Families in Transition
MCKINNEY-VENTO ASSISTANCE ACT
Provides certain rights and protection for families experiencing transitional living situations.
According to the McKinney-Vento, anyone who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate night-time residence has specific educational rights.
A student is considered part of the McKinney-Vento Assistance Act if he or she is presently:
- “Doubled up” living with friends or family due to loss of housing, economic hardship or a similar reason
- Living in a shelter
- Living in a motel, hotel, or campground due to lack of adequate housing
- Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, bus or train stations or similar settings
- An “unaccompanied youth” living without a parent/guardian
- A child of a migrant worker
- In other situations that are not fixed, regular, or adequate for nighttime residence
Know your educational rights! Under the federal McKinney-Vento Act, children and youth have the right to:
- Enroll in school immediately, even if missing records and documents normally required for enrollment, such as a birth certificate, proof of residence, previous school records, or immunization/medical records
- Enroll, attend classes, and participate fully in all school activities while the school gathers records
- Attend either the local school or the “school of origin”, if this is in their best interest; the “school of origin” is the school the child attended when he/she was permanently housed or the school in which the child was last enrolled
- Receive transportation support to and from the “school of origin” if in the best interest of the child(ren)
- Free lunches for the school year
- Receive the same special programs and services, if needed, as provided to all other children served in these programs
For more information about your child(ren)’s rights under the
McKinney-Vento Assistant Act, please contact:
Kris Widmann,
School Counselor/Homeless Liaison
Grantham Village School
75 Learning Drive, Grantham, NH 03753
603-863-1681
Resources
Drug Rehab, Homeless and Substance Abuse Resource
National Center for Homeless Education
NH Department of Education Homeless Education Resources