McKinney-Vento Act
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Improvements Act of 2001 (known as
the McKinney-Vento Act) was a reauthorization of the McKinney Homeless
Assistance Act, originally passed in 1987. McKinney-Vento introduced a
number of core changes and additional requirements that went into effect at
the beginning of the 2002-2003 school year. Because the act is so
comprehensive in its approach to providing educational services and support
to children and youth experiencing homelessness, it is imperative that every
district’s administrators have a thorough working knowledge of the
McKinney-Vento Act.
Likewise, district personnel--including administrators, teachers,
counselors, secretaries, enrollment clerks, and cafeteria workers--should
know and abide by what we call the three systemic best practices that
represent the foundation for educating students experiencing homelessness:
- Understand your target population.
- Commit to serving the highly mobile poor.
- Know the local, state, and federal laws and rules
The term “homeless” encompasses all people experiencing inadequate living
conditions due to the loss of housing because of economic hardship. Those in
homeless situations typically rely on doubled-up housing arrangements,
shelters, motels, cars, parks abandoned buildings, some migratory
situations, and so on.
- All students in these situations are considered eligible for
services under the Act.
- Every district must have at least one on-staff liaison to manage
homeless education.
- Students must be allowed to stay in their school of origin, if that
is in their best interest.
- Districts have responsibility for transporting students to their
school of origin.
- Students must be enrolled immediately and are not required to
provide school records, birth certificates, immunization records, or
other documentation.
