Parents/Students
Programs & Services

Homeless & Foster Care

Homeless & Foster Care
Homeless

University Academy strives to help all of its families, including those that lack a fixed regular and adequate nighttime residence.  There are federal programs in place to assist these families under the McKinney-Vento Federal Act.  Homeless students are automatically eligible for some programs including but not limited to the school meals program, instructional services through Title I and transportation. Please contact the Student Services Department at 816-412-5956 for further information.

Students living in the following situations may be considered homeless
  • Staying in transitional or emergency shelters
  • Campgrounds
  • Motels or hotels
  • Doubled-up with other families
  • Awaiting foster care
  • Staying in substandard housing or not adequate places for sleeping
  • Runaways or students that have been asked to leave their house
Program Services
  • Immediate enrollment in school if school records are missing
  • Assistance with obtaining records if needed (ie. immunization records, birth certificate, etc.)
  • Case Management and on-site mental health services
  • School supplies
  • Backpacks
  • School Uniform
  • Transportation to and from school
Community Resources
  • Kansas City, Missouri Crisis Hotline 816-474-4599
  • City Union Mission 816-474-9380
  • Red Cross 816-913-8400
  • Salvation Army 816-461-1093
  • Bishop Sullivan Center 816-231-0984
  • Division of Family Services 816-325-5800
  • Swope 816-922-3100
  • Sheffield Place 816-483-9927
  • Synergy 816-741-8700 (24 hour youth crisis hotline)
  • Domestic Violence Hotline 816-468-5463
ENROLLMENT DISPUTES
If a dispute arises over school selection or enrollment in a school —
  • the child or youth shall be immediately admitted to the school in which enrollment is sought, pending resolution of the dispute;
  • the parent or guardian of the child or youth shall be provided with a written explanation of the school's decision regarding school selection or enrollment, including the rights of the parent, guardian, or youth to appeal the decision;
  • the child, youth, parent, or guardian shall be referred to the local educational agency liaison designated under paragraph (1)(J)(ii), who shall carry out the dispute resolution process as described in paragraph (1)(C) as expeditiously as possible after receiving notice of the dispute; and
  • in the case of an unaccompanied youth, the homeless liaison shall ensure that the youth is immediately enrolled in school pending resolution of the dispute.
The district homeless coordinator will handle enrollment disputes. Homeless children or youth must be enrolled in the school in which the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied homeless youth seeks enrollment during the dispute and the coordinator will carry out the state's grievance procedure as quickly as possible after receiving notice of thedispute.

Please review the Homeless Policy and Dispute Resolution in its entirety.

School Social Worker & Director of Student Services
District Homeless Liaison / District Foster Care Liaison

Brianne Phillips - 816-412-5956
phillipsb@universityacademy.org

About

University Academy is a public charter school serving students Pre-K through 12th grade who reside in the Kansas City Missouri School District.
© 2021 University Academy All Rights Reserved