What is Mckinney-Vento?
The McKinney-Vento Act is a federal law developed to ensure immediate enrollment and educational stability for homeless children and youth. Every homeless youth has access to the same free, appropriate public education, including preschool education, as other children and youth. The law seeks to remove any barriers created by other laws, regulations, practices, and policies that might keep children experiencing homelessness from receiving the same educational experience. Students who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence are eligible for services guaranteed under the McKinney-Vento Act.
This provision includes children and youth who are:
- Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason ("doubled up")
- Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative accommodations
- Living in emergency or transitional shelters
- Abandoned in hospitals
- Awaiting foster care placement
- Using a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation as a primary nighttime residence
- Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus/train stations, or similar settings
Any services provided to students meeting the above criteria are also available to refugee or migratory children and youth in any of the above situations as well as youth not in the custody of any parent or guardian (unaccompanied youth). Parents/guardians who feel they may be eligible for support provided through the McKinney-Vento Act should contact the our District 60 Homeless Liaisons.
McKinney Vento Documents
ISBE - Homeless Education
McKinney Vento Fact Sheet (English)
Mckinney Vento Fact Sheet (Spanish)
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