McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance
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McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
The Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program is authorized under Title VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.) (McKinney-Vento Act). The McKinney-Vento Act was originally authorized in 1987 and most recently reauthorized in December 2015 by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). 1 The McKinney-Vento Act is designed to address the challenges that homeless children and youths have faced in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school.
Under the McKinney-Vento Act, State educational agencies (SEAs) must ensure that each homeless child and youth has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including public preschool education, as other children and youths. Homeless children and youths must have access to the educational and related services that they need to enable them to meet the same challenging State academic standards to which all students are held. In addition, homeless students may not be separated from the mainstream school environment. 3 SEAs and local educational agencies (LEAs) are required to review and undertake steps to revise laws, regulations, practices, or policies that may act as barriers to the identification, enrollment, attendance or success in the school of homeless children and youths.
Definition of Homeless (McKinney-Vento Act Sec. 725(2); 42 U.S.C 11435(2)): Children who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence:
"Double up"- Sharing the housing of others due to the loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reasons.
Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds, due to lack of adequate alternative accommodations.
Living in emergency or transitional shelters.
Living in a public or private place not designed for humans to live.
Migratory children living in above circumstances.
Living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings.
Unaccompanied Youth - Children or youth who meets the definition of homeless and not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.
Residency and Educational Rights:
Students who are in temporary, inadequate and homeless living situations have the following rights in Triad Community Schools:
Immediate enrollment in the school they last attended or the school in whose attendance area they are currently staying even if they do not have all of the documents normally required at the time of enrollment;
Access to free meals and textbooks, Title 1 and other educational programs and other comparable services including transportation.
Attendance in the same classes and activities that students in other living situations also participate in without fear of being separated or treated differently due to their housing situations.
DISTRICT LIAISON
Please contact Triad Community Schools McKinney-Vento district liaison and/or the liaison at your
child's school for more information or to report a homeless student situation.
Renee Voegele
Assistant Superintendent & District Liaison
618-667-5400 x1206
REGIONAL LIAISON
Timothy A. Rhymer
ROE 41 Homeless Coordinator & Regional Liaison
618-296-6455