Education of Homeless Children and Youth

The Napavine School District supports students as required by the McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Assistance Act. Our program strives to ensure that students experiencing homelessness are able to enroll as quickly as possible, and that they have the same access to educational opportunities as non-homeless students. Here you can find resources on how students can gain assistance.

McKinney-Vento

The McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Assistance Act is a federal law that ensures immediate enrollment and educational stability for homeless children and youth. McKinney-Vento provides federal funding to states for the purpose of supporting district programs that serve homeless students. McKinney-Vento Act

Defining Homeless

The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children as "individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence." The act provides examples of children who would fall under this definition:

• Children and youth sharing housing due to loss of housing, economic hardship or a similar reason

• Children and youth living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camp grounds due to lack of alternative accommodations

• Children and youth living in emergency or transitional shelters

• Children and youth abandoned in hospitals

• Children and youth whose primary nighttime residence is not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation (e.g. park benches, etc)

• Children and youth living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations

• Migratory children and youth living in any of the above situations

Eligible Students have the right to:

• Receive a free, appropriate public education.

• Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment.

• Enroll in school and attend classes while the school gathers needed documents.

• Enroll in the local (where they currently reside) school; or continue attending their school of origin (the school they attended when permanently housed or the school in which they were last enrolled), if that is your preference.

  • If the school district believes that the local school or school of origin you select is not in the best interest of your children, then the district must provide you with a written explanation of its position and inform you of your right to appeal its decision.

• Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if you request this.

• Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to your children’s needs.