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RECURSOS DE PADRES

McKinney-Vento Act

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (McKinney-Vento Act) is federal legislation that ensures the educational rights and protections of children and youths experiencing homelessness. It requires all local educational agencies (LEAs) to ensure that homeless students have access to the same free, appropriate public education, including public preschools, as provided to other children and youths.

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The McKinney-Vento Act defines “homeless children and youths” as children and youth who lack fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence; including children and youth who are:

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  • Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reasons; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; or are abandoned in hospitals

  • Living at a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designated for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;

  • Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and

  • Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above;

  • Unaccompanied youth, including any youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian, such as runaways, or youth denied housing by their families.

Parents' & Students' Rights

Under the McKinney-Vento Act, homeless children and youth 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 school; or continue attending the school of origin (the school they attended when permanently housed or the school in which they were last enrolled), according to the student's best interest.

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*If the school district believes that the school selected is not in the student’s best interest, the district must provide the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth with a written explanation of its position and inform the parent, guardian, or youth of the right to appeal its decision.

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  • Receive transportation assistance, if requested.

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

  • Receive free lunches for the duration of the school year.

  • Receive equal access to education and have school fees waived.

Who To Contact

Grow Public Schools Homeless liaisons ensure that students experiencing homelessness are enrolled and provided with comparable educational services and resources to continue educational development and attain academic success.

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If you believe your children may be eligible, contact the local liaison to find out what services and supports may be available.

Grow Academy Shafter

Maira Portillo, Family and Community Engagement Liaison

m.portillo@growpublicschools.org

(661) 602-8716

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KCSOS McKinney-Vento Education Liaison 

Curt Williams

cwilliams@kern.org

(661) 636 - 4900

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California State Homeless Coordinator

Leanne Wheeler

HOMELESSED@cde.ca.gov

(916) - 319 - 0383

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Community Resources

2-1-1 Kern County

Kern County’s 24-hour helpline for info and referrals

Call 2-1-1 or visit www.211kerncounty.org

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