Defining Homeless Children

The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children as "individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence" and includes children and youth who have a nighttime residence that is any of the following:

• In "doubled-up" situations, staying in the home of another person, relatives or friends, due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason
• Living in motels, hotels, parks, or campgrounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations
• Living in emergency, temporary or transitional shelters
• Have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as regular sleeping accommodations for human beings, such as living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar setting
• Youth not residing with legal parent or guardian in one of the above situations

This also includes youth from 18 through 21 years of age who may still be eligible for educational services in regular or special education who find themselves in the above housing situations.

Educational Rights of Students in Temporary or Transitional Housing situations

• The right to stay in their school (school of origin) even if they move out of the school district. Students can remain in their school until the end of the school year even if they find permanent housing.
• The right to immediate school enrollment and full participation in all school activities for eligible students, without proof of residency, immunization records, or other medical records, school records, or other documents
• The right to get transportation to their school of origin provided or arranged by the school district, or a joint effort between school districts
• The right to access all school services, including free meals, services for English language learners, special education, Title 1 services, vocational/technical education, and before - and after-school care, as needed.
• The right to have school enrollment disagreements settled quickly, and to attend their selected school while the disagreement is being settled
• The right to equal opportunity to meet the same high academic standards as all students

During the school year, students, parents, and guardians are encouraged to contact a McKinney-Vento liaison, should the following occur:

• homelessness
• changing circumstances
• needing resources

For more information, please contact:

Lisa Stempler

District McKinney-Vento Liaison

 603-966-1435 

Elizabeth Sculley, MSW

McKinney-Vento School Social Worker

Office: 603-966-2937 

Resources:

What you need to know to help your child in school

What you need to know to help your child in school - Spanish

Resource Toolkit for parents