Students' Rights and Services ~ Homeless Resources ~ McKinney-Vento Federal Act
The McKinney-Vento Assistance Act can help provide school stability for children and youth who do not have a permanent home or address.
For more information about your rights and services, please email or call the school liaison list below and review the linked resources.
McKinney-Vento Liaison for MVCSC: Chris Smedley
Telephone: 317-485-3100
E-mail: chris.smedley@mvcsc.k12.in.us
Do you have uncertain Housing?
A temporary address?
No permanent physical address?
Resources:
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IDOE - McKinney-Vento: Homeless Children & Youth Program website also known as the Indiana Center for Homeless Education
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IDOE provides support to Indiana’s schools, teachers, students, and parents. IDOE state coordinators’ contact information: Flora Jones, Director of Student Pathways & Opportunities and Charie Gibson, Homeless Education Specialist, 317-232-0957, McKinneyVentoPOC@doe.in.gov
- National Center for Homeless Education operates the U.S. Department of Education’s technical assistance and information center for the federal Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Program.
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John Burton Advocates for Youth works in three areas: education, housing, and health.
- Rental Assistance: US Department of Housing and Urban Development Rental Assistance
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. Please contact the school's McKinney-Vento Liaison shared above.
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 is 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.