Congress reauthorized in January of 2002 the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Subtitle VII-B, originally passed in 1987 to help people experiencing homelessness. This federal law includes the Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program that entitles children who are homeless to a free, appropriate public education and requires schools to remove barriers to their enrollment, attendance, and success in school. This Act protects all students who do not have a fixed, regular and adequate residence, such as students living in the following situations:
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doubled-up housing with other families or friends due to hardship;
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runaway/homeless youth shelters (even if parents invite the youth home);
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hotels or motels;
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shelters, including domestic violence shelters;
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transitional housing shelters;
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cars, abandoned building parks, the streets or other public spaces;
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campgrounds or inadequate trailer homes;
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awaiting foster care placement; and/or
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abandoned in a hospital.
For more information, contact Vicki Toepper, homeless liaison, at (828) 455-4342, or e-mail her at Vicki_Toepper@catawbaschools.net