McKinney-Vento-Homeless Assistance Act

The McKinney-Vento protects the right of homeless children and youth to get to, stay in, and be successful in school while they or their families are homeless. The law focuses on maintaining school stability and and providing support for academic success for homeless kids. The law also requires schools and states to use child-centered, best-interest decision making when working with homeless children and their families to choose a homeless child's school, services, and other needed resources. Contact information for the McKinney-Vento Assistance Act for Los Lunas Schools is located on the sidebar.

The McKinney-Vento Act's definition of who qualifies as a homeless child or youth is quite broad: "Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence," including, but not limited to:

• Abandoned in hospitals.
• Living in a public or private place not designed for humans to live
• Living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, bus or train stations, etc.
• Living in emergency or transitional shelters
• Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds due to lack of adequate alternative accommodations
• Migratory children living in the above circumstances
• Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason (sometimes referred to as "doubled up")

Your school-age children may qualify for certain rights and protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Act. Your eligible child has the right to:

• Enroll in the local school; or continue attending their school or origin (the school they attended when permanently housed or the school in which they were last enrolled), if that is your preference and is feasible
• Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment

• Receive a free, appropriate public education
• Receive education services comparable to those provided to other students, according to your children's needs
• Receive transportation to and from the origin if you request so
• School meals at no cost

Some of the services provided to homeless students include:

• Backpacks with supplies
• Fees
• Food
• Hygiene products
• Transportation
• Uniforms
• Undergarments, shoes, clothing