House Fire

Hello Crystal (@FletcherC),

Thanks for the question! There are a few important details to clarify before determining the student’s enrollment options.

My first question would be: Did the student attend your district last year?

If the student did attend your district last year, you would want to determine whether the student’s current living situation meets the McKinney-Vento definition of homelessness. A house fire can result in a student qualifying under McKinney-Vento, but it depends on the circumstances of the family’s temporary housing arrangement. Factors to consider include whether the hotel arrangement is fixed, regular, and adequate, such as who is paying for the hotel, how long the family is able to remain there, and whether the space meets the family’s needs. If the student is eligible, you would then want to determine what the student’s school of origin is now that the previous school has closed.

If the student did not attend your district last year, the next step would be to connect the family with the appropriate homeless liaison to help determine eligibility and available enrollment options. This may include the liaison for the school of origin or the school of residence where the family is temporarily living. The liaison can help coordinate enrollment and connect the student and family with available supports.

That information will help determine the appropriate next steps.