McKinney-Vento
- Assistance for Homeless Students and Families
Definition of Homeless (McKinney-Vento)
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, as reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), defines “homeless
children and youth” (school age and younger) as: Children and youth who
lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including children and
youth who are residing in the following situations due to a due to loss of
housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason.
·
Doubled up with relatives, friends, or
strangers;
·
Living in emergency or transitional
shelters
·
Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks,
camping grounds, or abandoned in hospitals
·
Living in cars, parks, public spaces, bus
or train stations, or abandoned buildings
·
Having a primary nighttime residence that
is substandard, or a public/private place not designed for or ordinarily used
as a regular sleeping accommodations due to the lack of alternative adequate
accommodations
·
Migratory children or youth living in
circumstances described above; and/or
·
Unaccompanied youth, meaning youth not in
the physical custody of a parent or guardian, such as runaways and youth denied
housing by their families (sometimes referred to as “throwaway” children and
youth)
What do families need to know?
·
Children and youth experiencing
homelessness have a right to attend school.
·
You do not need a permanent address to
enroll your child in school.
·
Children and youth experiencing
homelessness can stay in their school of origin or enroll in any public school
that students living in the same attendance zone are eligible to attend,
whichever circumstance proves to be in the student’s best interest.
·
The Liaison must provide you with a
written explanation if a placement or eligibility dispute occurs. Contact your
local Homeless Liaison for assistance in handling a dispute.
·
Your child cannot be denied school
enrollment because school records or other enrollment documentation are not
immediately available.
·
Your child may have the right to
transportation services to and from the school of origin if determined in their
best interest.
·
Your child has the right to participate
in extracurricular activities and all federal, state, or local programs for
which he/she is eligible.
·
Unaccompanied youth have these same
rights. (Contact your local Homeless Liaison.)
· McKinney-Vento
status provides stability at the school for the duration of the school year. If
housing instability continues beyond that school year, you must apply for
requalification the following school year.
Legal Reference: The
McKinney-Vento Assistance Act (42 U.S. C. 11431 et seq.) at Subtitle B of title
VII. (Reauthorized 2002).
IDOE's
McKinney-Vento: Homeless Children & Youth Program
Marshall
County Resources:
· United
Way of Marshall County
· Marshall
County Neighborhood Center
State
Resources:
Federal
Resources:
Argos
Community Schools’ McKinney-Vento Liaison:
Mrs.
Megan Huys
(574)
892-5137
IDOE
McKinney-Vento Coordinator:
Ms. Flora Jones, Director of Student Pathways &
Opportunities/Homeless Education Specialist
(317) 232-0957
McKinney-Vento
Bulletins and News
https://nche.ed.gov/legislation/mckinney-vento/
https://nche.ed.gov/downloads/
https://nche.ed.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/NCHE-Brochure-ENG.pdf
https://schoolhouseconnection.org/news-and-updates/newsletters/