Student And Family Services
The Richland School District’s leadership believes that a child’s ability to learn is affected by social, emotional, health, and economic factors outside of the classroom. To ensure student success, the district established the Department of Student and Family Services. The department’s priority is to assist and support teachers and administrators in eliminating barriers that are affecting student learning by developing and encouraging programs that address the whole child.
Richland School District’s Department of Student and Family Services is committed to developing, coordinating, and maintaining strong partnerships with local organizations and providing resources to Shafter citizens.
The Department of Student and Family Services specializes in delivering services in the areas of transfers, child welfare and attendance, CHAMPS After School Program, Foster Youth, McKinney-Vento Youth, custody of student records, assistance with information on short-term independent study programs; the School Readiness Preschool, and school, community, county connections for families through our Shafter Healthy Start Family Resource Program.
For more information please contact Student & Family Services:
GO Elementary Room 143 on the corner of Rosalee and S. Valley
Shafter, CA 93263
Phone: (661) 746-8690
Fax: (661) 746-8694
Hours of Operation:
Monday - Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM- 11:00 AM
Migrant Education English
Migrant Education is a program that provides supplemental educational services eligible to migrant children. It is federally funded and designed to support and help migrant children reduce the educational disruptions and other problems that result from repeated moves. The Migrant Education Program focuses on academics and social issues. Its first priority of educational services is given to students who are not meeting the state standards. It can help students to enjoy school and to overcome their difficulties so that they can develop skills and options for the future. Also, families are provided with support and health services; and parents are given opportunities to become members and leaders in the schools community.
Migrant Education Goals:
- Healthy Children
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School Readiness
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High School Diploma (or completing a GED)
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Further Learning (preparing them for college)
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Productive Employment
- American Dream - Good Education and Good Life
Who are Migrant Workers?
Migrant workers who seek:
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Temporary Placement
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Seasonal Work
This work is in:
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Food Processing
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Fishing or Related Industries
Health Services
Good health is one component to school success. Region 5 provides the following services:
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Linkage to Health Services
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Mobile Dental Clinic (for select migrant students based on immediate needs)
- Health Education
Parent Involvement
Parent involvement is a very important component of Migrant Education and Region 5 is actively involved in providing direction and leadership. Parents are encouraged to participate in:
- Their child's school activities
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The local Migrant Advisory Council
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The Regional Migrant Advisory Council
- Conferences and Trainings
About the Migrant Family
A Migrant family moves together seeking employment in a very uncertain economy affected by:
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Supply and Demand
- Cultural Changes
In the process of moving, the children's schooling suffers the consequences of interruption:
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Don't have full access to the base curriculum.
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Don't benefit from school services.
- Don't have the maintenance of successful continuity in education.
It is well understood that mobility contributes to the interruption of the migrant child's education and this creates unique needs that Migrant Education attempts to meet. (US Department of Education)
Goals of Migrant Education
The Goal of Migrant Education is to identify and help students meet:
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California State Standards
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Local District Standards
Services available through Migrant Education Program:
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Extended Day Program
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Summer School Program
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School Readiness Program (ages 3 - Pre-K)
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Home-Based Program (ages 3 - Pre-K)
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Outreach Program
- Close-Up Program
What Makes a Child Eligible?
To qualify for the Migrant Education Program a migrant child must:
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Have moved within the past three (3) years across state or school district boundaries.
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Have moved with a migrant parent(s) or guardian, or a member of the child's immediate family.
- Be in any grade between preschool and 12th grade and must not be older than 21.
The reason for the move has to be to obtain temporary or seasonal employment in:
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Food Processing
Migrant Education Spanish
Educación Migrante
La Educación migrante es un programa que provee suplementarios servicios de educación para niños migrantes. Es financiado federalmente y está diseñado para apoyar y ayudar a los niños migrantes reducir las repetidas mudanzas. El Programa de Educación Migrante se enfoca en las áreas académicas y sociales. Su primera prioridad de servicios educativos se le otorga a los estudiantes que no están alcanzando los estándares estatales. Le puede ayudar a los estudiantes disfrutar de la escuela y superar sus dificultades para que puedan desarrollar destrezas y opciones para el futuro. También se les provee apoyo y servicios de salud a las familias y, a los padres se les ofrece oportunidades para ser miembros y líderes en las escuelas de la comunidad.
