McKinney-Vento Act (Homeless) Education program  

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act 

The first Federal law to directly impact the education of students experiencing homelessness was enacted in 1987 as part of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. 

Since its initial passage, the homeless education law has been reauthorized with stronger and more specific requirements for State educational agencies (SEAs) and LEAs to ensure the immediate enrollment, school stability, and academic support needed to increase the educational success of homeless children and youth.  The McKinney-Vento Act was most recently reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA). Under ESSA, homeless education is included in Title IX, Part A. 

The McKinney-Vento Definition of Homeless

Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (per Title IX, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act) defines homeless as follows:

The term “homeless children and youths”–

(A) means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (within the meaning of section 103(a)(1)); and
(B) includes–

• children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; or are abandoned in hospitals;* 

• children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings (within the meaning of section 103(a)(2)(C)); 

• children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and 

• migratory children (as such term is defined in section 1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described in clauses (i) through (iii).

*Per Title IX, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act, “awaiting foster care placement” was removed from the definition of homeless on December 10, 2016; the only exception to his removal is that “covered states” have until December 10, 2017 to remove “awaiting foster care placement” from their definition of homeless.

Need help? The school staff can help with school supplies, community resources, food, and other educational materials. Please ask for help at your school site or call the number listed here. 

At school seek support from the following: 

• Community School Coordinator

• Family and Community Engagement Specialist (FACES)

District McKinney-Vento Office 

• Office Phone: 714-999-7734

• District Office Address: 501 N Crescent Way, Anaheim, CA 92801

¿Necesitas ayuda? El personal de la escuela puede ayudar con útiles escolares, recursos comunitarios, alimentos y otros materiales educativos. Solicite ayuda en su escuela o llame al número añadido a continuación.

En la escuela busque el apoyo de las siguientes personas:

• Coordinador de escuela comunitaria

• Especialista en participación familiar y comunitaria (FACES)

Oficina del distrito McKinney-Vento

• Teléfono de la oficina: 714-999-7734

• Dirección de la oficina del distrito: 501 N Crescent Way, Anaheim, CA 92801