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No Educator Left Behind is a series providing answers from the U.S. Department of Education to questions about the federal No Child Left Behind Act and how it will affect educators. If you have a question about No Child Left Behind, send an e-mail to Ellen Delisio, and we will submit your question to the Department of Education.

Question:

What guidance for educating homeless children does the No Child Left Behind Act provide?

U.S. Department of Education:

Preliminary guidelines for meeting the NCLB Act's requirements for educating homeless children were published by the U.S. Department of Education. Those guidelines are available at Education for Homeless Children and Youths.

The federal mandates for educating homeless children state the following guidelines:

• School districts or schools cannot place homeless children in a separate program based only on their homelessness.
• Schools must immediately enroll homeless students, even if those students are unable to produce the records normally required for enrollment.
• States and school districts must -- at the request of parents or guardians -- ensure that homeless children are provided transportation to and from the school they attended prior to becoming homeless.
• School districts must designate a local liaison for homeless children and youths. The liaison's responsibilities include serving as a primary contact between homeless families and school staff, district personnel, shelter workers, and other service providers. Liaisons also will be charged with keeping parents informed about available resources and services to help ensure the academic success of their children.

Read previous questions and answers in our No Educator Left Behind archive.