Homeless

McKinney‐Vento/Homeless Education Information

Title IX‐Part A McKinney Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act‐Homeless Children and Youth 
All children have the right to a free, public education regardless of economic status or housing arrangement. If any of the following living descriptions apply to you or your student(s), they may be eligible for additional services provided by the district. 

Eligibility

The McKinney‐Vento Act defines “homeless children and youths” as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This includes children and youths who are: 

• Sharing housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason (sometimes referred to as “doubled up”)
• Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks or campgrounds due to lack of alternative adequate housing
• Living in emergency or transitional housing
• Children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus, or train stations
• Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances previously mentioned
• Unaccompanied youths living in circumstances previously mentioned (not in the physical custody of a parent or legal guardian)

Unaccompanied/Displaced Youth 

An unaccompanied or displaced youth is a homeless youth not residing with a parent or legal guardian. Some examples of situations that can lead to a homeless unaccompanied/dis-placed youth are as follows:

• Incarcerated parent
• Abandonment
• Parents’ deportation
• Parent(s) kicked the student out of the home
• Parent(s) deceased
• Parent(s) are homeless and the student must stay with someone else
• Students who are couch surfing

Unaccompanied/displaced youth have the right to stay at their school of origin and may qualify for college grants through the FAFSA.