Rights of Homeless Children
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and subsequent amendments in 1990, 1994, 2001 and 2004 provide considerable protection for the educational needs of homeless children and youth in the United States. Subtitle B of Title VIII states that it is the policy of Congress that:
1. Homeless children and youth have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education as provided to other children and youth.
2. Residency requirements, practices or policies that may act as a barrier to enrollment will be revised to ensure that homeless children and youth are afforded the same free, appropriate public education as provided to other children and youth.
3. Homelessness alone should not be sufficient reason to separate students from the mainstream school environment.
4. Homeless children and youth should have access to the education and other services that such children and youth need to ensure that such children and youth have an opportunity to meet the same challenging state student performance standards to which all students are held.
School districts of each homeless child and youth are required to determine the child's best interest by either:
1. Continuing the child's education in the school of origin:
a. For the remainder of the academic year; or
b. In any case in which a family becomes homeless between academic years, for the following academic year; or
2. Enrolling the child in any school that non-homeless students who live in the attendance area in which the child or youth resides are eligible to attend.
For more information, please contact the homeless services coordinator, at 636.692.0460