Do you live in any of the following situations?

• Staying with more than one family in a house or apartment due to loss of housing, economic

• hardship, or similar reason (doubled-up)

• In a shelter (family, domestic violence, or youth shelter or transitional living program)

• In a motel, hotel, or weekly rate housing

• In an abandoned building, in a car, bus station, at a campground or on the streets

• In housing that lacks electricity, water, heat, or proper structure

If yes, you may qualify for certain rights and protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Act.

Eligible children and youth have the right to:

• Enroll in school immediately and fully participate in school, even if unable to produce records

  normally required for enrollment (academic records, immunization/health records, proof of

  residency, or other documentation) or has missed application or enrollment deadlines.+
  

  
  

• Continue to attend the school in which the student was last enrolled (school of origin) even if you

  have moved away from the schools’ attendance area provided it is in the student’s best interest.

  (School of Origin means the school that a child or youth attended when permanently house or the

  school in which the child was last enrolled, including a preschool.)
  
  

• Receive a written explanation of any decisions related to school selection or enrollment made by

  the school that are not in agreement with the parents/guardians or unaccompanied youth

  including information on how to appeal the decision.

  
  

• Access the same educational services that are provided to other children, including special

  education, career and technical education, or other programs based on the needs of the student.
  

• Receive transportation to and from the school of origin if it is requested.
  
  

• Receive free school meals, transportation, assistance with school supplies, school uniforms,

  technology, textbooks, or other school-related needs.
  
  

• Extra support for youth who are on their own living away from their parents/guardians.
  
  

• Referrals to other needed services so the student can attend and participate fully in school.

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

Homeless students are those who lack a fixed, regular, adequate nighttime residence. This includes students who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship or similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals. The definition includes migratory students who live in the aforementioned situations. Beginning Dec. 10, 2016, “those awaiting foster care placement” are not included in the definition.

Additional Resources 

IDOE's McKinney-Vento: Homeless Children & Youth Program
Homeless students' rights

IDOE state coordinator contact information:

Charie Gibson, Homeless Education Specialist
317-232-0957
McKinneyVenotPOC@doe.in.gov