McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements Act

The McKinney-Vento Act is the federal law reauthorizing the Stewart B. McKinney Act that governs the education of children and youth in homeless situations. This act was signed into law in January 2002, and was effective July 1, 2002.

Texas Education Code

In response to the federal legislation, Texas has its own state laws that, in conjunction with the McKinney Act, preserve the rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness and govern their admission to and attendance in school.

Subtitle B -Education for Homeless Children and Youths

1. The term ‘homeless children and youths’ –
2. means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (within the meaning of section 103(a)(1)); and
   includes –
   1. children and youths 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 camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement;
   2. children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings (within the meaning of section 103(a)(2)(C));
   3. children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and
   4. migratory children (as such term is defined in section 1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described in clauses (i) through (iii).

McKinney-Vento Dispute Resolution Process

Services Provided by the Canyon ISD Homeless Liaison

Every Local Educational Agency (LEA), otherwise known as school district, must designate an appropriate staff person as a liaison for students in homeless situations.

Liaisons must ensure the following:

• Children and youth in homeless situations are identified by school personnel and through coordination activities with other entities and agencies.
• Students enroll in, and have full and equal opportunity to succeed in, the schools of the LEA
• Families, children and youth receive educational services for which they are eligible, including Head Start, Even Start and pre-school programs administered by the LEA, and referrals to health, mental health, dental and other appropriate services.
• Parents or guardians are informed of educational and related opportunities available to their children and are provided with meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children.
• Public notice of the educational rights of students in homeless situations is disseminated where children and youth receive services under the Act.
• Enrollment disputes are mediated in accordance with the Enrollment Disputes section of the McKinney-Vento Act.
• Parents and guardians and unaccompanied youth are fully informed of all transportation services, including to the school of origin, and are assisted in accessing transportation services.
• Liaisons must assist children and youth who do not have immunizations or immunization or medical records to obtain necessary immunizations or immunization or medical records.
• Liaisons must help unaccompanied youth choose and enroll in a school, after considering the youths’ wishes, and provide youth with notice of their right to appeal an enrollment decision that is not their choice.
• Liaisons must ensure that unaccompanied youth are immediately enrolled in school pending resolution of disputes that might arise over school enrollment or placement.
• The school selected shall immediately enroll the child/youth in school, even if the child or youth lacks records normally required for enrollment, such as previous academic records, medical records, proof of residency, or other documentation.

Canyon ISD Homeless Liaison Contact: Tina Finke at tina.finke@canyonisd.net or 806-677-2538

Local Community Resources

Information for Parents of School-Age Youth

Información para Padres de Jóvenes en Edad Escolar

Information for School-Age Youth

Información para Jóvenes en Edad Escolar