Our programs exist to serve the needs of students most in need of assistance and to support positive learning experiences that provide opportunity and enable success.

School Social Workers serve as liaisons between the home, school and community. Working to promote students’ access to educational services, academic and personal success, SSWs provide direct services to students and their families.

School Social Workers are the ONLY school professionals that routinely make home visits an integral component of services they provide to children and families. Additionally, they advocate for and with parents to increase involvement and improve understanding of their child’s education.

Our School Social Workers collaborate with professionals in the educational system and community to develop and implement effective programming to meet the academic, behavioral and social needs of students.

Upon referral, our School Social Workers work diligently to provide students and families with access to basic needs such as clothing, food, financial assistance, mental health services, and medical services. Much of the work School Social Workers do is behind the scenes or confidential in nature and is always approached with the intent of recognizing the strengths and potential of the children and families served.

Social Workers can:

• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary team

•  Participate in crisis intervention and response

• Conduct home visits

• Facilitate conflict resolution

• Conduct group counseling

• Consult with teachers and counselors

• Dropout prevention

•  Coordinate school and community services

• Facilitate staff development on federal and state statutes

By law, students age 6-17 are required to attend school.  An Attendance Intervention Plan(AIP) must be completed by a school representative for students who have missed 3 consecutive or 5 unlawful days.  This AIP meeting is held with the student, parent/guardian, and school representatives. This is an intervention on the school level to address the issues that have prevented the student(s) from not attending school as required by law. 

• If a student between the age of 12 and 16, obtains two more unlawful absences after completing the AIP, they will be classified as a habitual truant and the AIP will be sent to the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). Students and families will then receive notification from DJJ and/or family court to answer for the absences.

• The parents or guardians of students under the age of 12 will be referred to the Department of Social Services for possible educational neglect.  

For more information, please contact your school attendance clerk. 

Berkeley County Attendance Policy

Students without a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence can be considered homeless under the McKinney-Vento law.  This includes: 

• living with a friend, relative or someone else because of losing their home due to temporary financial problems; 

• staying in a motel, hotel, trailer park, or campground because they have nowhere else to go; 

• living in a shelter, including emergency or transitional shelter, domestic violence shelter, and runaway homeless shelters; 

• staying in substandard housing, living in places not ordinarily used for sleeping, including cars, parks, public places, abandoned buildings, or bus or train stations;

• abandoned in a hospital.

Unaccompanied Homeless Youth is a youth who meets the criteria above and also is not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.

Students have the RIGHT to:

• Remain in the same school even if they move to another attendance zone

• Enroll in a new school without providing the typically required records such as proof of residency,immunizations, school records, or other papers;

• Receive transportation to a school outside of the attendance area if feasible

• Receive the same school services provided to non-homeless students

• Challenge decisions made by schools and districts in case of disputes of eligibility

 McKinney-Vento Dispute Resolution Process 

 The process to resolve disputes concerning the enrollment or placement of a child or youth experiencing homeless is as follows:

1. If a dispute arises over school selection or enrollment, the student will be immediately admitted to the school requested pending resolution of the dispute. 

   • The child or youth “shall be immediately admitted to the school in which enrollment is sought, pending resolution of the dispute” [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(3)(E)(i)].

2. The school will complete the Written Notification of Enrollment/Placement Decision for Student and provide the Parent with a copy which includes information about the parent/student’s right to appeal.

   • The school will send the completed copy of the Written Notification of Enrollment/Placement Decision for the student to the District Department of Student Services.

3. If the Parent would like to appeal the school enrollment/placement decision, then the school counselor will provide them with the McKinney-Vento Dispute Form to complete.  This form is sent to the District Department of Student Services for review.

4. The McKinney-Vento District Liaison will provide the parent with written documentation of the District Determination.

5. The parent has the right to appeal the District Determination to the State Department of Education, Homeless Division.  This state appeal process is provided on the District Determination Form.

Any questions related to the MV Dispute Resolution Process, please contact: 

Dr. Lorna Manglona-Alexander
McKinney-Vento Systems Navigator
843-899-8788
manglona-alexanderl@bcsdschools.net

Parents can talk with the School Counselor at their school for further information.

Important McKinney-Vento Documents