Sec. 3. (a) Every local educational agency, regardless of whether it receives a McKinney-Vento Act grant, is required to designate a local liaison under 42 U.S.C. 11432.

(b) The local liaison serves as one (1) of the primary contacts between homeless families and:

(1) school staff;

(2) district personnel;

(3) shelter workers; and

(4) other service providers.

(c) The local liaison coordinates services to ensure the following:

(1) Homeless children and youths are identified by school personnel through outreach and coordination activities with other entities and agencies pursuant to the McKinney-Vento Act.

(2) Homeless children and youths are enrolled in, and have full and equal opportunity to succeed in, school.

(3) Homeless families and homeless children and youths are provided access to receive education services for which the homeless families and homeless children and youths are eligible, including Head Start, early intervention services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and preschool programs administered by the local educational agency.

(4) Homeless families and homeless children and youths are referred to health, dental, mental health, and substance abuse services, housing services, and other appropriate services.

(5) Parents or guardians of homeless children and youths are informed of educational and related opportunities available to the children and are provided with meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of the children.

(6) Public notice of educational rights of homeless students is disseminated in locations frequented by parents and guardians of homeless children and youths, and unaccompanied youths, including in schools, shelters, public libraries, and soup kitchens, in a manner and form understandable to the parents and guardians of homeless children and youths and unaccompanied youths.

(7) Enrollment disputes are mediated in accordance with the McKinney-Vento Act.

(8) Parents and guardians of homeless children and youths and unaccompanied youths are fully informed of all transportation services, including transportation to and from the school of origin and are assisted in accessing transportation services.

(9) School personnel receive professional development and other support.

(10) Unaccompanied youths are enrolled in school, have opportunities to meet the same state academic standards as established for other children and youths, are informed of the status of unaccompanied youths as independent students under section 40 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087vv), and the rights of unaccompanied youths to receive verification of this status from the local liaison.

As added by P.L.133-2008, SEC.3. Amended by P.L.155-2019, SEC.9.