Students Experiencing Homelessness
The federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act requires all school districts to ensure access to public education for children and youth experiencing homelessness and to ensure their success in school once enrolled.
The McKinney-Vento Act ensures the educational rights and protections of students who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence. This includes students who are:
- Living in emergency or transitional shelters;
- Sharing the housing of other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship;
- Living in motels, hotels or camping grounds due to the lack of an alternative adequate accommodation;
- Living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, bus or train stations, or similar settings.
Find Support!
Every local education agency (LEA) is required to designate a local homeless education liaison. The local liaison serves as one of the primary contacts between homeless families and school staff, district personnel, shelter workers, and other service providers.
Families of students experiencing homelessness should contact their district's local homeless education liaison for more information on the services and supports that may be available to them.
Families with children under age six experiencing homelessness should contact their local Head Start program for more information on the services and supports that may be available to them:
Additional Resources
- NCHE Homeless Education Helpline - The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) offers assistance with issues related to the education of children or youth experiencing homelessness.
ESSA Amendments to McKinney-Vento
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) has amended the Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. The amendments to EHCY went into effect on October 1, 2016. Please see the links below for guidance related to the ESSA amendments.
Further Information