Las Metas para la Educación Migrante son:
Niños sanos
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Preparación para la escuela
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Diploma de escuela secundaria (o completar un GED, Educación en general)
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Aprendizaje adicional (preparándolos para el colegio)
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Empleo productivo
- El sueño americano: buena educación y buena vida
¿Quienes son los trabajadores migrantes?
Son trabajadores migrantes que buscan:
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Colocación temporal
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Trabajo de temporadas
Estos tipos de trabajo son en:
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Procesamiento de alimentos
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Pesca o industrias relacionadas
Servicios de Salubridad
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La buena salud es un componente para el éxito escolar. La Región 5 provee los siguientes servicios:
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Conectar con servicios de salud
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Clínica dental móvil (para estudiantes migrantes seleccionados, en base de las necesidades inmediatas)
- Educación de salud
La participación de los padres
La participación de los padres es un componente muy importante en la Educación Migrante y la Región 5 está activamente involucrada en proveer dirección y liderazgo. Se les anima a los padres participar en:
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Las actividades escolares de sus niños
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El Concilio Asesor Migrante a nivel local
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El Concilio Asesor Migrante a nivel Regional
- Conferencias y Entrenamientos
Acerca de la familia migrante
La familia migrante se muda junta en busca de empleo en una economía de incertidumbre afectada por:
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Productos de mayor volumen
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Cambios culturales
En el proceso de la mudanza, la educación escolar de los niños sufre las consecuencias de la interrupción:
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No tiene completo acceso al básico plan de estudios
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No beneficia de los servicios escolares
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No tienen el mantenimiento de continuidad exitosa en la educación
Es muy bien entendido que la movilización contribuye en la interrupción de la educación del niño migrante y esto resulta en necesidades únicas las cuales la Educación migrante trata de satisfacer. (Departamento de Educación de EU)
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El objetivos de Educación Migrante
El objetivo de Educación migrante es de identificar y ayudar a estudiantes alcanzar:
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Los estándares del Estado de California
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Los estándares Locales del Distrito
- Preparar para la Escuela Secundaria
Los servicios disponibles a través del Programa de Educación Migrante
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Programa de Día Extendido
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Programa de Escuela de Verano
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Programa de Preparación Escolar (edades 3 - Pre-Kínder)
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Programa a Base de Hogar (edades 3 - Pre-Kínder)
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Programa de Servicio a la Comunidad
- Programa Vistazo de Cerca
¿Qué hace a un niño elegible?
Para calificar para el Programa de Educación Migrante el niño migrante debe:
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Haberse mudado en cruzar líneas de estados o de distritos escolares dentro de los últimos tres (3) años.
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Haberse mudado con su padre/s o tutor migrante o algún miembro de la propia familia del niño.
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Estar en cualquier grado entre pre-escolar y el grado 12 y no puede tener más de 21 años de edad.
La razón por la mudanza tiene que ser para obtener empleo temporario o de temporada en:
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El procesamiento de alimentos
Attendance
Attendance is of utmost importance. A student can not learn if not present in the classroom every day and on time. Measures are taken to ensure students are attending school daily. If a student is absent, an automated phone call home is made the same day. If there are further absences, attendance letters are mailed, meetings are held to support the student, and the student will be placed on a School Attendance Review Contract (SART). If the SART Contract is violated by further absences/tardies, and Letter #3 and intervention supports have failed, the next step is to refer the student and their parent/caretaker to the district's School Attendance Review Board (SARB).
- The School Attendance Review Board (S.A.R.B.) is an interagency group authorized by California law that assists families experiencing school truancy, attendance, and behavioral problems to find solutions by providing resources and guidelines. (Education Code Section 48320 et seq.)
