McKinney-Vento Act

• The McKinney-Vento Act (42 U.S.C. § 11431 et seq.) is a federal law that addresses the needs of children and youth experiencing homelessness. The law defines homeless to include the following temporary living situations due to hardship:

  • Living with a friend, relative or other person

  • Hotel or motel

  • Shelter or transitional housing

  • Car, park or other public place

  • Campground or inadequate home

  • Youth living on their own, runaway youth or youth kicked out

• The McKinney-Vento Act addresses educational challenges created by homelessness and guarantees students the right to enroll, attend, and succeed in school. The law places the responsibility for guaranteeing the rights of students experiencing homelessness on states and school districts (NCHE, 2014).

• As a requirement of the federal law, all public school districts in the United States must appoint a liaison that will ensure compliance with the federal law.  In Wake County Public Schools, the McKinney-Vento program includes a District Liaison, Student Information Data Manager and school liaisons.

• The federal legislation is also included in Wake County Public School System's school board policies: 6200R&P, 6201, 6201R&P, 7105 and 7160.