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McKinney-Vento Act

McKinney-Vento Act

For Education of Homeless Children and Youth

 

Students write in notebooks at their desks in a classroom setting.

What is "McKinney-Vento?"

The McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Act provides a definition of homeless children and youths to be used by state and local educational agencies (LEAs). It defines homeless children and youths to be those who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. Under the larger umbrella of lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, the law also provides several examples of situations that meet the definition.

A group of diverse students stand in a line, smiling at the camera.

The examples include children and youths:

-sharing housing due to a loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; -living in hotels, motels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to a lack of alternative adequate housing -living in emergency or transitional shelters; -abandoned in hospitals; -living in a public or private place not designated for, or normally used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings; -living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar places; -living in one of the above circumstances and who are migratory according to the definition in Section 1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [42 U.S.C. § 11434a(2)].

Students write in notebooks at their desks in a classroom setting.

What is "McKinney-Vento?"

The McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Act provides a definition of homeless children and youths to be used by state and local educational agencies (LEAs). It defines homeless children and youths to be those who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. Under the larger umbrella of lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, the law also provides several examples of situations that meet the definition.

A group of diverse students stand in a line, smiling at the camera.

The examples include children and youths:

-sharing housing due to a loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; -living in hotels, motels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to a lack of alternative adequate housing -living in emergency or transitional shelters; -abandoned in hospitals; -living in a public or private place not designated for, or normally used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings; -living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar places; -living in one of the above circumstances and who are migratory according to the definition in Section 1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [42 U.S.C. § 11434a(2)].

  • If you qualify under the McKinney-Vento Act, you have the right to...

    • Go to public school for free and participate fully in school activities.
    • Enroll in school immediately and go to class, even if you don’t have the documents normally required for school. The school where you are enrolled is responsible for helping you get any documents needed to keep attending classes.
    • Enroll in the local school near where you’re staying or continue going to your school of origin (the school you went to when you last had a safe and stable place to live or the school where you were last enrolled), based on where you think would be best for you to go to school.   If the school district thinks that where you want to go to school is not in your best interest, the district has to tell you in writing why it thinks another school would be better for you and give you the opportunity to appeal its decision if you want to do that. The district also has to connect you with the McKinney-Vento district liaison, who has to help you understand your right to appeal. 
    • Get transportation to and from your school of origin, if you keep going to this school and ask for transportation.  
    • Get help at school that is similar to the help other students get, based on what you might need. These services could include transportation, academic help, and free meals at school.

    If you think you might qualify, contact the district McKinney-Vento local liaison or the McKinney-Vento state coordinator to find out what help might be available for you at school.

A bar graph shows the number of homeless students enrolled in Catawba County Schools from 2019-2024.

Additional Online Resources:

NCHEP WEBSITE

NORTH CAROLINA HOMELESS EDUCATION DATA

 

CCS Homeless Liaison

Blond woman in red blouse smiling

Maria Ballard
Director of Student Services
Email
828-464-8333

State Coordinator
Lisa Phillips
336-543-4285