CWCS Board Approved November 29, 2022

The Connecting Waters Charter Schools (“CWCS” or the “Charter School”) Governing Board
desires to ensure that homeless children and youth are provided with equal access to its
educational program, have an opportunity to meet the same challenging State academic
standards, are provided a free and appropriate public education, are not stigmatized or
segregated on the basis of their status as homeless, and to establish safeguards that protect
homeless students from discrimination on the basis of their homelessness.

Definition of Homeless Children and Youth:
The term “homeless children and youth” means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and
adequate nighttime residence and includes children and youth who (42 U.S.C. § 11434a):

 

1. 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;

 

2. Have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or

ordinarily used as regular sleeping accommodations for human beings;

 

3. Are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus

or train stations, or similar settings; and/or

 

4. Migratory children and unaccompanied youth (youth not in the physical custody of a

parent or guardian) may be considered homeless if they meet the above definition of

“homeless.”

 

Homeless status is determined in cooperation with the parent or guardian. In the case of
unaccompanied youth, status is determined by the Charter School Liaison.

Charter School Liaison
The Executive Director designates the following staff person as the Charter School Liaison for
homeless students: (42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)):

Sonia Moncada, School Registrar
2300 E. Briggsmore Avenue
Modesto, CA 95350
Phone: (209) 874-1119 Ext. 4

The Charter School Liaison shall ensure that the following requirements are fulfilled by the
Charter School (42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(6)):

1. Homeless students are identified by Charter School personnel and through outreach and
coordinated activities with other entities and agencies and through the annual housing
questionnaire administered by the Charter School.

2. Homeless students enroll in, and have a full and equal opportunity to succeed at CWCS.

3. Homeless families and students receive educational services for which they are eligible
including: referrals to health care services, dental services, mental health services,
substance abuse services, housing services, and other appropriate services.

4. Parents/guardians are informed of the educational and related opportunities available to
their children and are provided with meaningful opportunities to participate in the
education of their children.

5. Public notice of the educational rights of homeless children is disseminated at places
frequented by parents or guardians of such youths and unaccompanied youths,
including schools, shelters, public libraries, and soup kitchens, and in a manner and
form understandable to the parents and guardians of homeless youth and
unaccompanied youth.

6. Enrollment/admissions disputes are mediated in accordance with law, CWCS charter,
and Board policy.

7. Parents/guardians and any unaccompanied youth are fully informed of all transportation
services, as applicable.

8. Charter School personnel providing services receive professional development and
other support.

9. The Charter School Liaison collaborates with State coordinators and community and
school personnel responsible for the provision of education and related services to
homeless children and youths.

10. Unaccompanied youth are enrolled in school; have opportunities to meet the same
challenging State academic standards as the State establishes for other children and
youth; and are informed of their status as independent students and that the youths may
obtain assistance from the Charter School Liaison to receive verification of such status
for the purposes of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

The California Department of Education (“CDE”) publishes a list of the contact information for the Homeless Education Liaisons in the state, which is available at:
https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/hs/

School Selection
Homeless students have a right to select from the following schools: (42 USC 11432)

• The school they attended when permanently housed (School of Origin)
• The school in which they were last enrolled (School of Origin)
• The school in the attendance area in which the student currently resides (School of Residency)

A homeless child or youth’s right to attend their school of origin extends for the duration of
homelessness. If a child or youth becomes homeless between academic years or during an
academic year, he or she is entitled to attend their school of origin. If a child or youth becomes
permanently housed during the academic year, the student is entitled to stay in the school of
origin for the remainder of the academic year. (42 USC 11432(g)(3)(A)(i)(II))

Enrollment
CWCS shall immediately admit/enroll the student for which the Charter School is a School of
Origin. “School of Origin” means the school that the child or youth attended when permanently
housed or the school in which the child or youth was last enrolled.

CWCS shall also immediately enroll a homeless youth who seeks to enroll in the Charter
School, if the youth would otherwise be eligible to attend and subject to the Charter School’s
capacity and pursuant to the procedures stated in the CWCS charter and Board policy. A
homeless youth who is enrolled will have the right to attend classes and participate fully in
school activities, including extracurricular activities.

The youth shall be immediately enrolled even if the student lacks records normally required for
enrollment (such as previous academic records, records of immunizations, other required health
records, proof of residency) or has missed application or enrollment deadlines during any period
of homelessness. Records will immediately be requested from the previous school. (42 U.S.C. §
11432(g)(3)(C); Education Code Section 48850(a)(3)(A).)

If the student needs to obtain immunizations or does not possess immunization or other medical
records, the Executive Director or designee shall refer the parent/guardian to the Charter School
Liaison. The Charter School Liaison shall assist the parent/guardian in obtaining the necessary
immunizations or records for the student. (42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(3)(C).)