- The goal of the S.A.R.B. is to help families comply with California’s compulsory attendance laws. To achieve this goal, the law provides for a multi-agency S.A.R.B. that includes the following agencies: Student and family services, Probation, Student welfare and attendance personnel, School Nurses, and Mental Health representatives.
- In 1974, the Legislature enacted Education Code Section 48320 to enhance the enforcement of compulsory attendance laws. This legislation made way for the establishment of the School Attendance Review Board (SARB), which became operative in 1975.
- Student Services utilizes SARB to provide coordinated services between the school, community agencies, and the home in an effort to resolve attendance problems.
If the student and their family fail to follow the SARB recommendations, they may be referred to Shafter's District Attorney's Office for prosecution. Refer to Education Code Penalties (Parent) for more information about this.
For more information, please contact:
Crisis Services
Suicide Prevention Lifeline? Dial 988
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (1-888-628-9454 for Spanish-speaking callers) is the only federally funded hotline for suicide prevention and intervention. People who are in emotional distress or suicidal crisis can call the Lifeline at any time, from anywhere in the Nation, to talk in English or Spanish with a trained crisis worker who will listen to and assist callers in getting the help they need.
For more information about the Lifeline, visit www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Foster Youth
Foster Youth Education Rights
Developed by the California Foster Youth Education Task Force, this summarizes the California Education Code sections pertaining to foster youth.
- RIGHT TO REMAIN IN YOUR SCHOOL OF ORIGIN
- You have the right to stay in the same school after you move to a new foster care placement. Your “school of origin” can be:
- The school you attended when you first entered foster care,
- The school you most recently attended, or
- Any school you attended in the last 15 months that you feel connected to.
- Your school district must work with you, your education rights holder,* your caregiver, and your social worker/probation officer to develop a plan to transport you to your school of origin.
- If you are transitioning from elementary school to middle school or from middle school to high school, you have the right to transition to the same school as your classmates.
- If there is any disagreement about which school you will attend, you have the right to stay in your school of origin until the disagreement is resolved.
- You have the right to stay in the same school after you move to a new foster care placement. Your “school of origin” can be:
- RIGHT TO IMMEDIATE ENROLLMENT IN SCHOOL
- You have the right to immediately enroll in your regular home school after you move placements.
- You cannot be forced to attend a continuation school or other alternative education program, such as independent study, even if you are behind in credits or have discipline problems at school.
- You have a right to immediately enroll in school and begin attending classes, even if you do not have the paperwork you would normally need for enrollment (such as birth certificate, transcript, or IEP) or you did not check-out from your previous school.
- Your previous school must send your education records to your new school after you enroll.
- You have the right to participate in any activities available at your new school, such as sports teams, tutoring, or after-school clubs, even if you miss a tryout or sign-up deadline.
- RIGHT TO PARTIAL CREDITS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
- If you change schools during the school year, you have a right to partial credits in all classes that you are passing when you leave your old school, even if you do not complete the entire class.
- After you change schools, your new school must accept the partial credits issued by your old school.
- After you change schools, you have the right to be enrolled in the same or similar classes you were enrolled in at your last school.
- You cannot be forced to retake a class or part of a class that you have already completed with a passing grade, if it would make you off-track for high school graduation.
- You have the right to take or retake any class that you need to go to a California State University or University of California.
- Your grade cannot be lowered because you were absent from school for a court hearing, placement change, or a court-related activity.
- GRADUATION RIGHTS
- You have the right to stay in high school for a fifth year to complete your school district graduation requirements, even if you are over 18.
- If you are behind on your credits, and you transferred schools after 10th grade, you may be eligible to graduate under AB 167/216 by completing only the state graduation requirements (130 credits in specific classes) instead of your school district’s requirements.
- If you are eligible, the decision of whether to graduate under AB 167/216 is made by your education rights holder.
- COLLEGE RIGHTS
- You have the right to have the application fee waived when you apply to a community college in California.
- You have the right to receive the maximum amount of federal student aid and you may be eligible for up to $5,000 per year from the Chafee scholarship.
