Overview

Every CPS homeless student shall have equal access to the same free and appropriate educational opportunities as students who are not homeless. This commitment to the educational rights of homeless children and youth applies to all the services, programs and activities provided or made available by CPS.

A family living in a variety of living arrangements can be "homeless" (examples: living in shelters, doubled-up, etc.). Homeless person, child or youth includes but is not limited to any of the following:

1. An individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime place of abode.
2. An individual who has a primary nighttime place of abode that is:
1. A supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, transitional housing;
2. An institution that provides temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; or
3. A public or private place not designated for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

In general, these individuals are also considered homeless: children or youth living in welfare hotels, transitional building shelters, the streets, cars abandoned buildings, and other inadequate accommodations; children and youth in transitional or emergency shelters or living in trailer parks and camping grounds; "doubled-up" children and youth; school-age welfare unwed mothers that have no other available living accommodations; runaways, and youth who are rendered homeless by their parents.

Goals

• Protect the rights of the homeless students and to provide services to homeless students and their families

Program benefits

• Immediate school enrollment. A school must immediately enroll students even if they lack health, immunization or school records, proof of guardianship, or proof of residency.
• Remain enrolled in his/her selected school for as long as he/she remains homeless or, if the student becomes permanently housed, until the end of the academic year.
• A homeless student attending his/her school of origin has a right to transportation to go to and from the school of origin as long as she or he is homeless or, if the student becomes permanently housed, until the end of the academic year. CPS staff shall inform homeless parents/guardians or youth of transportation services to and from school and school-related activities.
• Aid to assist students in hardship situations.

Resources

Academic success is helped when the student remains in the same school. Here are a few additional resources for homeless students.

Student Enrollment Forms: English | Spanish | Polish

Student Fee Waiver Form

Students rights

Uniform Form

Illinois State Board of Education

National Runaway Switchboard

Chicago Coalition for the Homeless

Chicago HOPES

To view some of the documents provided on this page, you need Acrobat Reader. If you do not have this program, click download Adobe Acrobat Reader nowand follow the instructions.