School districts typically enroll homeless children in regular schools, as required by federal law. But homeless advocate Pamela Atkinson, who is working with Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. on relief efforts, says there is nothing typical about this situation. She wants an exception to the law, and will ask Utah Sens. Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett to request one from the U.S. Department of Education.

Plans call for the refugees to be housed initially at Camp Williams, a National Guard training site 26 miles south of Salt Lake City, and within the boundaries of the Jordan and Alpine school districts. Atkinson said she is impressed with the living space and recreational amenities at Camp Williams, and with its classrooms. She wants a school at the camp, where children can be taught near their families, counselors and health-care professionals.

"We don't want to bus the children off-site," Atkinson said. "I feel strongly in terms of the stress these children have gone through that to put them in another new situation would not be desirable at first. Maybe later it would be - we just don't know."

Kreig Kelley, who directs education of homeless children for the Utah State Office of Education, said that's not how it's being done elsewhere.

"It's completely against the law to segregate these kids in any way," said Kelley, "and we've had e-mails from school officials in Texas [where other refugees are being sent] who say they are following the law."

Kelley says he called the U.S. Department of Education, and was told to follow the McKinney-Vento law until further notice.

"So that's what we're doing," Kelley said.

The McKinney-Vento Act, first enacted in 1987, guarantees homeless children the right to the same quality of education other children have, and specifies that they should not be separated from other students.

Whether students are mainstreamed into schools or taught at Camp Williams, the Jordan School District is ready, said Cal Evans, the district's director for compliance and special programs.

"Our plan is to educate [refugees] in the same way we do the other 1,800 children in our district who are homeless - that is, that we have them attend schools with everybody else, just like any other kid. But if there are a number of kids in a central location, we're prepared to serve them."

Evans said he is working with liaisons from Alpine, Granite, Davis and Murray districts who will help with the settling process for any refugee children who come to Camp Williams. Eventually, families taking refuge at Camp Williams might be sheltered in the homes of Utah families, Evans said.

The law:

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ensures educational rights for homeless students by stating that:

* Homeless students have the same opportunity to meet state academic achievement standards all students are expected to meet.

* Homeless students may enroll in any public school that students living in the same attendance area are eligible to attend.

* Districts must enroll homeless students immediately, whether or not they have birth certificates or school and immunization records.

* States that receive McKinney-Vento Act assistance are prohibited from segregating homeless students in separate schools, separate programs within schools, or separate settings within schools. (Exceptions exist for three counties in California and one in Arizona.)