- SCHOOL DISCIPLINE RIGHTS
- You cannot be suspended for more than 5 school days in a row or for more than 20 days in a school year.
- You have a right to be told why you are being suspended and the right to provide your version of events and evidence before you are suspended, unless there is an emergency. If the behavior for which you are being suspended could subject you to criminal charges, you should consult with your education rights holder or attorney before providing an oral or written statement to the school or police.
- Your attorney and social worker must be invited to a meeting before your suspension can be extended beyond 5 days and a suspension can only be extended if you are being considered for expulsion.
- You have a right to a formal hearing, and to be represented by an attorney at that hearing, before you are expelled.
- If you are facing a possible expulsion, your attorney and social worker must be notified. If you are in special education, your attorney and social worker must be invited to a meeting to decide whether your behavior was related to your disability.
- RIGHT TO YOUR SCHOOL RECORDS
- You have the right to access your school records if you are 16 years or older or have finished 10th grade.
- Your social worker/probation officer and education rights holder can access your school records as well.
Non-Education Rights
As a foster youth, you also have other rights that are not related to school, such as the right to see a doctor or to have private storage space. For more information, please see the Foster Youth Bill of Rights 
.
Education Rights Holders
Every foster youth under age 18 must have an education rights holder, who is required to make education decisions in the youth’s best interest. Foster youth who are 18 or older have the right to make their own education decisions. Your education rights holder may be your parent or legal guardian, your caregiver, or another person chosen by the court. Your education rights holder cannot be your social worker or probation officer, your attorney, or group home or school staff members. It is important to know who your education rights holder is. If you need information about who your education rights holder is, you can contact your social worker or attorney.
If you believe your education rights have been violated, you can file a complaint. The school has 60 days to investigate and give you a written response. For information about how to file a complaint, please visit the CDE Uniform Complaint Procedures or call the California Department of Education Integrated Student Support and Program Office at 916-319-0836.
Foster Youth Liaison Contact Information:
Isabell Gutierrez
661-746-8690
Flora Quitoriano
661-746-8691
McKinney-Vento Youth
PLEASE NOTE: If your living arrangement is both temporary and results from economic hardship, you may qualify for services under the McKinney-Vento Act. The purpose of this law is to provide academic stability for students whose families are in transition.
Don't hesitate to get in touch with the Shafter Healthy Start office at (661) 746-8690 if your family's living arrangement is temporary and fits into one of the following categories:
- You are temporarily living with friends or relatives or moving from place to place because you cannot currently afford your housing.
- You are living in a shelter.
- You are living in a motel or hotel.
- You live in a place not considered traditional "housing," like a car or a campground.
Children who qualify under McKinney-Vento have the right to:
- Remain in the school they were attending even if they lose their housing and become displaced outside of the school district. This choice must be reasonable and in the best interest of the children involved. Check with the District's McKinney-Vento Liaison if you are not sure.
- Attend the school assigned to the attendance area where they are being sheltered.
- Stay in this school for the school year if their family is forced to move to another temporary address because of economic hardship.
- Receive assistance with transportation to attend school while they are temporarily housed.
- Start school immediately while school staff assists in obtaining school immunization records or other documents necessary for enrollment.
- Enroll in school without having a permanent address.
- Receive Title I services, including free breakfast and lunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is McKinney-Vento?
The McKinney-Vento (MV) Homeless Assistance Act is a Federal law that provides support and resources for children whose families are experiencing homelessness to help ensure that they have an equal opportunity to succeed in school. Children who qualify for McKinney-Vento Services are guaranteed certain rights:
- To remain enrolled in their "school of origin" when feasible or attend the school assigned to the attendance area where they are currently living.
- To receive transportation to/from the school of origin when feasible.
Immediate school enrollment, even if unable to produce all necessary registration documents. - Automatic enrollment in FREE lunch.
- Access to resources and services.
- Challenge decisions made by school districts.
The McKinney-Vento Act was originally signed into law in 1987. It has been amended to address the growing and changing needs of this vulnerable population.
