In January of 2002, Congress authorized the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to help people experiencing homelessness, which includes those who are: sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; staying in motels, trailer parks, or camp grounds due to the lack of an adequate alternative; staying in shelters or transitional housing; or sleeping in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, or similar settings.

• The McKinney-Vento law provides certain protections and supports to students who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence due to economic reasons or specific crisis situations.

• Students experiencing homelessness and their families are entitled to critical support services to help provide stability and assistance during a challenging time. School social workers help to eliminate barriers to academic success by providing counseling support, school-based and community resources and assistance with referrals to meet basic needs to minimize the harmful effects of homelessness. Additionally, school social workers ensure that the services provided to these students meet federal compliance guidelines.

• Click Here for the CMS McKinney-Vento Services page.

• If you are struggling with a housing crisis (i.e., you live in a motel or shelter, are living in someone else’s home, on the street, etc.), please contact your school social worker.

In order to be considered for the MCV program at Butler an assessment is completed with the MCV Liaison, Caroline Corzine (phone: 980.343.6300, e-mail: caroline1.corzine@cms.k12.nc.us ) to determine eligibility. This is completed with the parent and the child. Eligibility is determined each school year and is not guaranteed.

Who is Eligible:

Examples of living situations that may qualify include, but are not limited to:

• Living with a friend, relative or other person/family because of a loss of housing or economic hardship

• Staying in a motel or hotel because of a loss of housing, fleeing domestic violence, or natural disaster

• Living in an emergency shelter, transitional housing or domestic violence shelter

• Living in a car, park or public place, abandoned building or bus station

• Living temporarily in substandard housing

• Living in a campground or an inadequate trailer home

• Living in a runaway or homeless youth shelter; run away youth

• Youth living on their own, even if their families want them to come home

Goals of the MCV Social Worker:

• Assist with displacement of a student, or entire families

• Assists when there is a change in your living situation

• Assists with coordinating transportation to and from school via CMS transportation, providing access to free breakfast and lunch

• Help provide food, clothing, community resource assistance and additional support, if needed to you and your family all year.

Getting Help:

• If you, your family, or a classmate is displaced-I can assist with ensuring that you or your friend can remain at your current school and receive access to community supports..

• If you or someone you know has had to recently move, is living with a friend or is displaced, please notify Mrs. Corzine MCV Worker via e-mail at: caroline1.corzine@cms.k12.nc.us

• Ms. Sonia Jenkins is the McKinney Vento Specialist for CMS Schools. If you need to contact her email her at mcv@cms.k12.nc.us