HOMELESS SERVICES

If your family is staying in a shelter, hotel, or temporarily with others because you’ve lost or cannot afford your own housing, we can help make sure your child has a stable and high-quality school experience.

Morris Area ISD #2769 is guided by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. This federal law provides homeless students with certain rights so they have access to opportunities that will help them meet the same high academic standards expected of all students in our district.

How is homelessness defined?

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act defines homelessness as children and youth "who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence."

This includes children and youth living in the following situations:

• shelters or transitional housing programs
• motels, hotels or weekly rate housing
• doubled up with friends or relatives because family cannot find or afford housing
• abandoned buildings, public space, car or other inadequate accommodation
• unaccompanied youth who are not in the care of a parent/guardian and living one of the situations above

How can Morris Area ISD #2769 help my child in school?

Students who experience homelessness have certain rights provided by the federal McKinney-Vento Act.

Eligible children and youth have the right to:

• Receive a free, appropriate public education
• Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment
• Enroll in school and attend classes while the documents are gathered
• Enroll in the local school; or continue at the last school attended, if that is the guardian's preference and it is feasible
• Receive transportation to and from school, if requested. Transportation could be provided by school bus, Type III school bus (certified vans, taxis, or cars) or city bus pass depending on the situation and grade level of the student.
• Receive free breakfast and lunch
• Have disagreements about school placement decisions resolved quickly

How can I access these rights and services?

The Homeless Liaison for homeless students and families at Morris Area ISD #2769 is Licensed School Counselor Tammy P. Roth. The Homeless Liaison will assist you with available resources and services, including school transportation. Contact her at 320-585-2007.