The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act ensures homeless children have access to, receive, or continue to receive the same educational resources of their peers.
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act (42 U.S.C. 11434A) defines homeless as children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, and includes:
children who share housing with others due to loss of housing or economic hardship;
children living in motels, trailer parks, or campgrounds due to a lack of alternative accommodations; and
children living in emergency or transitional shelters or abandoned in hospitals.
It also includes children whose primary nighttime residence is not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation such as cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and migratory children who may live in similar circumstances.
Under McKinney-Vento, eligible children have the right to receive a free and appropriate public school education. They may enroll in school immediately, even when lacking the documents normally required for enrollment, and may attend classes while the school gathers the required documents. Homeless students may also receive transportation to and from their school of origin upon request, and receive all educational services provided to other students, according to the child’s needs.
Homeless students may enroll in their current, local school or continue attending their school of origin (the school in which they were enrolled while permanently housed or the school they were last enrolled in), whichever is preferred and most feasible. If a school district believes the selected school is not in the best interest of your child(ren), that district must provide you with a written explanation of its position and inform you of your right to appeal its decision.
If you have questions regarding services under McKinney-Vento, you may contact our distinct liaison or the state director for homeless education.
Alexis Clermont, M.Ed
State Director for Homeless Education
1535 W. Jefferson, Bin#2
Phoenix, AZ 85007
602-542-4963
Sheree Norris
District Local Liaison
1007 Hancock Rd.
Bullhead City, AZ 86442
928-758-3961, ext. 1026