Homeless/McKinney-Vento

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is federal law that defines "homeless children and youth" and provides rights and services to address their educational needs.:

• Definition

  The act defines homeless children and youth as people who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This includes people who: 

  • Share housing due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason 

  • Live in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds 

  • Live in emergency or transitional shelters 

  • Are abandoned in hospitals 

  • Live in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings 

• Rights and services

  The act provides rights and services to address the educational needs of homeless children and youth, including: 

  • Immediate enrollment and educational stability 

  • Transportation to and from school 

  • Access to services comparable to other students, including Title I services, educational programs for children with disabilities, and school nutrition programs 

  • Removal of barriers to accessing academic and extracurricular activities

For information on which students are eligible and the rights they have under McKinney-Vento, click here to view a Fact Sheet. If you have questions regarding homeless status and provision of educational services, please contact:

Josi Jacobs; Special Education Administrator and Homeless Liaison

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 309-473-3727.