Overview of McKinney-Vento

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is a federal law that ensures children and youth experiencing homelessness have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education as other students.

  • It removes barriers to school enrollment, attendance, and success.
  • It guarantees immediate enrollment, transportation, and support services.
  • It requires every school district to appoint a local liaison to coordinate services for homeless students.

Who is considered homeless under McKinney-Vento?Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including those who are:

  • sharing housing due to a loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason;
  • living in hotels, motels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to a lack of alternative adequate housing;
  • living in emergency or transitional shelters;
  • abandoned in hospitals;
  • living in a public or private place not designated for, or normally used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;
  • living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar places;
  • living in one of the above circumstances and who are migratory according to the definition in Section 1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [42 U.S.C. § 11434a(2)].
Individual Rights and Services under McKinney Vento

To remove barriers to education for children and youth experiencing homelessness, the McKinney-Vento Act guarantees the following rights and services:

  • Immediate enrollment and full participation in school, even without normally required records such as proof of residency, immunizations, or school records [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(3)(C)].
  • The right to remain in the school of origin (the school the student attended when permanently housed or last enrolled), when feasible and in the child’s or youth’s best interest [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(3)(A)].
  • Transportation to and from the school of origin [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(1)(J)(iii)].
  • Access to all programs and services, including: special education services, preschool programs, free school meals, Title I services, services for English learners, vocational/technical education, gifted and talented programs, before- and after-school care [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(4)].
  • Specific protections for unaccompanied youth (youth not in the custody of a parent or guardian), including immediate enrollment without proof of guardianship [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(3)(B)(iii); § 11432(g)(1)(H)(iii)].
  • The right to dispute an enrollment decision, with immediate admission to the school in which enrollment is sought while the dispute is resolved [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(3)(E)(i)].
  • A local homeless education liaison appointed in every district to ensure homeless children and youth are identified and given full, equal access to services needed to succeed [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(6)(A)].
School District Policies

School district policy JFABD: Admission of Homeless Students, works to ensure that each child of a homeless individual and each homeless youth has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as provided to other children and youths attending its schools.

Children awaiting foster care may also fall within this definition if they meet other criteria as set forth above. See also Board Policy JFABE: Education of Children in Foster Care.

HSD McKinney Vento Student Poster

HSD McKinney Vento Parent Poster

Liaison Role and Responsibilities

The district’s Homeless Liaison is the primary contact for families, school staff, and community partners.

Our district Homeless Liaison, Jennette Sanchez, is here to help. She:

  • Ensures homeless students are identified, immediately enrolled, and supported.
  • Coordinates with schools to provide transportation to the school of origin.
  • Works with families to connect them to local services (housing, social services, healthcare, etc.).
  • Collaborates with other districts to resolve transportation and records transfer issues.
  • Ensures students have access to programs and services, including Title I supports.

A comprehensive list of the duties of Homeless Liaison can be found in JFABD-R(4): District Liaison Appointment & Duties

For More Information

If you have questions or if you would like more information about McKinney-Vento and student support please contact Jennette Sanchez, Hopkinton School District McKinney-Vento Liaison, for a confidential conversation regarding your needs: jsanchez@sau66.org, (603) 746-5186 ext 2261.

The New Hampshire State Coordinator for Homeless Education, Christina Dotson, can be reached at (603) 271-3840 or through email at christina.dotson@doe.nh.gov