McKinney-Vento
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act defines homeless as anyone who lacks "a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence." This includes children and youth living in the following situations:
- shelters or transitional housing programs
- motels, hotels or weekly rate housing
- doubled up with friends or relatives because the family cannot find or afford housing
- abandoned buildings, public space, car or other inadequate accommodation
Students experiencing homelessness have certain rights provided by the McKinney-Vento Act:
- receive a free, appropriate public education
- enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment
- enroll in school and attend classes while the documents are gathered
- enroll in the local school; or continue in the last school attended (school of origin), if that is the guardian's preference and it is feasible
- receive transportation to and from school; if requested, for the duration of their homelessness
- receive free breakfast and lunch
- have disagreements about school placement decisions resolved quickly
- have support in seeking partial credit to increase credit recovery