Homeless Youth in Education
In 1987 President Reagan signed the McKinney-Vento Act into law. The McKinney-Vento Act is a federal mandate created to ensure students experiencing homelessness have the right to an equal and fair education. Stanislaus County Office of Education supports the McKinney-Vento Act by assisting school districts, families, and community agencies.
Definition
The McKinney-Vento Act defines the term homeless as any individual lacking a fixed, regular, adequate night-time residence.
If a family, child, or youth is living in one of the following (see examples below) please contact the district liaison to find out more information.
Examples:
- Hotel, Motel
- Trailer
- Vehicle
- Shelter
- Public Space
- Abandoned building
- Youth not in the care of a parent or guardian
- Living with another family due to financial reasons
- Any place not designated to live
What does fixed, regular, and adequate mean?
Fixed: Securely placed or fastened; Not subject to change or fluctuation. (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition.) A fixed residence is one that is stationary, permanent, and not subject to change.
Regular: Normal, standard; Constituted, conducted, or done in conformity with established or prescribed usages, rules, or discipline; Recurring, attending, or functioning at fixed or uniform intervals. (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition.) Consistent. (Ballentine’s Law Dictionary, 3rd Edition.) A regular residence is one which is used on a regular (i.e., nightly) basis.
Adequate: Sufficient for a specific requirement; Lawfully and reasonably sufficient. (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition.) Fully sufficient; Equal to what is required; Lawfully and reasonably sufficient. (Ballentine’s Law Dictionary, 3rd Edition.) An adequate residence is one that is sufficient for meeting both the physical and psychological needs typically met in home environments.
Adapted from migrationpoilcy.org
IS CALIFORNIA OUT OF REACH?
In California, the Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,699. In order to afford this level of rent and utilities - without paying more than 30% of income on housing - a household must earn $5,665 monthly or $67,976 annually. An employee earning minimum wage would have to work 119 hours per week or maintain three full-time jobs to afford a two-bedroom rental home. View the National Low Income Housing Coalition income and housing statistics for 2018 to see where California ranks nationally.
Stanislaus County School District Homeless Education Liaisons
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND INFORMATION
- Create a welcoming climate and build trust with all students.
- Help to identify and support homeless students.
- Be sensitive and understanding.
- Ensure that school and classroom policies and procedures, such as disciplinary policies, are fair to homeless students and do not negatively impact them because of their homelessness
- Learn more about the McKinney-Vento Act and connect with your local liaison.
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McKinney-Vento Homeless Liaison Toolkit - provides clear and specific explanations of the provisions of the McKinney-Vento Act and includes practices, procedures, and tools gathered from effective local homeless education programs.
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Local Homeless Education Liaisons: Understanding Their Role - provides information on the role of the local homeless education liaison, reviews the duties of the local liaison, and provides strategies for local liaisons to carry out their responsibilities.
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Education Liaison School Staff Resource Guide - provides guidance for school personnel in supporting homeless families, children and youth. Included are a summary of the requirements of the McKinney-Vento Act, state legislation, the role of the Homeless Liaison, and strategies for helping homeless students enroll in school, attend regularly, and succeed academically.
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Graduation Exemption Protocol for Students Experiencing Homelessness Students experiencing homelessness may be eligible for Graduation Exemption provisions of California Assembly Bill (AB)1806 if the student transferred schools after completing two years of high school.
Graduation Exemption Notification to Parent or Education Rights Holder
Graduation Exemption Form for McKinney-Vento Eligible Student -
Unaccompanied Youth Flowchart - a tool created by the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) which can serve, in general terms, to determine eligibility for McKinney-Vento services as an unaccompainied homeless student.
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Supporting Homeless Children and Youth with Disabilities Legislative Provisions of the McKinney-Vento Act for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
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Understanding Privacy Standards of Student Educational and Health Records An explanation of the relationship between FERPA and HIPAA and how these laws apply to records maintained and shared between schools and other agencies.
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Unaccompanied Youth Legislation Describes educational barriers and challenges faced by unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness, and provides strategies and provisions of current legislation
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McKinney-Vento Self-Declaration Form This form can be used by a parent, guardian or unaccompanied youth to declare residence status.
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CalFresh Application Information - CalFresh is a program for low-income families and individuals that meet certain income guidelines. CalFresh benefits help supplement your food budget and allow families and individuals to buy nutritious food.