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Center for Families in Transition

Center for Families in Transition ( C-FIT)

At RPS, we love you here.

You’re never alone at RPS. We offer a number of resources and supports for families in transition, students in foster care, and those facing other challenges. 

When families are facing instability, RPS strives to find supports and create continuity. In 2024-25, nearly 1,000 families reached out to our Center for Families in Transition (C-FIT), which helps parents and caregivers connect to resources, including housing. Students experiencing homelessness or housing instability are legally entitled to support and resources under the McKinney Vento Assistance Act, including the right to stay at their school of origin.

McKinney Vento also offers a number of services to youth in foster care, including casework support, to provide as much educational stability as possible. C-FIT also works to support and advocate for students in foster care.

Finally, our C-FIT team provides a number of resources and supplies to families who may need them. These include mattresses, bedding and towels, hygiene supplies, and household goods such as paper towels and toilet paper. Finally, many of our schools have in-house pantries, washer and dryers, showers, and other family supports. Please reach out to the C-FIT team to be connected and learn more. 

C-FIT is here to support our students and families in transition including:

  • Students experiencing housing instability and homelessness.
  • Students experiencing foster care.
  • Students living with kinship caregivers/ non-guardian family members and unaccompanied youth.

If you are experiencing housing instability and have a student in RPS, or are a student in RPS, complete the online McKinney-Vento Screening Form and an RPS staff will contact you to determine eligibility, and connect you to helpful resources: 

McKinney-Vento screening form 

If your student is already eligible for McKinney-Vento protections, update your address using this form:

Contact Change Form 

To make an appointment in our office, please contact us at (804) 780-6288 or cfit@rvaschools.net for scheduling.  

McKinney-Vento

  • McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, ensures that children and youth experiencing homelessness have full and equal access to an appropriate public education and experience.

  • A student is considered to be experiencing homelessness if he or she lacks a fixed, regular and adequate night-time residence, and is:

    • living in a motel, hotel, campground, trailer park, car, public space, abandoned building, substandard housing due to lack of alternative adequate housing;
    • living in an emergency or transitional shelter;
    • sharing housing with relatives or others due to loss of housing or economic hardship;
    • living in a car, park, public place not meant for habitation;
    • a youth not living in the physical custody of a parent or legal guardian due to incarceration or death of parent, or because the youth has run away;
    • classified migratory and living in circumstances which or not a fixed, regular and adequate night-time residence.

    • Immediate school enrollment in the zone school and full participation in all school activities, even when required records for enrollment are not available
    • Right to remain in the school of origin (Current/last school attended, or where they were attending at the time housing was lost)
    • Transportation to and from the school of origin
    • Rights and protections for unaccompanied youth (youth who are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian) who are experiencing homelessness, including allowing them to be immediately enrolled without proof of guardianship;
    • Right to dispute an enrollment decision and for a child or youth to be admitted to the school in which enrollment is sought, pending the resolution of the dispute.

C-FIT Resource Hub

  • To connect to the office to receive resource support please contact us at (804) 780-6288 or cfit@rvaschools.net.

  •  

     

    • Shared Housing Form (Formerly Multifamily Disclosure Form) (English) / (Spanish)
      This form is used to verify residence for a student residing in a shared-housing situation NOT due to loss of housing or economic hardship. - Updated July 2020
       
    • Kinship Care Form (English) / (Spanish)
      This form is used to verify a student's caregiver when the student is living with a family member who is not their legal gaurdian. - Updated June 2019
       
    • McKinney-Vento Dispute - School Selection/Enrollment - BID 
      Dispute resolution process / best interest determination process for school selection or enrollment of student eligible for McKinney-Vento services.
       
    • McKinney-Vento Dispute - Eligibility 
      Dispute resolution process for eligibility for McKinney-Vento services. - Updated May 2019

  • Resources for Educational Stability & Support. Project HOPE-Virginia connects liaisons, families, educators, and community partners to essential resources. 
     

    Project Hope Virginia

How can I help?

    • Air mattress
    • Toilet paper/paper towels
    • Laundry detergent
    • All purpose cleaner
    • Sponge/wash rag
    • Dish soap
    • Can opener
    • New Pillows
    • New/like new blankets, sheets
    • Crock pots

    • Comb/brush (new)
    • Soap/body wash (new full or travel size)
    • Shampoo & conditioner (new full or travel size)
    • Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, mouthwash (new full or travel size)
    • Deodorant (new full or travel size)
    • Personal hygiene products
    • Towels & wash cloths

    If you are interested in donating items to the office please contact us at (804) 780-6288 or cfit@rvaschools.net.

  • We need volunteer support to:

    • Organize our resource room and clothing closet
    • Deliver groceries and needed items to families
    • Deliver large items like furniture to families

    If you are interested in volunteering or donating please email cfit@rvaschools.net.

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