Determining McKinney-Vento Eligibility

Identification at Enrollment

Residency questionnaires are one of the most helpful strategies for screening all potential students enrolling in a Local Education Agency (LEA). These questionnaires can be included in typical enrollment paperwork. If flagged as potentially McKinney-Vento eligible, those students or families should be referred to the LEA homeless liaison for further eligibility determinations. 

LEAs may use these samples or adapt them as needed.

• Early Childhood Residency Questionnaire

• School-age Residency Questionnaire (Digital PDF)

• Unaccompanied Youth Enrollment Form  (Digital PDF) -- Spanish Unaccompanied Youth Enrollment Form (Digital PDF)

Identification During the School Year

• Red Flags of Homelessness (PDF)

Effective eligibility determinations should:

• Focus on the student's current nighttime residence

• Be conducted on a case-by-case basis

• Consider the totality of circumstances

• Avoid assumptions based on income, appearance, or family composition

• Do not require specific documents to determine eligibility; consider the student's living situation and available information

• Respect family privacy and dignity throughout the process

Eligibility determinations should always be individualized and based upon the facts of the specific situation.

1. Confirm the student's current nighttime status.

2. Determine whether the living arrangement is fixed, regular, and adequate.

3. Gather additional information when necessary.

4. Review whether the living situation aligns with the qualifying circumstances under McKinney-Vento.

5. For doubled-up situations, evaluate whether the arrangement resulted from loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason.

6. Consider whether the arrangement is intended to be temporary or permanent.

7. Determine whether the student meets the definition of an unaccompanied youth.

8. Review all information and make an individualized determination.

9. Consult with the Region 2 Office when questions remain.

Eligibility determinations should be based on a review of the student's individual circumstances and all available information. In some cases, a single fact may significantly impact a determination. Liaisons should be sure to maintain documentation of all eligibility determinations. 

Resources for Documenting the Eligibility Determination Process

• McKinney-Vento Case Note Template (PDF)

• McKinney-Vento Determination Notes Template (PDF)

Resources for Eligibility Determinations

• Confirming Nighttime Residency Status (PDF)

• Determining McKinney-Vento Eligibility: Fixed, Regular, and Adequate (PDF)

• Determining Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Status Flowchart (PDF)

Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason is one of the most common living situations encountered by homeless liaisons. Doubled-up living arrangements require careful review because they do not automatically qualify or disqualify a student from McKinney-Vento eligibility.

Questions to consider include:

• Why is the family or youth sharing housing?

• Was there a loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar circumstance?

• Is the arrangement intended to be temporary or permanent?

• Is the housing fixed, regular, and adequate?

• Would the family or youth have alternative housing if this arrangement ended?

The goal is to determine whether the current living arrangement meets the requirements established under the McKinney-Vento Act.

Most eligibility determinations can be made through conversations with families, youth, and school personnel. Requesting documentation from the family may be helpful in some situations, but should not create barriers to enrollment or eligibility.

Documentation may include:

• Residency questionnaires

• Parent or youth statements

• Information from shelters or service providers

• School records

• Information voluntarily provided by families

• Other relevant information available to the district

• Observations by school staff or peers

Documentation Should Not Become a Barrier

Eligibility under the McKinney-Vento Act is not contingent upon a family or youth providing specific documentation regarding their housing situation. Districts cannot require documentation that may create barriers to identification, enrollment, or access to services.

Examples of documentation that cannot be required as a condition of determining eligibility include:

• Eviction notices 

• Court documents 

• Lease agreements 

• Notarized statements 

• Utility bills 

• Landlord statements 

• Shelter verification letters 

• Proof of government benefits 

• Other documents that may be unavailable to families and youth experiencing homelessness 

Eligibility determinations should be based on information gathered through conversations with the family, youth, school personnel, and other available sources when necessary. While families may voluntarily provide documentation to help explain their situation, districts may not require specific documents before making an eligibility determination.

Privacy and Confidentiality Considerations

Information regarding a student's living situation is sensitive and should be handled carefully.

Homeless liaisons must maintain confidentiality and protect student privacy throughout the eligibility determination process.

Best practices include:

• Understanding a student’s FERPA rights

• Limiting disclosure of housing information to staff with a legitimate educational interest

• Maintaining secure documentation

• Conducting conversations privately whenever possible

• Sharing only information necessary to support the student

Practices to Avoid

• Contacting landlords without consent

• Contacting neighbors or employers regarding housing status

• Conducting invasive surveillance

• Requiring unnecessary documentation

• Involving law enforcement unless safety concerns exist

Districts should also ensure compliance with FERPA (34 CFR Part 99) when collecting, maintaining, and sharing information regarding a student's housing status.

McKinney-Vento eligibility is based upon a student's current living situation and should be reviewed whenever circumstances change.

Students do not lose eligibility simply because time has passed. Rather, districts should periodically reassess whether the student continues to lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

Annual reviews and conversations with families can help ensure eligibility determinations remain accurate.

Liaisons are encouraged to utilize mid-year and/or end-of-year check-in forms to help with this process. Local Education Agencies may use these samples or adapt them as needed.

• Mid-year Check-in Letter -- Spanish Mid-year Check-in Letter

• Sample McKinney-Vento Reverification Letter -- Spanish Sample McKinney-Vento Reverification Letter

• Sample Written Explanation of Re-verification

Upon identification, McKinney-Vento eligible students and families must be informed of their rights under the Act. It's helpful to provide families with written resource materials outlining this information. Our office recommends providing families with a regional brochure, a Understanding MKV Rights: Information for Parents and Caregivers document, and any materials available for local resources in the community. 

Parents, guardians, and unaccompanied youth may dispute decisions regarding eligibility, enrollment, school selection, transportation, or services under the McKinney-Vento Act. When disagreements occur, districts must provide written notice explaining the basis for the decision and information regarding the right to appeal. If a dispute is initiated, the student must remain enrolled in the requested school and continue receiving all services for which they may be eligible while the dispute is being resolved. Additional information regarding Pennsylvania's dispute process is provided on PDE’s Dispute Resolution Process webpage.