Project Hope
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

Before schools can be certain they are complying with legislation related to educating students experiencing homelessness, they must understand who can be considered homeless. The McKinney-Vento Act (Sec. 725) defines "homeless children and youths" (school-aged and younger) as: 

• Children and youths who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including children and youth who are:  
  • Sharing the housing of other persons temporarily due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason. 
  • Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate accommodation. 
  • Living in emergency or transitional shelters. 
  • Abandoned in hospitals. 
  • Awaiting Foster Care placement. 
  • Children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, regular sleeping accommodations. 
  • Children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings. 
  • Migratory Children who qualify as homeless because they are living in the circumstances described above 
  • The term unaccompanied youth includes a youth, not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian. This will include runaways living in runaway shelters, abandoned buildings, cars, on the streets, or in other inadequate housing; children and youths denied housing by their families; and school-age unwed mothers living in homes for unwed mothers because they have no other housing available. 

In determining whether or not a child or youth is experiencing homelessness, consider the relative permanence of living arrangements. Determination of homelessness should be made on a case-by-case basis. 

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

The education provisions of the Mckinney-Vento Act, which are now incorporated with Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to ensure educational rights and protection for children and youth experiencing homelessness. The law directly applies to homeless unaccompanied youth who also receive some special attention within the Act. 

McKinney-Vento Liaison, Martha Gonzales, 512-278-4099, martha.gonzales@manorisd.net                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Whole Child Resource Guide

Guia De Recursos en Español