McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance Act

Congress reauthorized the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to help people experiencing homelessness in January of 2015 (the act was originally passed in 1987).

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.
The term homeless children and youths mean individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act protects all students who do not have a fixed, regular, and adequate residence, such as students living in the following situations:

● Doubled-up housing with other families or friends due to hardship

● Runaway/homeless youth shelters (even if parents invite the youth home)

● Hotels or motels

● Shelters, including domestic violence shelters

Every charter school and LEA must designate a homeless education liaison/coordinator to assist families and school personnel in ensuring that students who are homeless can enroll and succeed in school. If your child is homeless, please contact the school’s McKinney-Vento liaison, using the form below or by calling, for an explanation of his/her educational rights.

You may also find information on the following websites:

● National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth

● National Center for Homeless Education at SERVE

● The North Carolina Homeless Education Program (NCHEP)

McKinney-Vento Liaison