Homeless Resources

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ensures that children and youth experiencing homelessness have access to the same free, appropriate public education provided to all other students. The law protects the educational rights of students experiencing housing instability and helps remove barriers that may prevent them from enrolling in, attending, or succeeding in school.

The McKinney-Vento program also requires that school attendance laws and policies are not used to prevent students experiencing homelessness from accessing their education.

Who Qualifies as Homeless?

Under the McKinney-Vento Act, “homeless children and youth” are individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This may include children and youth who are:

• Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar circumstance, sometimes referred to as “doubled-up.”

• Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds because they lack an adequate alternative residence.

• Living in emergency or transitional shelters.

• Living in locations not ordinarily used as regular sleeping accommodations, such as cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, or other similar settings.

• Living in housing that does not meet basic standards of adequacy.

• Living in similar circumstances as a result of being a migrant student.

Unaccompanied Youth

The McKinney-Vento Act also provides protections for unaccompanied youth, meaning young people who are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.

This may include youth who are:

• Living away from home due to running away or other circumstances.

• Staying in shelters, abandoned buildings, cars, on the streets, or in other inadequate housing situations.

• Experiencing a loss of housing due to being asked or required to leave their home or being unable to return home.

• Living in temporary housing arrangements because they have no other adequate housing available.

Determination of Eligibility

Determinations of homelessness are made on a case-by-case basis by Russell County School District’s McKinney-Vento Homeless Education staff.

Students and families who believe they may qualify for McKinney-Vento services are encouraged to contact the district’s homeless education staff or their child’s school for assistance. Families do not need to be living in a shelter to qualify, and each situation is evaluated individually based on the circumstances of the student’s housing.

Russell County School District is committed to ensuring that students experiencing homelessness have equal access to educational opportunities, supportive services, and the resources they need to remain engaged in school and achieve academic success.

Learn More

Additional information about the McKinney-Vento program and educational rights for children and youth experiencing homelessness is available through the resources provided below.