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McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

In January 2002, Congress authorized the McKinney-Vento Assistance Act to support the educational needs of children and youth experiencing homelessness.  The federal law entitles children who "lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence" to a free, appropriate education and requires schools to remove barriers to their enrollment, attendance, and success in school.  The McKinney-Vento Program meets the needs of homeless students attending Watauga County Schools by addressing academic challenges and family issues affecting their success in school.

This definition includes the following situations:

  • Doubling Up - those who are sharing a residence with other people (friends or relatives) due to a loss in housing or hardship
  • Commercial Accommodations - those who are staying in a motel, hotel, or campground due to a loss in housing, fleeing violence, or a natural disaster
  • Emergency Shelter - those who are staying in a shelter (emergency or transitional)
  • Non-Sleeping Quarters - those who are staying in a car, park, public space, abandoned buildings, bus/train stations, or other areas not inherently made as an accommodation setting for human beings to sleep
  • Surrender or Abandonment to Emergency Personnel - those who have been abandoned or surrendered to the care of emergency personnel at hospitals, police stations, or fire departments.

If you have further questions about McKinney-Vento services, please contact your school social worker for further information and guidance.

North Carolina Homeless Education Program (NCHEP) Website

In Watauga County Schools, the school social workers meet with parents/guardians, or youth living without their parents/guardians, to determine if they are eligible for services under the McKinney-Vento Act. If you think you may be eligible, please reach out to your school's social worker to assess further.

Lauren Carter, LCSW- Valle Crucis (828)263-1821 & Blowing Rock (828)295-3204

Maria Osborne, MSW- Hardin Park (828)264-8481

Heather Holbrook, MSW- Cove Creek (828)297-2781 & Green Valley (828)264-3606

Jennifer Wandler, LCSW- Watauga High School (828)264-2407

Megan Langdon, MSW- Parkway (828)264-3032, Mabel (828)297-2512, & Bethel (828) 297-2240

If you require additional support or have further questions, please contact Megan Langdon, MSW, the district's McKinney-Vento Liaison, at (828) 264-3032 or langdonm@wataugaschools.org

Additionally, the NC Homeless Education Program State Coordinator, Lisa Phillips, can be reached at Lisa.Phillips@dpi.nc.gov

 

 

 

Enrollment

Enroll in school immediately, even if missing records and documents that are normally required for enrollment, such as proof of residency, academic records, birth certificate, or immunization records.  The receiving school shall immediately contact the school last attended by the child or youth to obtain relevant academic and other records.  Immediate enrollment is defined in the law as actively attending classes and participating fully in all school activities while the school gathers records.

Who is Eligible

The McKinney Vento Act contains a specific definition of homelessness that includes a broad array of inadequate living situations.

Examples of living situations that may qualify are:

  • Living with a friend, relative or other people.
  • Hotel or motel
  • Shelter or transitional housing
  • Car, park, or other public places
  • Campground, storage unit, abandoned buildings or other inadequate homes
  • Youth living on their own, runaway youth, or youth kicked out

Unaccompanied Youth

The term "unaccompanied youth" includes youth in homeless situations who are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.  A youth may also be unaccompanied but not homeless.  Please involve the school McKinney-Vento liaison to assist any youth with enrollment.

Youth without a parent should go to the local school and be immediately enrolled and referred to the McKinney-Vento Liaison for an assessment.

Unaccompanied Youth in transition include young people who:

  • Who have run away from home

  • Been thrown out of the home, and/or

  • Been abandoned by parents or guardians.

  • Left home for their own reasons

These young students are separated from their parents for a variety of reasons.  For most of these individuals, leaving home is a survival issue.  School may be the only safe and stable environment available to unaccompanied youth.  Yes unaccompanied youth often face unique barriers to enrolling and succeeding in school.  Without a parent or guardian to advocate for them and exercise parental rights, they are sometimes denied enrollment and remain out of school for extended periods. 

Dispute Resolution Process

If a parent, guardian, or youth disagrees with a determination regarding McKinney-Vento eligibility and/or school placement, a formal appeal process is available.  Each state is required to establish procedures to promptly resolve disputes related to the educational placement of students experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

If a student is found ineligible under McKinney-Vento or is assigned to a school other than the school of origin or the school requested by the parent, guardian, or youth, the Local Education Agency (LEA) must provide a written explanation of its decision.  This explanation must include information regarding the right to appeal the decision. 

Under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, students experiencing homelessness have the right to attend either:

  • The school of origin, if attendance is determined to be in the student's best interest, or
  • The school of residence (also referred to as the "home school").

The school of origin is defined as the school that the child or youth attends when permanently housed, or the school in which the child or youth was last enrolled.  The home school is any public school where non-homeless students residing in the same attendance area are eligible to attend.  The school of origin may include Title 1 preschool programs, special education preschools, and designated feeder schools (ESSA, 2016).

In the event of a dispute, the student must be immediately enrolled in the school requested by the parent, guardian, or youth and allowed to participate fully in all school activities while the dispute is being resolved.  If the final decision upholds the original determination, the student will be immediately transferred to the appropriate school placement.

The school must refer the student, parent, or guardian to the district McKinney-Vento liaison to facilitate the dispute resolution process in an efficient and timely manner.

 

School Year

     Number of students identified

2020-2021

21

2021-2022

36

2022-2023

39
2023-2024 88
2024-2025 171