A homeless youth may remain in the student’s school of origin for the entire period for which the
youth is homeless. If a youth obtains permanent housing during an academic year, the youth will be permitted to remain in the school of origin through the end of the academic year.

Enrollment Disputes
If a dispute arises over admissions/enrollment, the student shall be immediately admitted
(subject to Charter School’s capacity and pursuant to the procedures stated in the Charter
School charter and Board policy), pending final resolution of the dispute, including all available
appeals.

The parent/guardian shall be provided with a written explanation of the admission/enrollment
decision, including an explanation of the parent/guardian's right to appeal the decision. The
parent/guardian or shall also be referred to the Charter School Liaison.

The Charter School Liaison shall carry out the Board-adopted dispute resolution and complaint
process as expeditiously as possible after receiving notice of the dispute. (42 U.S.C. §
11432(g)(3)(E).)

Housing Questionnaire
CWCS shall administer a housing questionnaire for purposes of identifying homeless children
and youth. CWCS shall ensure that the housing questionnaire is based on the best practices
developed by the CDE. CWCS shall annually provide the housing questionnaire to all
parents/guardians of students and to all unaccompanied youths at CWCS. The housing
questionnaire shall include an explanation of the rights and protections a student has as a
homeless child or youth or as an unaccompanied youth. The housing questionnaire shall be
available in paper form. The housing questionnaire shall be available in the primary language
other than English spoken by fifteen (15) percent or more of the students enrolled at CWCS and
shall be translated into other languages upon request of a student’s parent/guardian or an
unaccompanied youth. CWCS shall collect the completed housing questionnaires and annually
report to the CDE the number of homeless children and youths and unaccompanied youths
enrolled. (Education Code Section 48851.)

Comparable Services
Each homeless child or youth shall promptly be provided services comparable to services
offered to other students in CWCS such as (42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(4)):

• Transportation services
• Educational services for which the child or youth meets eligibility criteria, such as educational programs for students with disabilities and educational programs for students with limited English proficiency
• Programs in vocational and technical education
• Programs for gifted and talented students
• Charter School Nutrition Programs

Transportation
In the event that CWCS provides transportation services to all CWCS students, CWCS shall
provide comparable transportation services to each homeless child or youth attending CWCS,
as noted above. (42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(4).)

If the CWCS does not otherwise provide transportation services to all CWCS students, CWCS
shall ensure that transportation is provided for homeless students to and from CWCS, at the
request of the parent or guardian (or Charter School Liaison), if CWCS is the student’s school of
origin. (42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(1)(J).) Transportation provided by CWCS will be adequate and
appropriate for the student’s situation, but CWCS does not commit to any one method of
transportation for all youth.

Eligibility for Extracurricular Activities
A homeless child or youth shall be immediately deemed to meet all residency requirements for
participation in interscholastic sports or other extracurricular activities.

Waiver of Fees for Afterschool Programs
The Charter School shall not charge any student who is a homeless youth any family fees
associated with an After-School Education and Safety (“ASES”) Program operated by the
Charter School.

Professional Development
All administrators, teachers, and employees of CWCS, including the Charter School Liaison, will
be provided professional development on the identification, services, and sensitivity necessary
when dealing with homeless children and youth. The Charter School Liaison will verify that the
Charter School is providing the required training to school personnel providing services to youth
experiencing homelessness at least annually, through the CDE’s verification system. (Education
Code Section 48852.5(c)(2).)

The Charter School Liaison shall offer training to Charter School certificated and classified
employees providing services to pupils experiencing homelessness, including, but not limited to,
teachers, support staff, and other school staff who work with pupils, at least annually relating to:
(1) Charter School’s homeless education program policies; and (2) Recognition of signs that
pupils are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, homelessness. The Charter School
Liaison shall inform such employees of the availability of training and the services the Charter
School Liaison provides to aid in the identification and provision of services to pupils who are
experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, homelessness.

High School Graduation Requirements
Homeless students who transfer to the CWCS any time after the completion of their second
year of high school shall be exempt from any of the Charter School’s graduation requirements
that are in excess of the California minimum graduation requirements specified in Education
Code section 51225.3 (“additional graduation requirements”) unless CWCS makes a finding
that the student is reasonably able to complete the Charter School’s graduation requirements by
the end of the student’s fourth year of high school.

To determine whether a homeless student is in their third or fourth year of high school, either
the number of credits the student has earned to the date of transfer or the length of the
student’s school enrollment may be used, whichever will qualify the student for the exemption.

Within thirty (30) calendar days of the date that a student who may qualify for exemption under
the above requirements transfers into the Charter School, the Charter School shall notify the
student, the student’s educational rights holder, and the Charter School Liaison of the
availability of the exemption and whether the student qualifies for an exemption.

