Elementary Guidance Counselors

• Jackie James, Valley View Elementary School
  jjames@yssd.org
• Matthew Johnson, Yorkshire Elementary School
  mjohnsonyssd.org
• Eary Coombs, East York Elementary School
  ecoombs@yssd.org
• Jill Amspacher, Indian Rock Elementary School
  jamspacher@yssd.org

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance
The Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program is authorized under Title VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.) (McKinney-Vento Act). The McKinney-Vento Act was originally authorized in 1987 and most recently re-authorized in December 2015 by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).1 The McKinney-Vento Act is designed to address the challenges that homeless children and youths have faced in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school.

Under the McKinney-Vento Act, educational agencies must ensure that each homeless child and youth has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as other children and youths. Homeless children and youths must have access to the educational and related services that they need to enable them to meet the same challenging State academic standards to which all students are held. In addition, homeless students may not be separated from the mainstream school environment. Local Educational Agencies are required to review and undertake steps to revise laws, regulations, practices, or policies that may act as barriers to the identification, enrollment, attendance, or success in school of homeless children and youths.

The law indicates that the LEA liaison shall ensure that all homeless children, youth and families are identified through coordinated activities with other entities.

DEFINITIONS

Homeless Children - The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.” This definition includes (but is not limited to) children who are:

• sharing housing due to economic hardship or loss of housing (e.g. doubled-up)
• living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds
• living in emergency or transitional shelters
• sleeping in places unfit for human habitation (e.g. park benches)
• living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, etc.

Unaccompanied Youth - Children or youth who meets the definition of homeless and not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.

CORE PROVISIONS

Designated District Liaison
Every local education agency (LEA) must designate a liaison for students experiencing
homelessness whose key duties include:

• Ensuring that homeless children and youth are identified and enrolled in school, and
  have a full and equal opportunity to succeed in school.
  • Assisting with enrollment, arranging for transportation and free meals, monitoring school attendance.
  • Providing school supplies and other related items so they can fully participate.
  • Assist with accessing support services, such as, tutoring, Special Education, English Language Learning, and other resources.
  • Assist students so they can participate in school activities, field trips, sports, etc.
• Ensuring that homeless children, youth, and families receive referrals to health, dental, mental health, housing, substance abuse, and other appropriate community services.
• Ensuring that unaccompanied homeless youth are informed, and receive verification, of
  their status as independent students for college financial aid.

STUDENT RIGHTS

School Stability

• Children and youth experiencing homelessness can remain in their school of origin for
  the duration of homelessness and until the end of an academic year in which they obtain
  permanent housing, if it is in their best interest.
• LEAs must make best interest determinations that presume that staying in the school of
  origin is in the best interest of the child or youth; consider specific student-centered
  factors; prioritize the wishes of the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth; and
  include a written explanation and right to appeal if the LEA determines that school
  stability is not in the best interest of the child or youth.
• Transportation to the school of origin is required, including until the end of the academic
  year when a student obtains permanent housing.

School Enrollment and Full Participation

• Children and youth experiencing homelessness have the right to be enrolled in school of residence immediately, even if they lack documents normally required at time of enrollment or have missed application or enrollment deadlines.
• LEAs must develop, review, and revise policies to remove barriers to the
  identification, enrollment, and retention of homeless students in school, including
  barriers due to fees, fines, and absences. This includes procedures to ensure that homeless children and youth do not face barriers to accessing academic and extracurricular activities.
• If a dispute arises over eligibility, school selection or enrollment, the child or youth must
  be immediately enrolled in the school in which the parent, guardian or unaccompanied
  youth seeks enrollment, pending resolution of the dispute, including all available
  appeals.

Additional Rights

• Free lunch and breakfast (if applicable).
• Free school supplies and uniforms (if applicable).
• Educational resources and support services to help children and youth experiencing homelessness reach academic success.

If you have questions concerning homeless students or need additional information, please contact the district liaison, Miranda Jenkins, Social Worker.

Please visit our Health Services page for additional information.

