The McKinney-Vento Act is a federal law developed to ensure immediate enrollment and educational stability for homeless children and youth. Every homeless youth has access to the same free, appropriate public education, including preschool education, as other children and youth. The law seeks to remove any barriers created by other laws, regulations, practices, and policies that might keep children experiencing homelessness from receiving the same educational experience. Students who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence are eligible for services guaranteed under the McKinney-Vento Act.
This provision includes children and youth who are:
- Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason (doubled-up)
- Living in motels, hotels, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative accommodations
- Living in emergency or transitional shelters
- Using a public or private place not designated for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation as a primary nighttime residence.
- Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus/train stations, or similar settings
Any services provided to students meeting the above criteria are also available to refugee or migratory children and youth in any of the above situations as well as youth not in the custody of any parent or guardian (unaccompanied youth).
Please contact the McKinney-Vento Liaison for more information on services provided by District 76:
Robyn Klipp
Director of Student Services
847-566-9221