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Homeless & Unaccompanied Youth Services

The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children as "individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence." The purpose of this program is to ensure student success at school: academically, socially, emotionally and with their personal safety.

The act provides examples of children who would fall under this definition:

  • Children and youth sharing housing due to loss of housing, economic hardship or a similar reason
  • Children and youth living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds due to lack of alternative accommodations
  • Children and youth living in emergency or transitional shelters
  • Children and youth abandoned in hospitals
  • Children and youth whose primary nighttime residence is not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation (e.g. park benches, etc)
  • Children and youth living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations
  • Unaccompanied children and youth not living with their legal guardian(s)
  • Migratory children and youth living in any of the above situations
Under the McKinney-Vento Act, students:
  • May enroll in school immediately, even if they lack documents normally required for enrollment
  • Attend classes while the school gathers missing documents
  • May attend the school they were last enrolled in (school of origin), even if the child has been forced to relocate
  • Be provided with transportation to and from the school of origin
  • Receive all the same educational services other students receive
  • Participate in before and after school programs, even if the child cannot pay
  • Receive counseling if requested
  • Are entitled to free breakfast and lunch
  • Participate in special education, bilingual vocational and gifted programs if qualified
  • Receive school supplies as needed
  • Can qualify for extra academic support through Title I funding
  • Can qualify for an evaluation for any disabilities
 
How To Qualify For Services: 
  • Complete the Housing Questionnaire in the District's yearly on-line registration packet in Skyward
  • You may also contact your school counselor to inquire about services Contact the district's McKinney-Vento liaison, Jody Gustafson for additional assistance (509) (509) 246-1822