Re: Request for Documentation to Verify OCLA and IKC Students

Memo

To: All City Schools Principals

From: Jonathan Brice, Executive Director of Student Support and Safety

Date:December 31, 2018

Re: Request for documentation to verify OCLA and IKC students

The Office of Student Placement requests that Principals make sure School-based Enrollee and Withdrawal contacts provide the documentation needed to verify students placed in City Schools when the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) reside outside of Baltimore City or when the placement agency is outside of Baltimore City.

Our district fails to get reimbursed funds each year because of our negligence in providing the state with the requested documentationfor these two specific cases:

“Child in an Out-of-County Living Arrangement” refers to a child who is placed by a State agency, a licensed child placement agency as provided by §5-507 of the Family Law Article, or a court in a county other than where the child’s parent or legal guardian resides. “Child in an out-of-county living arrangement” does not include a child living with a relative, stepparent or a person exercising temporary care, custody or control over a child at request of a parent or guardian of the child.

For students in an Out-of-County Living Arrangement, the Office of Student Placement requires schools to submit:

1. Proof the child is in state-supervised care: a recent court order establishing legal custody AND a placement agency letter on letterhead stating the child is in state-supervised care (depending on information provided in the court order); and
2. Proof of residency of the child, which can be a letter from the placement agency verifying the address of the child’s resident and one of the following: gas, electric, water or telephone bill; rent receipt; bank statement; or verifiable lease agreement.

Informal KinshipCare(IKC) refers to a living arrangement in which a relative of a child, who is not the care, custody, or guardianship of the local department of social services, provides for the care and custody of the child due to a serious family hardship. The relative must provide care for the child 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For students under Informal Kinship Care, the Office of Student Placement requires schools to submit any verifying documentation of this circumstance, such as: a copy of the death certificate; medical documentation from a doctor; documentation from treatment provider or parent; documentation from legal system or detention center; notarized statements from all legal guardians; documentation from court, social services, etc.; ORa copy of military orders. Other forms of proof may be acceptable. The telephone number and address of any authority that is legally authorized to reveal information that can verify the affidavit statements should be provided, where possible.

For both of these cases, the Office of Student Placement will then use this information to reach out to the appropriate placement agency or student’s guardian and obtain whatever additional information is necessary. It is very important that you provide accurate contact information for these people.

NOTE:As of this school year, we are enforcing the policy that students in these circumstances are required to enroll through the Office of Student Placement. Schools are prohibited from enrolling these students on-site and must refer them to complete enrollment at the Office of Student Placement.

Please review both sides of the enclosed OCLA and IKC Fact sheets for further information. Also, see attached examples of the requested documents (e.g. court orders and placement agency letters). We are asking that you:

1. Complete the coversheet attached (even if you have no OCLA/IKC students to report, so we can verify that your school has done their due diligence); add rows for students if necessary.
2. Print two copies, one for your records and the other to send with the requested documents; and
3. Send a copy of the coversheet and requested documentation to Ernest Miles and Justin Harper in the Office of Student Placement (via interoffice mail) on or before the close of business on Wednesday, November 24, 2010.

If there are any questions regarding this request, please feel free to contact Ernest Miles or Justin Harper at 410-396-8600.

Thank you for your cooperation.