The Charter School shall notify students who are exempted from the Charter School’s additional
graduation requirements and the student’s educational rights holder of how any of the
requirements that are waived will affect the student’s ability to gain admission to a
postsecondary educational institution and provide information about transfer opportunities
available through the California Community Colleges.

The Charter School shall not require any student who would otherwise be entitled to remain in
attendance at the Charter School to accept the exemption from the Charter School’s additional
graduation requirements or deny the student enrollment in, or the ability to complete, courses
for which the student is otherwise eligible. The Charter School shall not revoke an exemption
and shall grant an eligible student’s request for the exemption at any time if the student
qualifies, regardless of whether the student previously declined the exemption. An eligible
student’s exemption from the Charter School’s additional graduation requirements will continue
to apply while the student is enrolled in the Charter School or if the student transfers to another
school even after the student no longer meets the definition of a homeless child.

The Charter School shall not require or request that a student transfer schools in order to qualify
the student for the exemption. Nor shall a student, a student’s parent/guardian or educational
rights holder, or a student’s social worker or probation officer request a transfer solely to qualify
for an exemption from the Charter School’s additional graduation requirements.

If a student who is exempted from the Charter School’s additional graduation requirements completes the California minimum coursework requirements specified in Education Code
section 51225.3 before the end of the student’s fourth year of high school and would otherwise
be entitled to remain in attendance at the Charter School, the Charter School shall not require or
request that the student graduate before the end of the student’s fourth year of high school.

If the Charter School determines the student is reasonably able to complete the Charter
School’s graduation requirements by the end of the student’s fifth year of high school, the
Charter School shall do the following:

1. Inform the student of the student’s option to remain at the Charter School for a fifth year
to complete the Charter School’s graduation requirements.

2. Inform the student, and the educational rights holder for the student, about how
remaining in school for a fifth year to complete the Charter School’s graduation
requirements will affect the student’s ability to gain admission to a postsecondary
educational institution.

3. Provide information to the student about transfer opportunities available through the
California Community Colleges.

4. Permit the student to stay at the Charter School for a fifth year to complete the Charter
School’s graduation requirements upon agreement with the student, if the student is 18
years of age or older, or, if the student is under 18 years of age, upon agreement with
the educational rights holder for the student.

Acceptance of Course Work
The Charter School will accept any coursework satisfactorily completed at any public school, a
juvenile court school, a school in a country other than the United States, and/or a nonpublic,
nonsectarian school or agency by a homeless student.

The Charter School will provide homeless students credit for the partial completion of courses
taken while attending a public school, a juvenile court school, a school in a country other than
the United States, and/or a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency. If the student did not
complete the entire course, the Charter School shall not require the student to retake the portion
of the course the student completed unless the Charter School, in consultation with the holder of
educational rights for the student, finds that the student is reasonably able to complete the
requirements in time to graduate from high school. When partial credit is awarded in a particular
course, the homeless student shall be enrolled in the same or equivalent course, if applicable,
so that the student may continue and complete the entire course. These students shall not be
prevented from taking or retaking a course to meet California State University or the University
of California admission eligibility requirements.

Notice
For any homeless student who seeks enrollment at the Charter School, written notice will be
provided to the parent/guardian at the time of enrollment and at least twice (2) annually while
the student is enrolled at the Charter School in alignment with the law. This notice must be
signed by the parent/guardian. The notice must outline general rights, include the name of the
Charter School Liaison with contact information, and specifically state that (1) the choice of
schools homeless children and youth are eligible to attend; (2) that no homeless student is
required to attend a separate school for homeless children; (3) that homeless children and youth
shall be provided comparable services; and (4) that homeless children should not be
stigmatized by Charter School personnel. (42 U.S.C. § 11432(e)(3)(C).)

Annual Policy Review
The Charter School shall annually review and revise any policies that may act as barriers to the
identification of homeless children and youths or the enrollment of homeless children and
youths at the Charter School. In reviewing and revising such policies, consideration shall be
given to issues concerning transportation, immunization, residency, birth certificates, school
records and other documentation, and guardianship. Special attention shall be given to ensuring
the identification, enrollment, and attendance of homeless children and youths who are not
currently attending school. Charter School’s review of its homeless education program policies
shall use resources developed by the CDE and posted on the CDE’s internet website and
resources developed by homeless education technical assistance centers established using
funding from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

School Website Posting
CWCS shall ensure that the following information is posted, and updated as necessary, on its
internet website:

• The name and contact information of the Charter School Liaison(s) for homeless children and youths.
• The contact information of any employee or contractor that assists the Charter School Liaison in completing the liaison’s duties.
• Specific information regarding the educational rights and resources available to persons experiencing homelessness.