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Homeless Students

In accordance with state and federal law, Colorado Early Colleges’ (CEC) Governing Board (Board) desires to remove barriers to the identification, enrollment, and retention of homeless students in CEC schools. Homeless students are not to be segregated or stigmatized, and decisions on admission shall be made in the best interest of the student.

Each homeless student shall have access to and be provided with educational services for which the student is eligible, comparable to those provided to other students at CEC schools, including summer school, career programs, technical education programs, gifted education programs, and school nutrition programs. Transportation services for homeless students shall be provided in accordance with applicable law.

CEC shall coordinate with local social services agencies and other agencies or programs providing services to homeless students as needed. CEC’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), or designee, shall designate a homeless student liaison at each campus who shall fulfill the duties required of the position as set forth in state and federal law. The primary functions of the local liaison shall be to mediate disputes concerning school enrollment, assist in making transportation arrangements, assist in requesting the student’s records, provide information and give referrals on services and opportunities, and assist any unaccompanied youth with enrollment, credit accrual, and college readiness decisions.

The CEO or designee shall be responsible for making reasonable determinations as to whether a student is homeless in accordance with the criteria established by law. CEC will provide training and other technical assistance to the local liaison(s) and other appropriate school staff regarding CEC’s obligations to homeless students.

Enrollment and School Stability

A homeless student is deemed to reside, and may enroll and attend school in the district where the child is presently located, or the district in which the student attended school prior to becoming homeless.

Enrollment is immediate even if the homeless student lacks records routinely required prior to enrollment or has missed application of enrollment deadlines. CEC will make arrangements to obtain any necessary records and to have the student receive any necessary immunizations. When feasible, CEC shall seek immunization through no- or low-cost health care providers.

Tuition and Fees

A student defined in state and federal law as a homeless child or youth shall be admitted without payment of tuition or applicable fees.

Enrollment Determination

In making enrollment determinations, the CEO or designee shall consider all relevant factors in making a reasonable determination, including but not limited to:

  • the best interests of the homeless student;
  • to the extent feasible, keeping the homeless student in the school of origin;
  • the wishes of the student and the student’s parent/guardian if the student is in the custody of a parent/guardian;
  • the homeless student liaison for the CEC campus and the liaison for the district where the student is presently located;
  • the student’s transportation needs related to various enrollment options (the district where the student is located and the district where the student will attend school must either agree on a method to apportion cost and responsibility for the student’s transportation or share the cost and responsibility equally);
  • which school and/or district can best meet the student’s educational and other service needs.

Notice of Determination and Appeal

The CEO, or designee, shall provide to the student, or the student’s parent/guardian if the student is in the custody of a parent/guardian, a written explanation of CEC’s decision and of the right to appeal. If the CEO, or designee, determines that the homeless student shall attend a school other than the student’s previous school or a school other than the one requested by the student’s parent or guardian, the CEO, or designee, should also provide written explanation regarding that decision to the parent/guardian.

Dispute Resolution

If an enrollment dispute arises between the student’s custodial parent/guardian (or the student not in custody of a parent/guardian) and CEC, the student shall be immediately enrolled in the school selected by the parent/guardian or student until the dispute is resolved.

The parent/guardian (or student, if applicable) may appeal an enrollment determination made by a CEC Head of School to CEC’s homeless student liaison within 10 business days after receiving the written determination and notice of right-to-appeal.

The liaison shall issue a written decision on the dispute within 5 business days of the receipt of the appeal and provide a written decision and notice of right-to-appeal to the Board to the parent/guardian (or student, if applicable).

Within 5 business days of delivery of the liaison’s decision and right-to-appeal notice, the parent/guardian (or student, if applicable) may appeal the decision to the Board.

The Board shall issue a written decision on the dispute within 10 business days of the receipt of the appeal and provide the written decision and notice of right-to-appeal to the State Coordinator for the Education of Homeless Children and Youths to the parents/guardian (or student, if applicable). The decision of the State Coordinator shall be final.

Transportation

Subsequent to a determination that the student shall attend CEC, a request for transportation may be made by the unaccompanied youth or by the student’s parent/guardian.
All transportation services shall be comparable to those provide for other students at the students CEC campus.

Questions?

CEC encourages staff, students, parents, and all members of the CEC community to become familiar with our policies and procedures. For questions or comments regarding our policies and procedures, please contact:

Melissa Talan, MBA
Executive Office Administrator

Message Melissa Talan

SECTION: Students
Homeless Students
Approved: 07/2021