The McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Assistance Act is a federal law that requires school districts to remove barriers and ensure immediate enrollment and educational stability for students experiencing homelessness.

Children and youth, including unaccompanied youth, who do not have a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence may be eligible for support and services under the McKinney-Vento Act.

This may include students who are sharing housing due to loss of housing or economic hardship, living temporarily in motels, campgrounds, shelters, or transitional housing, staying in places not meant for regular sleeping, or living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, or other inadequate housing. This also includes migratory students and youth who are not living with a parent or legal guardian if they are in any of these situations

• Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students according to each student’s need

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

• Continue to attend their school of origin OR enroll in their neighborhood school

  • School of Origin in defined as the school the student attended when permanently housed, or the school in which the student was last enrolled

• Receive transportation to and from school of origin or local attendance area school.

• Free breakfast and lunch at school

• Waiving of fees and fines that act as barriers to full participation

For more information on the McKinney-Vento Act, visit the OSPI Website

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