MCKINNEY-VENTO HOMELESS ASSISTANCE ACT

The McKinney-Vento Act was originally authorized in 1987 and most recently re-authorized in December 2015 by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).  Everyone who is between the ages of 4 and 21 on September 1st of the school year and has not been expelled, has the right to attend school, even if they:

• Do not live with a parent or legal guardian
• Lives temporarily doubled up with friends or family due to loss of housing or economic hardship
• Sleeps in a shelter
• Sleeps in a campground, car, abandoned building, or other place not designated for, or ordinarily used as regular housing for people
• Lives in substandard housing (no electricity or water)
• Participates in a transitional housing program
• Does not have school records

SERVICES PROVIDED

The Federal McKinney-Vento Act and Texas State Law guarantee that if you meet eligibility requirements you may:

• Enroll in school even without records
• Continue to attend the school in which you were last enrolled, even if you have moved away from that school's attendance zone or district
• Receive transportation from your current residence back to your school of origin
• Qualify automatically for district free/reduced lunch and other district food programs
• Participate fully in all school activities and programs for which you are eligible; and
• Contact the district liaison to resolve any disputes that arise during the enrollment process

Resources

• Information for Parents of School Age-Youth(English)  https://www.theotx.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/m-v-h-flyer-parents_english_final_11.15.19_FINAL-s.pdf
• (Spanish)  https://www.theotx.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/m-v-h-flyer-parents-spanish_final_11.15.19_FINAL-s.pdf
• Information for School-Age Youth(English)  https://www.theotx.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/m-v-h-flyer-youth-english_11.15.19_FINAL-s.pdf
• (Spanish)  https://www.theotx.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/m-v-h-flyer-youth-spanish_11.15.19_FINAL-s.pdf
• Center for Transforming Lives https://www.transforminglives.org/
• National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth https://naehcy.org/
• National Center for Homeless Education  https://nche.ed.gov/
• Texas Homeless Network  https://www.thn.org/
• Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth  

https://tea.texas.gov/texas-schools/support-for-at-risk-schools-and-students/texas-education-for-homeless-children-and-youth-tehcy-program