Homeless/Foster Youth

Rights of Homeless Youth

The O'Farrell Charter School has appointed a liaison for homeless children responsible for ensuring the dissemination of public notice of the educational rights of students in homeless situations. 

Liaison contact information: Maya Sykes, Vice Principal, [email protected]

Children and youth experiencing homelessness are defined as lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This definition also includes: 

• Children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason 
• Children and youths who may be living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, shelters 
• Children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as regular sleeping accommodation for human beings 
• Children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings, or 
• Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are children who are living in similar circumstances listed above 

Homeless students have the following rights, as defined by law and policy:

• Homeless students have a right to immediate enrollment in school of origin or school where they are currently residing without proof of residency, immunization records or tuberculosis skin test results, school records, or legal guardianship papers.
• Homeless students have a right to education and other services including to participate fully in all school activities and programs for which child is eligible, to qualify automatically for school meal programs, to receive transportation services, and to contact liaison to resolve disputes that arise during enrollment.
• No homeless youth shall be required to attend a separate school for homeless children or youth.
• Homeless youth shall not be stigmatized by school personnel.