enrolled in Pike Road Schools. A student identification number will be assigned to students who do not have a valid social security number.

A Residency Questionnaire is included in the enrollment packet for each school. These forms are completed by the parent/guardian and returned. The registrar or the designee will examine forms looking for students who might be living in a homeless situation. The registrar or designee sends to the Homeless Liaison the questionnaires of students who could possibly be identified as “homeless.” The Homeless Liaison contacts parents of children who may be experiencing homelessness to determine the designation of “homeless” for the students enrolled in Pike Road Schools.

A current list of homeless students is maintained in the district student information system. A list of students designated as homeless is sent to the counselors as documentation of their eligibility for additional services. Pike Road Schools' Homeless Liaison reports annually to the State Department of Education homeless information, including, but not limited to, the number of homeless students, their grade level, and the type of assistance provided.

Pike Road Schools will provide programs for all homeless students who need assistance, which, in the view of professional educators, has a reasonable chance of allowing students to progress in school.

School staff will assess the core subject skill acquisition of any homeless student and determine the type of assistance needed to give the student access to the school’s core instructional program.

Homeless students will participate in the statewide testing program under the state guidelines, as applied to all students.

The school system will notify homeless parents of school activities, which are called to the attention of other parents. The system shall ensure that homeless students are not assigned to or excluded from special education programs.

Evaluation, placement, and notification to the parents of students with special needs will be conducted following the mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act 2004 (IDEA/Special Education), Gifted, English as a Second Language (ESL)and/or English Learners (EL), and Section 504.