If you live in any of the following situations

If you/your family are living in any of the following situations:

  • In a shelter
  • In a motel or campground due to lack of an alternative adequate accomodation
  • In a car, park, adandoned building, or bus or train station
  • Doubled up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship   

Your school-age children may qualify for certain rights and protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Act.                                                                                                                                                                                         

What You Need to Know to Help Your Child in School:

If your family is in a temporary or inadequate living situation due to a loss of housing, your child might be eligible for certain educational rights and services.

Under the McKinney-Vento Act, children in homeless situations have the right to:

  • Go to school, not matter where they live or how long they have lived there.
  • Attend either the local school or the school of origin, if this is in their best interest; the school of origin is the school the child attened when he/she was permanently housed or the school in which the child was last enrolled.
  • Receive transportation to and from school of origin.
  • Enroll in school immediately, even if missing records and documents normally required for enrollment, such as birth certificate, proof of residence, previous school records, or immunization/medical records.
  •  Enroll, attend classes, and participate fully in all school activities while the school gathers records.
  • Have access to the same programs and services that are available to all other students, including transportation and supplemental educational services.
  • Attend school with children not experiencing homelessness; a school can not segregate a student because he or she is homeless.

For additional information contact NCHE (National Center for Homeless Education)
Toll-free Helpline: 800-308-2145 or Website:  http://www.serve.org/nche

NCHE can explain your child’s school rights and tell you how to contact the local liaison in your school district. The local liaison can help enroll your child in school and make sure that your child receives the help that he/she needs.