McKinney-Vento

Title IX-A (McKinney-Vento Act) 

Homeless Education

The McKinney-Vento Act’s Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program, ensures that homeless children and youth are provided a free, appropriate public education, despite lack of a fixed place of residence or a supervising parent or guardian. The state public school admission statute assuring the right of homeless and other children and youth in similar circumstances to enroll in schools is ORS 339.115(7).  [1]

If you live in any of the following situations you may qualify for certain rights and protection under the federal McKinney-Vento Act:

• A shelter.
• A motel or campground due to the lack of an alternative adequate accommodation.
• A car, park, abandoned building, or bus or train station.
• A shared house or doubled up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship.

Eligible students have the right to:

• Receive a free, appropriate public education.
• Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment.
• Enroll in the local school; or continue attending their school of origin (the school they attended when permanently housed or the school in which they were last enrolled), if that is their preference and is feasible.
  • If the school district believes that the school selected is not in his/her best interest, then district must provide the student with a written explanation of its position and inform the student of his/her right to appeal its decision.
• Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if requested.
• Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to the students' needs.