SPONSOR: Pike
This bill allows runaway children and youth to attend a school district and be deemed homeless even if the pupil's parents are willing to provide a home. Homeless children and youth shall be enrolled.
The bill also allows a pupil that is living in a district with someone who is acting as a parent or guardian, but is not officially a parent or guardian to enroll a pupil in the district upon providing evidence as outlined in the bill. The local school district may grant waivers to the evidence requirements or delegate their authority, with procedures for denial outlined in the bill. All requests for a waiver shall be documented and submitted to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) within 10 days.
The bill also expands the current types of educational records that are requested when a pupil is enrolled to include individual education plans and health records and requires charter schools, private, and parochial schools to comply within five business days.
Statutes affected: