Homeless Rights Information
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR MCKINNEY-VENTO SERVICES?
The federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act defines eligibility to include children and youth:
Who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; and
Includes -
Children and youth who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason (commonly referred to as “doubled up”); are living in motels, hotels, trailers parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or children displaced by a natural disasters (case-by-case-basis);
Children and youth 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;
Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and
Migratory children who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described in clauses (a) through (c).
HOMELESS CHILDS’ RIGHT TO EDUCATION
When a child loses permanent housing and becomes a homeless person as defined by law, or when a homeless child changes his or her temporary living arrangements, the parent or guardian of the homeless child has the option of either:
Continuing the child's education in the school of origin for as long as the child remains homeless or, if the child becomes permanently housed, until the end of the academic year during which the housing is acquired; or
Enrolling the child in any school that non-homeless students who live in the attendance area in which the child or youth is actually living are eligible to attend.
AVAILABLE SERVICES
Tutoring or supplemental instructional support
Expedited evaluations or testing
Free lunch
Referrals for medical, dental and other health services
Transportation if needed and/or qualify
Early childhood education programs if needed and/or qualify
Obtaining or transferring records necessary for enrollment
Parent education related to rights and resources
Coordination between schools and service agencies
Comparable services and participation in all school activities
School supplies
Counseling and referrals for domestic violence issues
Needs a student may have due to domestic violence
Emergency assistance to enable student to attend school
Homeless Liaison: Tessa Cantrill
Email: tessa.cantrill@bccu2.org
Student Services Coordinator: Terry Swalley
Email: tswalley@bccu2.org
618-618-5004
Resources available in Bond and surrounding counties
Bond County CUSD #2 provides services and assistance according to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act.