Section 200-RICR-20-30-5.4 - Responsibilities of DistrictsA. Out-Reach Responsibilities. A school district must ensure, "the enrollment and attendance of [H]omeless [C]hildren and [Y]ouths who are not currently attending school," as per the McKinney Vento Act, 42 U.S.C. § 11432g(3)(C). Schools must revise their policies so that these policies do not act as a barrier to the enrollment and retention of Homeless Children.B. Comparable Services. School districts shall provide each Homeless Child and Youth with services comparable to the services offered to other students, as per 42 U.S.C. § 11432g(4), including transportation services and educational services for which the Homeless Child or Youth meets the eligibility criteria, such as pre-school, compensatory education, special education, LEP, vocational education, gifted and talented, school meal programs, and before- and after-school care programs.C. Prevention of Isolation and Stigmatization. A school district shall adopt policies and practices to ensure that Homeless Children and Youth are not isolated or stigmatized, as per 42 U.S.C. § 11432g(1)(J)(i). Homelessness alone shall not be sufficient reason to separate students from the mainstream school environment. Districts may not maintain segregated schools or facilities for Homeless Children and Youth. A school district may separate Homeless Students from other students only as necessary for short periods of time to deal with health or safety emergencies, or to provide temporary, special, and supplementary services to meet the unique needs of Homeless Students.D. Opportunity to Meet Challenging Performance Standards. Homeless Students shall have access to the education and other services that they need to ensure that they have an equal opportunity to meet the same challenging State student performance standards to which all students are held accountable, as per 42 U.S.C. § 11432g(4).E. District Liaisons for Homeless Children and Youth. Every school district will designate a staff person to serve as a liaison for Homeless Students, as per 42 U.S.C. § 11432g(6). The liaison will help ensure that Homeless Students enroll in, and have a full opportunity to succeed in the schools of the district. The responsibilities of the liaison include ensuring that:1. Children and youth in homeless situations are identified by school personnel and through coordination activities with other entities and agencies.2. Homeless Students enroll in, and have a full and equal opportunity to succeed in, schools of the district.3. Families, Homeless Children, and Youth receive educational services for which they are eligible, including Head Start, Even Start, and pre-school programs administered by the district, and referrals to health, mental health, dental, and other appropriate services.4. The district informs the parents or guardians of Homeless Students of the educational and related opportunities available to their children and provides them with meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children.5. The district disseminates public notice of the educational rights of Homeless Students in places in which these children receive services under the McKinney-Vento Act.6. The district properly mediates enrollment disputes, as per 42 U.S.C. § 11432g(3)(E).7. The district informs the parent or guardian of a Homeless Student, and any unaccompanied youth, of the transportation services that the district must make available, and assists the child or youth in accessing transportation to school.200 R.I. Code R. 200-RICR-20-30-5.4