McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
Defining Homeless
The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children as "individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence." The act provides examples of children who would fall under this definition:
Children and youth sharing housing due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason
Children and youth living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds due to a lack of alternative accommodations
Children and youth living in emergency or transitional shelters or transitional housing (this generally includes a time limit on the housing assistance and case management by the housing agency)
Children and youth whose primary nighttime residence is not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation (e.g., park benches, etc.)
Children and youth living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations
Children and youth abandoned in hospitals
Migratory children and youth living in any of the above situations
Eligibility
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act makes certain provisions available for homeless students and defines homelessness as lacking “a fixed, regular, or adequate nighttime residence.” A student is considered homeless if he/she lacks any one of these three and lives…
in a shelter
in a motel
in a car, park, bus station, or other public space
in a campground or substandard house or trailer (no utilities, open to outside elements, pest infestation)
doubled up with another family on a temporary basis due to the loss of housing
as a youth unaccompanied by a parent or legal guardian
McKinney-Vento Rights for Students
Students who are experiencing homelessness have the right to…
enroll in their school of origin (school of attendance when a student became homeless), OR enroll in the school that is zoned for the area where they currently live. (NOTE: McKinney-Vento students do not have the option to choose any school in the District.)
enroll immediately and attend school, even if the student does not have the usual documents necessary for enrollment, including proof of residence or proof of guardian. (NOTE: Schools MUST permit homeless students to enroll without documents.)
McKinney-Vento Resources
Poster for parents: English / Spanish
