Homeless Education

Terminology

Under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, homeless children and youth are defined as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. Many eligible children, youth, and families may not identify themselves as experiencing homelessness.

A child or youth may qualify for services under the McKinney-Vento Act if they are living in any of the following situations:

• Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar circumstance.
• Living in a motel, hotel, trailer park, or emergency or transitional shelter.
• Staying in a public or private place that is not designed or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for people.
• Living in a car, park, public space, abandoned building, substandard housing, bus or train station, or another similar setting.
• Migratory children who are living in any of the circumstances described above.

Know Your Rights

Students who are experiencing homelessness are also granted special rights under the act. As a homeless youth, you have the right to:

• School Stability: To remain enrolled in, and be transported to a student’s School of Origin when feasible, even if a student moves outside of the district. (‘School of Origin’ means the school last attended when permanently housed, or the school in which the child or youth was last enrolled).
• Immediate Enrollment: To be enrolled immediately (even without medical or school records) in the neighborhood school.
• Assistance with Barriers: To have barriers addressed so that they can participate in athletics, field trips, and after school activities (this could include having certain school fees waived). Parents or guardians should contact school staff for help.
• Academic Support: To ask for academic support if a student is struggling with classwork. Parents or guardians should contact school staff for assistance.
• Transportation Assistance: To ask for transportation support if a student is at risk of missing school. Parents or guardians should contact school staff for assistance. Homeless Liaisons can work with parents to problem-solve transportation challenges.
• Dispute Resolution: To use the school district’s Dispute Resolution Process to appeal a school’s decision when there is a disagreement about school selection or enrollment.