McKinney-Vento applies to all public and charter schools; it does not apply to private schools.
Who determines whether or not a student is eligible for McKinney-Vento services?
Every school district must designate a McKinney-Vento Liaison. The liaison can help ensure that homeless students are able to enroll so that they may succeed in school. McKinney-Vento Liaisons can also help connect the family with resources, if necessary. Most importantly, the McKinney-Vento Liaison ultimately determines if a student is eligible for McKinney-Vento services.
Who qualifies for services under the McKinney-Vento Act?
The law states that any child or youth who lacks "a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence" may qualify for McKinney-Vento services. This may include students who are:
- Living in a motel or hotel
- Living in a shelter (i.e., domestic violence shelter)
- Temporarily staying with friends or relatives due to economic reasons and/or loss of home (Please note: families who choose to live together and share housing do not qualify)
- Living in places not ordinarily used for sleeping (i.e., cars, parks, public places, abandoned buildings)
- "Unaccompanied youth" (youth who are on their own and not in the physical custody of a parent or legal guardian.
No. McKinney-Vento Program eligibility expires at the end of the qualifying school year. Everyone must reapply after July 1st to determine eligibility for the upcoming school year.
Do any special rules apply to Migrant or Immigrant students?
No. Public schools must serve all migrant and immigrant children and youth, which is true even if the family or student is undocumented. Migrant and immigrant children who fit into one of the homeless categories are covered under McKinney-Vento.
How does the McKinney-Vento Law define 'school of origin'?
'School of origin' includes either:
- The school the child attended during their last permanent residence, or
- The school in which the child was last enrolled
No. Students who qualify as McKinney-Vento eligible only have two options for school selection:
- School of Origin - (as defined above)
- School of Residency - the school, assigned to the attendance area where the student is currently living.
What if a McKinney-Vento student needs transportation to their 'school of origin'?
School districts must provide transportation for students who wish to remain in their school of origin, even if they move out of the district, as long as it is feasible and in the child's best interest. The McKinney-Vento Liaison can help set this up. School districts often use district school buses, vans, or other alternative transportation organized by the Liaison.
What if our family disagrees with a decision made by the school district?
In the event of a disagreement, the district has a Dispute Resolution Process in place. The student may enroll in school until the dispute is resolved. The McKinney-Vento Liaison can guide you through the Dispute Resolution Process.
Parent Education
The Parent Center offers school-to-home workshops, events, and meetings to educate parents with knowledge of developmental milestones and norms and how to advocate for their children.
Refer to the Parent Center of Schedule of Events below for a list of classes, workshops, and training available. A hard copy is located in our office.
Court Mandated Nurturing Parenting Classes are also available. Upon completion of the classes, a certificate of completion is provided
For more information contact:
Flora Quitoriano
Community Liason
(661) 746-8691 or [email protected]
Parent Center Schedule of Events
School Readiness Preschool
In partnership with First 5 Kern, center-based activities are provided for children ages 3 - 5 to prepare them for Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten. Students are provided with curriculum and supports in Student Social-Emotional Development, Language and Literacy, English Language Development, and Mathematics. Case Management services may also be provided for the School Readiness' students and their families.
Case-Management
The program provides general case management services for our School Readiness students and their families. These families are assigned a Family Advocate who makes home visits and develops case plans to promote self-sufficiency. The program also provides assistance with kindergarten enrollment and parent education.
For more information contact:
(661) 746-8694
Shafter Family Resource Center
Shafter Family Resource Center
(661)746-8690
Mission Statement:
To strengthen families by building bridges between schools and community to establish a concrete foundation for student success.
Goals:
- To improve school readiness for children 3-5 years old
- To eliminate barriers for student academic success
- To promote the welfare of children and their families
- To provide one-stop access to coordinated community programs and services
- To provide parent education
Programs include:
Walk-Ins
Shafter citizens who are in need of services such as food, clothing, housing, unemployment, referrals for legal assistance, help with completing documentation for Medi-Cal, CalFresh, Child Support, translation services or any other requests are welcome.
