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McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

In January of 2002, Congress authorized the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to help people experiencing homelessness. The federal law includes the Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program that entitles children who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence to a free, appropriate education and requires schools to remove barriers to their enrollment, attendance and success in school. The McKinney-Vento Program meets the needs of homeless students attending Perquimans County Public Schools by addressing academic challenges and family issues affecting their success in school. Under the McKinney-Vento Program, there is no age limit for an unaccompanied homeless or runaway youth as long as the student is eligible for K-12 public education in NC. Schools must immediately alert the School McKinney-Vento Liaison or the District McKinney-Vento Liaison if presented with a possible runaway or unaccompanied homeless youth.

Living situations that may qualify include, but are not limited to:

• Living with a friend, relative or other person/family because of a loss of housing

• Staying in a motel or hotel because of a loss of housing or fleeing domestic violence

• Living in an emergency shelter, transitional housing or domestic violence shelter

• Living in a car, park or public place, abandoned building or bus station

• Living temporarily in substandard housing

• Living in a campground or an inadequate trailer home

• Living in a runaway or homeless youth shelter; run away youth

• Youth living on their own, even if their families want them to come home

McKinney-Vento Rights and Supports

Your McKinney-Vento eligible children 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), if that is your preference.
- If the school district believes that the school 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.

McKinney Vento Identified Student Counts

2017-2018: 55

2018-2019: 35

2019-2020: 52

Resources

North Carolina Homeless Education Program

Parent Information Poster

Youth Information Poster

Contacts