Miranda Jenkins
High School Social Worker
717-885-1270 x8240
mjenkins@yssd.org

Brienna Derr
Middle School Social Worker 
717-885-1260 x6009
bderr@yssd.org

Tera Hanson
Social Worker for Grades K-5
(717) 885-1240 x4114
thanson@yssd.org

The following list illustrates some of the support social workers can provide to your student and family.

Mental Health Referrals
Behavioral Health Referrals
Food Insecurity
Case Management
Home-School Liaison
Insurance/Benefits Assistance
Homeless Services

Please visit our Student Care Teams page for more information about this initiative and its associated resources.

Notification of Rights Under Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)

Each school district protects the confidentiality of personally identifiable information regarding all students in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) and other applicable federal and state laws. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a federal law, affords parents and students over 18 years of age (“eligible students”) certain rights with respect to the student's education records. These rights are:

The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the school receives a request for access. Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The school official will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. “Education records” means those records that are directly related to the student which are maintained by an educational agency or by a party acting for the agency. “Education agency,” for purposes of this notice, means the local school district. For all students, the school district maintains education records. Personally identifiable information is confidential information that includes, but is not limited to, the student's name, name of parents and other family members, the address of the student or student's family, and personal information or personal characteristics.

The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the parent or eligible student believe are inaccurate or misleading. Parents or eligible students may ask the school to amend a record they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the school principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the school decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the school will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Such records hearings will be held within a reasonable time after a parent request and the parent shall be notified of the date, time, and place a reasonable time in advance. Any individual, including a school district official, who does not have a direct interest in the outcome of the hearing, may conduct the hearing. The parent will have a full and fair opportunity to present evidence at the hearing and may be assisted by or represented by one or more individuals including an attorney. The school district will make its decision in writing within a reasonable time after a hearing, basing its decision solely on the evidence presented at the hearing and including a summary of the evidence and reasons for its decision. If the hearing decision is that the information is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the privacy or other rights of the child, the school district will amend the information and inform the parent in writing. If the hearing decision is that the information will not be amended, the parents have the right to place a statement in the education record setting forth reasons for disagreeing with the hearing decision. Any such explanation placed in the records of a child will be maintained as long as the records of the child are maintained and will be disclosed whenever the record is disclosed to any party.

The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the school as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff); a person serving on the school board; a person or company with whom the school has contracted to perform a special task (such as attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); the designated law enforcement unit of West Shore School District, or a parent or student serving on an official committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the school discloses education records without consent to officials of another public or private school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

The school district will inform parents when personally identifiable information is no longer needed to provide educational services for a child. Such information must be destroyed at the request of the parents. However, a permanent record of a student's name, address, and telephone number, his or her grades, attendance record, classes attended, grade level completed, and year completed may be maintained without time limitation. “Destruction” of records means physical destruction or removal of personal identifiers from information so that the information is no longer personally identifiable.

The school district will provide, upon request, a listing of the types and locations of educational records maintained, the school officials responsible for these records, and the school personnel authorized to see personally identifiable information. Such personnel receive training and instruction regarding confidentiality. The school district keeps a record of parties obtaining access to education records, including the name of the party, the date access was given, and the purpose for which the party is authorized to use the records. The school district will provide a copy of its confidentiality policy upon request. Complaints may be filed with the Family and Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office, US Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20201.

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires Pennsylvania to ensure that the total number of students assessed in each subject using the PASA does not exceed one percent of the total number of all students in the state assessed on the statewide assessments. Each local educational agency (LEA) must complete and submit the PASA 1.0 Percent Participation Threshold Justification to BSE if it anticipates that more than 1.0% of its students enrolled in grades 3-8 and 11 will be assessed using the PASA. A list of LEAs who anticipate exceeding the threshold will be made publicly available on the PDE website, in accordance with 34 CFR 200.6 (c)(3) regulations. LEAs must also make the document publicly available upon request, removing any personally identifiable information.

Please visit our Title IX web page for more information, forms, and resources related to the District's Title IX efforts.