Displaced Students

Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) adopts the federal definition of homeless children and youth as defined in The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act. Under The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act, homeless children and youth are defined as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

Homeless Children and Youth:

• Are temporarily sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic  hardship, or a similar reason
• Are living in motels, hotels, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations
• Are living in emergency shelters
• Are abandoned in hospitals
• Have a nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings
• Are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings
• Are runaway children or children who are abandoned

Migratory children and unaccompanied youth (youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian) may be considered displaced if they meet the above definitions.  Displaced status is determined in cooperation with the parents. In the case of unaccompanied youth, displaced status is determined in cooperation with the unaccompanied youth and the local educational agency/district liaison.

As outlined in the District Handbook, families are instructed to contact their Family Support Liaison (or the Transitional Student Liaison directly) if they are displaced. When necessary, teachers refer students to the Transitional Student Liaison through GCA’s internal data system (Infinite Campus). The Transitional Student Liaison/School Social Worker reviews the displaced students list and addresses any displaced student needs. The School Social Worker works very closely with teachers to ensure accommodations are made to address the student’s displaced status (extra support, extended deadlines, transportation to testing, etc.). Also, as needed, the Transitional Student Liaison will meet with the Business Manager and the Title I director to follow up on any additional services that may be requested. All GCA parents are notified of the McKinney Vento Homeless Education Services in the District Handbook, which is sent out at the beginning of the school year. In addition, this information is placed on the GCA website for families.

Written notice will be provided to displaced youth and their families when enrollment and continuation of a displaced child or youth in the school of origin is not feasible. If a dispute arises due to the determination, the following process must be used:

Level I Appeal – Transitional Student Liaison:

• The parent or unaccompanied youth may file a request for dispute resolution with the district Transitional Student Liaison by submitting a request for appeal in writing via email or completing the Dispute Resolution Form.
• The Transitional Students Liaison will provide all documentation to the Federal Programs Director, who will provide a decision regarding the Level I appeal within three (3) business days of receipt of the appeal. The parent or guardian will be notified of the determination in writing. 

Level II Appeal – Superintendent or designee:

• The parent or unaccompanied youth may appeal the Level I decision to the Superintendent, or the Superintendent designee. (The designee shall be someone other than the district’s Transitional Student Liaison.) Request for Level II appeal must be submitted in writing or by completing the Dispute Resolution Form.
• The Superintendent or designee will provide a decision regarding the Level II appeal in writing to the parent or unaccompanied youth with supporting evidence and reasons within three (3) business days of the Superintendent or designee’s receipt of the appeal.
• A copy of the Dispute Resolution Form, along with the written decision made at Level II, is to be shared with the district’s Transitional Student Liaison.
• If the parent or unaccompanied youth disagrees with the decision made at Level II, the parent or unaccompanied youth shall notify the district’s Transitional Student Liaison of their intent to proceed to Level III within two (2) business days of the Superintendent or designee’s written decision.

Level III Appeal – Georgia Department of Education:

• The District Superintendent or designee should forward all written documentation and related paperwork to the GaDOE Department of Legal Services for review within five (5) business days of being informed that the parent or unaccompanied youth would like to appeal the Level II decision.
• A complaint to GaDOE must be made in one of two ways:

1. In writing and signed by the complainant
2. Or Submitted electronically through the Department’s online complaint process at: http://programcomplaint.doe.k12.ga.us/everestwebportal/webform.asp

• Georgia Department of Education Contact:

Whittney Mitchell

McKinney-Vento Grants Program Consultant

Phone: 678.621.3611, Fax: 

Email: wmitchell@doe.k12.ga.us

English language learners (ELL) and displaced students are identified in schoolwide screening under IDEA Child Find Query (CFQ) during enrollment, for the purpose of serving these students effectively and efficiently. GCA will immediately enroll the student, even if the child or youth lacks records normally required for enrollment. Records will immediately be requested from the previous school. In addition, the following documents are requested for the parent/Learning Coach to complete:

• Student Residency Form
• Affidavit for Missing Enrollment Documentation
• Caregiver Authorization Form

Once students are identified, the School-Based Enrollment Coordinator alerts the Transitional Student Liaison immediately.

Process for Translating to Non-English Speaking Displaced Youth and their Families:

1. GCA Staff members request an interpreter.  

2. The Family School Partnership Coordinator for Special Programs approves the request and provides instructions to the staff members. 

3. One approved, the GCA staff member requests the interpreter through Certified Languages International. 

4. Staff members are to include tag lines in their email signature to offer additional translations. Google Translate may be used for day to day written communication. Weblot is utilized on the GCA website to translate all text on demand. 

5. Formal documents are translated through Zab Translation Company.  

GCA’s Transitional Student Liaisons are as follows: Ja'Net Crayton (jcrayton@georgiacyber.org), Michelle Dalton (mdalton@georgiacyber.org) and Sophia Sutherland (ssutherland@georgiacyber.org). These positions focus on supporting students and families with any social service concerns.

• Ensure that children and youth in displaced situations are identified.
• Ensure that displaced students enroll in and have full and equal opportunities to succeed in school.
• Inform parents, guardians, or youth of education and parent involvement opportunities.
• Post public notices of education rights
• Provide children, youth, and families with referrals to health care, dental, mental health, substance abuse, housing and other services.
•  Inform parents, guardians, or youth of transportation services.

• Enroll in school immediately with or without typical documentation such as medical records, proof of residency, or school records
• Participate in all activities that the school sponsors
• Services without fear of discrimination
• Receive all other educational and supplemental services that all students are provided

It is the policy of the board to ensure that displaced children and youth are provided with equal access to its educational programs, have an opportunity to meet the same challenging state of Georgia academic standards, are not segregated on the basis of their status as displaced, and are not discriminated against on the basis of their lack of housing.

Each displaced child or youth shall be provided services comparable to services offered to other students in school such as:

• Transportation services
• Educational services for which the child or youth meets eligibility criteria such as English as a second language (ESL) or special education programs
• Programs for “at risk” students
• Programs for gifted and talented students
• School nutrition programs
• Title I services
• Before and After school programs

Examples of Comparable Services in a Virtual School

• Bus passes to/from school outings
• Laptop computer
• Wireless card
• Computer paper, ink
• Increased flexibility in teacher availability for support
• Prepaid postage for any mailings necessary for the school

All administrators, teachers, and employees of the school will be provided professional development on the identification, services, and sensitivity necessary when dealing with displaced children and youths will be referred to the school's Transitional Student Liaison.